Conductor Vladimir Jurowski appreciates ‘DNA’ of orchestra

When conductor Vladimir Jurowski leads the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance at the Seoul Arts Center on March 7, it will likely be his last appearance here as the principal conductor of the orchestra founded in 1932.

Jurowski, who has led the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007, will be stepping down at the end of the 2020/21 season, heading to the Bavarian State Orchestra in Munich where he will take up the post of music director. In a recent email interview, he described his relationship with the orchestra to be a challenging and fun journey.

 

“The LPO is an orchestra with a passion for exploring and learning, and there is more music to explore than any of us could cover in one lifetime,” the 46-year-old conductor said. “With the LPO, it is friendship, partnership, complicity -- all these things at once!”

Jurowski, born in Russia, left the country in 1990 and continued his music studies in Germany. He has lived all over Europe and made his international debut with the Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland in 1995.

At LPO, Jurowksi succeeded a list of luminaries that included Kurt Masur, Franz Welser-Most and Georg Solti. While Jurowski could have felt overwhelmed at the time, the names did not dampen his spirit.

“Of course any orchestra with a long history will have its share of great names and their influence is part of the ‘DNA’ of the orchestra. It is an honor and a privilege to take over any such orchestra, and to use that influence to help create your sound,” Jurowski said.

“But any conductor must bring their own personality and not think about there being any pressure. After my time with the orchestra has finished, there will be someone else, and they will need to find their voice and their particular relationship, which will be different from mine -- as it should be!”

The program for the upcoming performance includes, R. Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks,” Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major. Jurowski described the program as a “standard with substance” for an orchestra.

The conductor was confident that violinist Julia Fischer, who will perform Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, will be adding “something new” to the well-known piece.

He also expected “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” to be a great opening, highlighting each soloist and allowing them to “use their instinct for character and color.”

Jurowski is especially attached to Brahms.

“Brahms’ Second Symphony is of course a regular part of the ‘natural diet’ of any orchestra and we have played the work numerous times together, but there is always something new to learn,” he said.

“The requirements that Brahms places on the orchestra as a ‘collective’ in terms of blending of texture and the way the players need to listen and respond to each other is always beneficial, however many times you encounter the score,” he said.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)