Classic Music TV interview with Oleg Plotnikov 28/11/2023 – Posted in: General
Interview
1.What does music mean to you personally?
– Music is my language of communication with the outside world. Music lives in me from early childhood and my whole life is connected with the world of music. At the age of 6, picking up a violin, I already realised that I wanted to be a musician, at the age of 11, having started composing, I knew that I would be a composer. I devoted all my further development and education to music and remained faithful to it. Only the vector of activity changed.
2.Do you agree that music is all about fantasy?
– If we consider the concept of «fantasy» as inspiration, then of course, without this, the creative process is impossible. But «fantasy» does not mean uncontrollability. The composer, as an artist, must give it a harmonious form, depth, breathe meaning into it and endow it with artistic content. Only then will she be inspired by the performer’s fantasy, and he, in turn, will awaken the listener’s fantasy.
3.If you were not a professional musician, what would you have been?
– I don’t think I would have gone the other way. The creative spirit is an integral part of my character, so whatever I do besides music, it will be an activity related to creativity.
4.The classical music audience is getting old, are you worried about the future?
– I think this is a problem of all time. For young people it is not academic music that is more attractive, but the music of its time. It requires new forms, genres, and a new approach. But I don’t think the classic genres will suffer from this.
5.What do you envision the role of music to be in the 21st century? Do you see that there is a transformation of this role?
– Communication with music is necessary for a person to remain a person and not to lose moral guidelines. The role of classical music in this is irreplaceable. The main thing is the quality of music and performance.
6.Do you think that the musician today needs to be more creative? What is the role of creativity in the musical process for you?
– A composer, in order to be interesting for the younger generation, must keep up with the times. Search for new means of expression, new sounds, use of new technical capabilities.
7.Do you think we as musicians can do something to attract the younger generation to music concerts? How would you do this?
– I don’t know any other way how to acquaint a person in childhood with good and high- quality music. I am engaged in pedagogy. And are many children who want to learn music. The teacher’s task is to make this communication with music interesting, so that it grows into a need. I welcome government programs to introduce children to classical music, as is done in Austria or Japan with attending classical concerts.
8.Tell us about your creative process. What is your favorite piece (written by you) and how did you start working on it?
– The creative process is unpredictable. Sometimes the whole work gradually grows out of some grain. It can be a couple of notes or a chord. Or a melody born in the head at night. And sometimes you have to hurry up to record an elusive musical thought. This process is continuous, it is impossible to stop it until the work is finished.
– Recently, I have been implementing plans to write variations on a couple Preludes of A.Scriabin. A composer who always interested me very much.
9.Can you give some advice for young people who want to discover classical music for themselves?
– The paths can be very different. Just touch it. Sometimes the music you hear at a concert captures you, makes you want to learn more about it, or take notes and try to play. As a teacher, I always support such an initiative.
10.Do you think about the audience when composing?
– No. I think about the music itself and how the composition satisfies me as an author.
11.What projects are coming up? Do you experiment in your projects?
– Now I am busy with to make score of the «Planets» cycle for a symphony orchestra. To implement this idea, I want to use a number of non-typical set of musical instruments.