Shortly after graduating from the Royal Conservatory, I was asked to join the Asko|Schoenberg ensemble. I had only recently begun to be interested in contemporary music, but I jumped at the chance to play with such an experienced and inspiring group of musicians, and to perform pieces which I would not have the chance to play anywhere else: musical gems by Webern, Adams, Chin, Ligeti, Saariaho, Hindemith, Kurtag, Reich, Schoenberg, and of course all of the premieres we would be doing.

I learned so much from the ensemble in my first years, and my ears opened up in ways that I didn’t expect. Atonal music slowly seemed emotional and intellectual more logical than it did to me before, and my ear for older music changed as well. I tried to forget traditional ways of interpreting the “classics”, and asked myself what the text of the music suggested to me, personally. Working with composers also continues to be a wonderful experience. Seeing different faces behind the notes, different personalities, and different manners of approaching music in general has changed the way I approach music of the past.

And Reinbert de Leeuw has been a big source of inspiration for me over the years. That man who will shout the notes at you in rehearsal (those of you that know him know why I don’t dare say “sing”), but who shouts them in a way which conveys exactly what character and intention he has in mind, has been a constant reminder to me that beneath all music is an emotional intention, and it’s our job to convey that to the public.