"Ivajla Kirova is of an exceptionally high artistic standard" Prof. Gerhard Oppitz

Interview for "Mouvement Nouveau"

Hi! How are you? What’s on your schedule right now?
Hi! I’m fine, thank you. I’m teaching a master course and I’m giving a concert in Bulgaria in May, after my jury membership in the International Piano Competition "Classical and Contemporary".

If you hadn’t chosen music, what do you think you would do right now?
My two great passions are music and flying. I’ve been fascinated by flying since earliest childhood, but I wanted to be a musician more. If I hadn’t, I’d certainly be a pilot. That’s my unfulfilled dream.

What or who was your biggest influence as an artist?
Gerhard Oppitz, my piano professor. I had the big chance to take his master class in Munich and that was the most important period of my musical education.

What’s the hardest part about being a musician and what’s the best?
The hardest and the best is the development as a musician... Until a concert pianist receives his master degree, he takes 18-20 years of piano lessons. In other occupations only 4-5 years are necessary. However, to receive recognition and to be successful as a musician is a great and indescribable feeling.

What’s your view on the classical music scene at present? Is there a crisis?
No, I don’t think that there is a crisis. Classical music was always for a selected, intelligent circle of people and not for the crowd.

Some feel there is no need to record classical music any more, that it’s all been done before. What do you tell them?
People have listened to classical music for centuries and enjoy it over and over again. In fact, you can never play one piece in the same way twice, but not many people understand this. Nowadays there are many pop song releases every day which get forgotten by the next week. Is there really any need to record them?

What constitutes a good live performance in your opinion? What’s your approach to performing on stage?
Charisma is very important during a live performance, in addition to all other qualitites. My approach to performing on stage is to be concentrated, to forget the public and to be free. I believe this is necessary for success.

What does the word “interpretation” mean to you?
To present as precisely and faithfully as possible the composer’s conception, not one’s own. The classical performers are like interior designers - they furnish a
house, but they don’t build it. It’s a pity that over and over again even well-known performers interpret some composers so that you can barely recognize them...

True or false: It is the duty of an artist to put his personal emotions into the music he plays.
True, but this is not the most important thing. As I said before, the performer must above all understand the composer as well as possible. The personal emotions must not predominate.

True or false: “Music is my first love”.
True, but it isn’t only love, it’s much more...

True or false: People need to be educated about classical music, before they can really appreciate it.
False. Either you feel love for classical music in your heart or not. Of course the influence by the family or education can contribute to this, but that isn’t decisive. You cannot educate feelings or love for music into someone.

You are given the position of artistic director of a concert hall. What would be on your program for this season?
In my opinion, the people in Europe know not nearly enough about bulgarian music and I have always tried to popularize it more. Composers like Vladigerov, Nenov, Pipkov are regarded as national celebrities in Bulgaria. Earlier musicians like David Oistrach, Arthur Nikisch and Wilhelm Furtwängler presented these compositions. Herbert von Karajan passed his state examination with the first piano concerto of Vladigerov. In Germany, however, find you the names on the concert programs only rarely...

What’s your favourite classical CD at the moment?
I listen to the 24 Preludes and the 2-nd Sonata of Rachmaninov with Vladimir Ashkenazy now. It is an exceptionally beautiful CD!

Have you ever tried playing a different instrument? If yes, how good were you at it?
Yes, I tried several as a child, just out of curiosity. However, I always only took piano lessons. I know exactly what I wanted.

April 2005

StZ News, Bulgaria

"The 4. International Piano Competition "Classical and Contemporary" takes place again in this autumn. The Jury includes 5 members prominent musicians, players and pedagogues: Prof. Dr. Kurtev, Prof. Dimov, Doz. Gatev, Doz. Kirova from Germany, graduate from the Special Music School in St. Zagora and the Music Academies in Sofia and Munich, as well as Ms. Marincheva, Artistic Menager ot the Competition..."

October 2004

Süddeutsche Zeitung

"The pianist Ivajla Kirova successfully played Chopin-Sonata op.35, Liszt-Spanish Rhapsody, Nenov-Toccata, Bartok-Suite within the "Young Artists" concert series in Munich..."

January 1998 

StZ News, Bulgaria

"The Jury awarded the prizes to the laureates of the 4. International Piano Competition "Classical and Contemporary". The winners were selected from all candidates in four age groups. The Special Prize of Dozent Ivajla Kirova received Deniza Dobreva from the National School of Arts "Vesselin Stojanov" in Rousse..."

October 2004

Classical Online

"A seriously, exceptionally beautiful CD! Brilliantly compelling and with enormous expressive power. At the end one puts the record immediately on again just to be able to listen to itone more time..."

July 2001