Sarah Chang will be performing Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D minor with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under the baton of Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen during the Singapore’s Sun Festival from Oct 17 to Oct 26. Singapore’s premier arts and lifestyle festival is now in its second year.
“He is sensational,” Sarah Chang say about Salonen, adding “he is one of the most energetic and exciting conductors out there. Like Sibelius, he’s Finnish so there’s nobody better to conduct the piece and know the music than him. I really adore him.”
Is she comfortable with the label “old school romantic violinist”?
“I really don’t know where that came from, but I am fine with it. But I found it quite funny,” she said with a laugh.
She will be performing Sibelius’ dark and melodic piece with her 1717 Guarneri del Gesu violin (which she described as a “throaty, dark instrument”) which she acquired in her teens.
“To me the del Gesu is an extension to my personality. It suits the Sibelius piece and the character… I love the quality that it has,” she said, describing the violin”, say Sarah who started with tiny violins when she was four — quarter sizes, half sizes.
Sarah Chang will perform on Oct 25 (7.30pm) at the Esplanade Concert Hall as part of the Singapore’s Sun Festival. For tickets and event information, visit
www.singaporesunfestival.com
