Today’s concert is in Gyeonggi. Our hotel is so lovely it almost makes you forget we’re on tour and not on holiday. There’s even a fully equipped gym, which, of course, I used right away. My colleagues seemed slightly surprised to see their conductor lifting weights, but I can still hear Bernard Haitink saying: “On tour, it’s all about everyone’s wellbeing. Physically, and mentally.” And he was absolutely right.
On tour, we play nearly the same programme every day. The challenge is to make it feel new each time: fresh, curious, almost improvised. That’s why I try to bring small new impulses every day. During today’s rehearsal, I sensed a bit of tiredness in the orchestra, but the beauty of the BNO is this: when the concert starts, they always give everything. Tired or not, the sound remains full and intense, and the audience goes wild!
After rehearsal, it was time for the camera: a short social media clip with our soloist HaeSun Paik, perfectly coordinated by Laura, our social media wizard. One tiny problem: I’d forgotten my clean shirt. So yes, interview done in a sweaty rehearsal T-shirt. Glamorous as ever. 😅
Antony
Watch the interview in question here:
