Latvian artist to perform for Women’s Day
ISTANBUL
The Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra will be hosting a female soloist as part of the DenizBank Concerts on March 8, International Women's Day.
Latvian accordion artist Ksenija Sidorova will meet art lovers at Atatürk Culture Center (AKM) Türk Telekom Opera Hall. The artist will interpret the Accordion Concerto of Latvian composer Arturs Maskats.
“I think of this concert as a celebration of our strength, our femininity, our uniqueness!” said Sidorova and replied to questions.
You started playing the accordion, which is a folk tradition in Latvia, at a young age with the encouragement of your grandmother. What do you think about families discovering children's talents and guiding them?
I started playing the accordion at age six with my grandmother. First, as a fun thing to do over the summer and learn something new and later it became more serious when I started going to music school. I believe it is crucial for parents or grandparents to observe what children are interested in in order to help guide them in the right direction and provide what is necessary to discover and further develop their abilities.
You have become one of the leading ambassadors of the classical accordion. What do you think about the transfer of traditional classical music instruments to younger generations? What motivational suggestions would you like to give to young people?
I am happy that accordion is gaining more and more popularity in the world and especially on the classical stage. It has always been my mission to show the classical accordion’s identity by performing original repertoire written for it and hope that future generations will pick up those works and continue working with composers to keep their interest in our instrument.
You perform works in many different genres, from Bach to Piazzolla, from Efrem Podgaits to Václav Trojan. What kind of preparation does it require to perform works in so many different styles?
Just as any other classical music instrument; hours of practice, score learning and proper classical training which I have done in my hometown of Riga (Latvia) and later in London (at the Royal Academy of Music). Accordion is a complex instrument and the technique of playing it is not easy, so it requires as much attention as any other instrument. Performing music of different centuries requires learning about history, about certain events in the world that led the composers to write in a certain style.
You will give a concert with the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor İbrahim Yazıcı, at AKM on March 8 International Women's Day. What is the importance of being on stage on this special day for you?
I have previously worked with Yazıcı and I am so excited to see him again and perform this new work together. He is a wonderful conductor, a great musician! March 8 always brings me first real spring feeling; in my home country this is the day when every woman receives flowers and also coincides with the birthday of my dear grandmother. I am going to join her celebrations a day later this year because of the concert in Istanbul.
You will interpret Arturs Maskats' Accordion Concerto in the concert program. How does this work make you feel?
It is so unique and special to premiere a new work. I have worked with Maskats on numerous occasions, he is one of leading composers from Latvia and has included accordion in many of his works. After many years of knowing each other he finally wrote this concerto for me, and I have already had quite a journey with it. It is a beautiful concerto titled “What the Wind Told Over the Sea.” It has a very poetic name, just like the melodies in this concerto, which is an absolute strength of the composer. The Baltic Sea is quite cold, with lots of choppy waves often, on rare occasions calm- you can hear all its Baltic charm in Maskats’ music. Lots of melancholy, longing as well as spontaneous outbursts of emotions! It always makes me feel “at home.”
Is there a message you would like to convey to women on March 8, International Women's Day?
I see the tendency in the world to defend a woman being a leader in many fields. In my view by trying to defend something it is as if we need to prove something to the world. Women are strong! Ever since becoming a mother I realize how much more we can achieve than we think. Women in music, women in business, women in any other field- I believe is a wonderful thing, a must in fact! Women bring something else to the table than men and by having both the masculine and the feminine, is a win win for all. I think of this concert as a celebration of our strength and our femininity, our uniqueness!
