Wolf-Dieter Seiffert
May 2022
"The Henle Company was formed in 1948 with the permission of the
American military government."
Ever wonder what goes into your musical score, from deciding which notes the composer actually meant to indicate, to deciding ways to increase readability? What does "Urtext" mean, and why should we care? Does Marc-André Hamelin put in the fingerings for Rachmaninoff, when he doesn't perform any of his music? Dr. Wolf-Dieter Seiffert, born in Frankfurt, studied musicology, modern German literature, and philosophy. In 1990 Seiffert started work at G. Henle Publishers as an editor, where he became managing director of G. Henle Verlag in 2000.
Emmanuel Pahud
May 2022
"Music is greater than us--it plays us."
Emmanuel Pahud, principal flute of the Berlin Philharmonic, joins Living the Classical Life in Berlin for a conversation about his life and work, and how he prepares for concerts and zeroes in on his musical voice. With anecdotes and reflections about the late violinist Ivry Gitlis, he shares advice for young performers.
Zlata Chochieva
May 2022
"Music is born from silence."
PIanist Zlata Chochieva, of Ossetian descent, is winner of numerous awards, over a dozen competitions and has five highly-praised albums to her name. She appeared at the Miami International Piano Festival, the Gilmore Keyboard Festival, the festival «Progetto Martha Argerich» in Lugano, the Lucerne Festival, and the Berliner Klavierfestival.
Alena Baeva
May 2022
"Beauty is everywhere around you."
Violinist Alena Baeva joins Living the Classical Life in Tokyo, where she performed the Schumann Concerto, after which she invited the audience to join a prayer for peace. Winner of the Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition, the Sendai Competition, the Moscow Paganini Competition, and the International T. Wronski Competition, she reflects on the artist's role in the changeable world today, and examines the obligations that may come with the spotlight. With discussions about competitions and the fostering of vulnerability for artistic growth, this conversation is a deeply introspective look at the musician's world.
ABOUT LIVING THE CLASSICAL LIFE
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing back into classical music the human dimension lost in an ever more commercialized and dehumanized music business.
Living the Classical Life is an ongoing series of conversational portraits hosted by Zsolt Bognár. Its goal is to educate viewers so that they can experience music again as speaking directly from the heart to the heart.
The episodes focus on the inner world of classical musicians and the essence of music itself. Performers at various stages of their careers generously share what Living the Classical Life is about—its passions, fears, obstacles, and its rewards.
The intense, very personal exchange between host Zsolt Bognár and his guests is itself a real-time model for Living the Classical Life. Each episode has its own individual trajectory and its own intellectual, emotional, and visual flavor.
Any viewer, whether music critic, opera fan, or occasional concertgoer, will enjoy these exciting insights into the heart of classical music. In a first encounter with a seemingly daunting, closed world, the experience of its humanity is nothing short of transformative.
Created by Elyria Pictures, NYC, (2011-2021) and KATALOG Filmproduktion, Munich (starting from 2021).
ZSOLT BOGNÁR
Living the Classical Life is a natural extension of my diverse musical activities, rooted in meaningful conversation. There is no ordinary life in music; everyone has a story to tell, with lessons that go beyond the confines of concert halls and conservatories. I am grateful to hear so much feedback from our viewers, and my aim is to interest audiences curious about life and the pursuit of passion; I hope the humanity of my guests will inspire and encourage others.
JUTTA ITTNER
I’d always been a music lover and avid concert-goer, but I never imagined how much it takes to "live a classical life" until I taught students from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. I admired their passion and courage, and I was deeply moved by their dedication and sacrifice.
I first met Zsolt as a freshman in my German class. Years later, our friendship led to the idea of bringing a whole new dimension to understanding classical music: a series of intimate conversations in which musician share their most intimate experiences, challenges and dreams.
BOARD
ZSOLT BOGNÁR President
CAROLINE OLTMANNS Vice President
JONATHAN EIFERT Secretary
DANIEL ISENGART
JUTTA ITTNER
SEAN P. MALONE
M. GEORGE STEVENSON
BEN WOLF
ADVISORS
SERGEI BABAYAN
STEPHEN HOUGH
DANIIL TRIFONOV
YUJA WANG
ROBERT WHITE