In January, you auditioned for Friends of Song. What made auditioning appealing and made you decide to apply?
Valerie: ‘I got to know Friends of the Song through my duo partner Sofi. We actually planned to audition together last year, but I was so busy with concerts that I didn't have time to audition. In the meantime, she was accepted with the amazing mezzo-soprano Julia Kurig Yazaki and told me about the collaboration with Friends of Song. What particularly appealed to us was the opportunity to perform regularly in intimate venues for people with a passion for the art song. That eventually led to us signing up as a duo as well.’
What kind of music makes your heart beat faster? Who/what is/was your inspiration?
Valerie: ‘For me, it's mainly contemporary music. Not the completely abstract beat that often seems to be looking for something new at all costs, but contemporary music that I can follow myself both emotionally and musically. Music that tells stories in a modern musical language, written by people experiencing the world in a time not so far from mine. And I also love the challenge it brings. Contemporary music is often much more demanding to study in the beginning. Yet I really enjoy the early stages when I don't yet fully understand what the composer is asking of me. Over time, these works become all the more personal, because they require me to engage with the subject matter on a deeper and more intense level.’
At what point did you become fascinated by the art song?
Valerie: ‘It wasn't really until I met Sofi. She made me really feel the magic of the art song; the intense and intimate engagement with text and music that you have as a close and equal duo ... I had sung art songs years before and enjoyed it. But in Sofi I found someone with whom I feel such a close personal and musical bond, that it is pure joy to bring the stories to life together.’
For you, what is the relationship between ‘prima le parole’ and ‘prima la musica’?
Sofi: ‘For us, words and music are two sides of the same soul. One cannot breathe without the other. Sometimes the words lead, sometimes the music - but the best of all is when they run together.’
As musicians, how do you deal with nervousness?
Sofi: ‘We try to make friends with our nervousness. We laugh a lot, sometimes do yoga together, or just jump as high as we can. She is like an invisible guest, reminding us how important and meaningful this moment is. But when we transform her into music, she becomes a source of strength.’
What do the last two hours before a recital look like?
Sofi: ‘It is a “floating” moment in which outer calm meets inner fire: a few deep breaths, a quiet conversation with Valerie, maybe one last touch of the piano keys, and then a firm embrace, in which we share our energy. For me, it is always a magical moment, because Valerie radiates calmness and reassures me. Then comes the waiting, until the first note sounds.’
After a recital, the audience goes home. What do you hope they take with them?
Valerie: ‘I hope the audience will continue to think about it long after the recital is over and, ideally, engage in conversation with fellow listeners. Our programmes are often not put together just to be enjoyable. They often carry a certain charge that refers to challenges in the world and the ways we respond to them. My desire is for those themes to be questioned and for our recital to evoke a new perspective or a sense of emotional connection to topics that might otherwise remain too abstract or distant.’
What does Friends of the Song have to offer young musicians like you?
‘Ideally, it means the opportunity to perform for and among people with a passion for song - all within a warm and supportive working environment, as well as the freedom to shape our programmes independently and with complete artistic freedom.’
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