Italian pianist Alba Gentili-Tedeschi’s dedication to contemporary music and interdisciplinary art has thrived in her home base of Berlin. Always searching for new ways to expand her art, Alba explores meaningful artistic collaborations with composers, actors and visual artists. Alba has performed at festivals such as the Münchener Musiktheaterbiennale, FirenzeSuonaContemporanea, Infektion!, Kontraklang und Unerhörte Musik Berlin, and in venues such as Concertgebow Amsterdam, Tonhalle Zürich, Lingotto Turin, Staatsoper Berlin, Komische Oper, Neuköllner Oper, and Volksbühne Berlin. She has won competitions for both classical and contemporary music, and given the world premieres of numerous compositions. As a member of Trio Transmitter Alba Gentili-Tedeschi will perform at Cells, Sounds & breeding Souls – Kreation at Ausland on Thursday, 21.03.2019
FACTS:
1: “Die Wirklichkeit ist Schatten der Kunst.“ (Friedrich von Rotha)
2: I wish more people would read and apply Adam Smith’s theories.
3: THANK YOU to all the dedicated and open-minded teachers in the world, from Kindergarten to university, doesn’t matter which subject.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
I have many fragmented ones, mostly tiny windows of screaming voices hidden in people’s eyes and souls, random breathes of nature, any kind of pointed edges and the need for more hope, love and passion than what is allowed in normal life.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
Apparently when I was about four years old, I was banging my hands on my mum’s piano all the time and when she couldn’t take it anymore, she sent me to piano lessons…
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Oh, this is a difficult one. Favourite scores would have been easier… I’ll try with albums: Brahms, any Symphony directed by Celibidache with Münchner Philharmoniker / Mozart, Requiem directed by Gardiner with English Barock Soloists and Monteverdi Choir / ABBA, Gold / Gamma Ray, Land of the free / Fabrizio de Andrè, Non al denaro non all’amore nè al cielo but actually every single one of his albums.
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
Responsible freedom.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
In my hometown (Milan, Italy) any place when I went with my grandfather as a kid. In Berlin the neighbourhood I live in since 2008, Neukölln (macht glücklich!).
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Definitely bake. And after I perfected cakes and pastries create music translating their taste into sounds.
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
Record, Mary Poppin’s soundtrack for my son before going to see the musical. Last score, Tote Stadt by Korngold.
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Artists from other fields than music. I still find the collaboration between experts in different arts isn’t being explored enough.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Performer: Love and Diversity by Manos Tsangaris in the version we made with Opera Lab Berlin, staged by Michael Höppner. Spectator: La Mer by Debussy, directed Abbado with Berliner Philharmoniker, live at the Philharmonie Berlin. Astonishing.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
For me it’s a challenging and fascinating imposition to deal with. I do like the balance and fusion between it and the instruments “made by humans”.
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
I have a brother who is six years younger than me and decided even before me that he was going to be a violinist, so he felt my career was quite normal!
Doors to Cells, Sounds & breeding Souls – Kreation at ausland open at 20:00. Alba Gentili-Tedeschi’s Trio Transmitter will perform along with Bio Artist Margherita Pevere.
Photo © Karin Vettorel
