Between Paris, Görlitz and Syros

I conducted this short interview in the cultural salon of Ars Augusta with the pianist Jonas Vitaud. During his visit to his mother, he used our grand piano to practice for his next concert. He told us about his life as a musician, his new role as artistic director of a festival on the Greek island of Syros, and about Görlitz.

Jonas, can you give us a little information about yourself? Who are you, and why are you in Görlitz?

I'm in Görlitz because my mother has lived here for about 15 years, and now she's ill and I'm taking care of her. I'm a musician, a pianist, and also a teacher; I teach piano at the Paris Conservatory. I also play many concerts, solo as well as chamber music, quite often with singers, and I recently started as artistic director at a festival in Syros…

Since this year?

Yes, this year. It's a festival in Greece, and it's the first time I've been the artistic director, which is very interesting.

How old are you? When and where were you born?

I was born in Paris in 1980, so I'm 45 years old.

You told me yesterday that you started studying piano very early…

Quite early, about the same as most professional musicians. I started playing piano when I was 6. Some even start earlier. Some as young as 8, and in some cases, you can start at 10 to become a professional musician.

Was that your parents' choice, or was it your choice?

It was my choice. My parents weren't musicians. My father liked a bit of jazz, but he wasn't a real music lover. My mother liked classical music, but not that much either. I had a teacher when I was 5, and thanks to her, we were always able to listen to a lot of music at home. At the end of the day, she always wanted us to listen to 30 minutes of classical music, and I always told my parents, "I'd really like to hear that music again." So my parents, especially my mother, decided that I should pursue music. We chose the piano, and I was immediately enthusiastic about that choice.

And what was the music the teacher played that you liked so much?

I remember Handel: "Water Music" and "Music for the Royal Fireworks." We certainly listened to a lot of other music, but I still remember that particular piece.

Were those LP records back then?

Yes, exactly.

And then you started studying piano. Was it an easy path or a difficult one? Did things go well with the teachers? Did your talent lead you down an easy path, or was there also hardship along the way?

It certainly wasn't very easy, but rather quite complicated. My first teacher, an American, was wonderful. He was also a composer and a singer. He was a countertenor; he loved to sing, and we played a lot of four-hand pieces together. So I played back then a lot "sight reading"; it wasn't so much "work." That's how I truly came to love music, because of that first teacher. We played a lot of music: Buxtehude or William Byrd, all the way up to Bartók and so on. We played a lot from sight, and that was really great, but he wasn't a "rigorist" teacher. When I was eight years old, at the Conservatoire in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, I studied much more about technique, how to read scores, and so on, but that was much more boring for me: we always studied the same piece for three months at a time, trying to play it better and better. The contrast between the two approaches was very "uncomfortable" for me. I preferred the way we did it with my first teacher, where we always switched things up and never worked on the same piece over and over again.

Nevertheless, you became a professional concert pianist.

It was uncomfortable, but it was also important. After my first teacher, I couldn't progress without technique, score reading, and the understanding of the composers. That was important, even if a bit painful.

But now that you've become the artistic director of a festival, you're somehow returning to that beginning, where you had a more general connection to music and musicians.

It's quite the same approach.

And how did that come about?

That was my sister's friend: his grandparents were Greek, and he decided to turn back in Greece again, in Syros…

Was he from Syros?

No, he was born in France. But his grandparents were from Greece, not from Syros, but somewhere else in Greece.

Did you know that Syros was under French protection during Ottoman rule? They protected the island from the Turks. That's why the Catholic population there is very high, and the island is very popular to the French tourists What's the name of the festival?

Syros International Music Festival.

Has it been around for a while?

When I took over as artistic director for the first time (this year), it was already the third edition, but up until then, the artistic direction hadn't worked out so well, so my sister's friend thought of me. We've known each other for 20 years. When he lived in France, he came to my concerts quite often, so he thought, "Maybe I'll ask Jonas; maybe he'd be okay with it." It was a great opportunity for me. I've already completed one edition and am slowly preparing for the next one.

Can you tell me a little about this festival? Is it a week in September?

It's usually in October. This year it was towards the end of October, but it's quite complicated to always get the theater available at the same time, so next year we'll hold it towards the end of September 2026. It lasts a week, with about five or six concerts. We'll see how many artists we invite.

What kind of audience are you targeting? Local or international visitors?

We have a large international audience. About half of the audience is from abroad: Germans, English, French. It's not so easy to reach Greeks because it's quite expensive. Most Greeks are... poor.

How much does a ticket cost?

20 euros. It's not that much, but it's not exactly cheap for Greeks. We can't make it any cheaper, though, because then we wouldn't be able to pay the artists.

Who sponsors it?

A little bit of the city, a couple of sponsors from Syros...

From Europe or France?

This year we'll approach the Institut Français, and we also hope to get the Fondation Polignac on board, because I'm an artist-in-residence at the Fondation Polignac in Paris, and they sometimes support projects.

Perhaps the French Embassy as well, considering the historical ties between France and Syros.

That's very interesting; I didn't know that. That could be a factor.

Can you already say who's coming next year?

That could still change, so it's best not to make anything public yet. (Then he mentions a couple of well-known artists from France.)

That shows me you have many contacts with other musicians.

Yes, there are many musicians I play with regularly, and they're musicians I'm always very happy to play with. I've played a lot with the first artist (about whom he previously talked about) this year, so I want to invite him for a concert with two pianos and percussion.

Is it modern music?

Yes, there is no music for two pianos and percussion before Bartók. The first work was written in 1937; there wasn't anything before that.

One last question about the festival. I see you work as a manager for other artists, arranging concerts, etc. Do you enjoy doing that?

Yes, and not only that, I'm also interested in the stage elements. I don't want it to be boring to watch.

Do you like this new role?

It's a lot of fun but it's a bit risky, though, because I'm always thinking about it, and sometimes I'm not so focused on my work as a pianist. But I like that, which is why I think about it so much.

There's something called dramaturgy, which I find very interesting! But actually, to do that, you have to invest a lot of time, studying a topic, etc.

Yes, it takes quite a lot of time, just like with pedagogy. This year in Syros, I dedicated a lot of time to presenting the concerts to the audience. I want people to understand more about the music and the composer, how the piece was written, and how it can be connected to other works. It was very interesting for me and important for the audience to receive these explanations.

And did the audience appreciate it? Not everyone has a talent for public speaking. How did the audience react to this lessons?

"Lesson" is a strong word. It shouldn't be too didactic; after all, it doesn't have to be a conference-concert. It was new for the audience this year because they had never done anything like this before. But they said, "Yes, this is interesting. We like to understand the pieces a little better or to distinguish where we can pay closer attention."

What is the audience for classical music like in France? We know that fewer and fewer people are coming to concerts, especially after the pandemic, and they are predominantly older people.

It's roughly the same in France; quite old people come, but not everywhere. Some "seasons" have managed to attract younger people. For example, the Philharmonie in Paris: there are many people under 30 who attend the concerts, but for most institutions it is very difficult to attract young people to the concerts.

Do you have any ideas on how to attract younger audiences to classical music?

In Syros, we also have many morning concerts for schoolchildren, and that was an important experience. This should be standard practice everywhere. Most festivals don't offer performances for schoolchildren and young people, so it's more of a political decision. All festivals should do it; it's important. I'm always very happy to connect with more young people.

Regarding composers: You mentioned playing contemporary music. Here I see a CD with music by Debussy. What musical style do you feel most at home in?

There are several styles I explore. The first is French music, especially Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, and Henri Dutilleux. He, along with Messiaen, was one of the greatest French composers of the second half of the 20th century and died in 2013, twelve years ago. Very fine music, great orchestration, but in the tradition of Debussy and Ravel, not like Boulez, for example, who wanted to reinvent everything. But I also studied all his works with him personally, and that was my best experience as a musician.

What is the label "Mirare" where you release your music?

"Mirare" is a record label owned by René Martin. He also organizes many concerts in France, for example, the festival in La Roque d'Anthéron, which is a huge piano festival, and also the Festival du Nord, La Folle Journée, which is four to five days with about 250 concerts. Almost every musician from France is invited. I've been with this label for several years now, and I've released six or seven CDs with them.

In the CD I am holding, you also play works for four hands and music for voice and tenor, or even with an orchestra.

I wanted to showcase the young Debussy for piano, chamber music (four hands), melodies with a tenor or mezzo-soprano, and a work with orchestra, the "Fantaisie"—which isn't performed very often, but is very beautiful. It presents different facets of the young Debussy, before he turned 30.

There's so much music from France that we in the world know very little about. Reynaldo Hahn...

He's great.

I discovered that Poulenc composed Polish folk songs (in Polish). I included them in the repertoire for my competition.

I didn't know that; it's interesting. So, that's my first direction: French music. Then comes "German music." I've studied her extensively, and she's very important to me, especially Beethoven and Brahms—they're my favorite German composers. Also Strauss (which I'm currently practicing) and Schumann. The third direction is "Russian music," so quite a lot of Tchaikovsky, quite a lot of Rachmaninoff, I really like Mussorgsky… those are the directions. Then, of course, there's contemporary music, French and others. I've already mentioned Dutilleux, with whom I spent ten days studying his works, such as his sonata and his piece for two pianos. The other composer I'm very interested in is György Kurtág, a Hungarian composer. He's still alive.

How did you discover him?

He was invited to the music academy in Paris, where he spent two years. He was a good friend of Ligeti and also wrote a lot for voice and a lot for piano. They're always short pieces: he's a miniaturist, like Anton Webern. He's almost 100 years old now, and his last opera was based on Samuel Beckett's "Fin de Partie." This opera has been performed a lot in Europe in recent years.

Are you also interested in theater and opera?

Yes, I love opera. I've liked Puccini for a long time, for example; I know all his operas.

Which is your favorite Puccini opera?

Perhaps "Il trittico" or "La Fanciulla del West"...

The latter...

I also really, really like "Turandot"—I often play it from beginning to end...

Do you also play opera? As a vocal coach? Probably not, right?

Sometimes, but I don't really enjoy playing opera. It sounds better with an orchestra. I prefer playing melodies or songs with singers. I could do that too, but...

Do you also conduct?

A little, yes, like piano concertos by Mozart or Beethoven. I also really enjoy conducting small ensembles from the early 20th century (works for 10 instruments) and voices, for example, "Pierrot Lunaire" (Schoenberg) or "Three Poems by Stéphane Mallarmé" by Ravel. I've conducted works like that. But a large orchestra isn't easy to conduct. But only if I also play the piano would it be possible.

You're still young, but you've already accomplished so much. You talk about playing the piano, festivals, conducting. Do you still have time for a normal life and hobbies, or is your whole life just music?

I really, really like chess, for example. I'm not a master, but a good amateur. And I play it quite often: a tour a year. It's not easy; you have to set aside 10 days to just play chess, and it's not so easy to organize. Otherwise, I really like philosophy, movies...

Books?

Philosophy, sociology, yes, novels less so.

Do you write too?

Not so often, only for my CDs. For example, I wrote the liner notes for my Beethoven CD.

Because when you play music, you have to do a lot of background research…

My Beethoven CD was about the “Heiligenstadt Testament,” and I read a lot about it and then tried to talk about it. Or about the “Prometheus myth” in Beethoven’s life, and so on…

Do all musicians do that, or is it more of a personal trademark as a musician that you read philosophically into the music?

Some do that too, but not very often.

How did you discover, for example, the piano pieces by Strauss that I didn’t know?

I’ve been playing them for quite a long time, about 20 years, but now I’m working with an actor on Richard Strauss; we’re going to perform a melodrama by Strauss: “Enoch Arden.” It’s a big work, an hour or a bit more, a great story. That’s why I’m quite interested in Strauss again now. I’ve known for years that he wrote these compositions for piano, but I’d never played them. Now, with the melodrama, I wanted to play more Strauss.

Have you been to his hometown of Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

Yes, I also performed there (at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Festival) with a singer, Janina Bächle.

We spoke yesterday about the possibility of you also being a juror for the Lied competition. Do you consider yourself a specialist in song?

Yes, I know the repertoire of melodies and songs quite well. I've also worked with various singers, and I played quite a lot with one singer (I was between 20 and 30 years old back then). She was Japanese, Juniko Tanimura, and together we won two international competitions: the Lyon Competition for Melody and Song and the Lilly and Nadia Boulanger Competition. So, I've enjoyed playing with singers for quite some time now, and I really like this repertoire. At the moment, I've only been a juror at international piano competitions, but I would be very happy to be a juror at a song competition.

If you're the artistic director of a festival, that could attract a lot of musicians.

Exactly!

Let's talk about Görlitz. Your mother is German, is she from Görlitz?

No, she's from Bad Segeberg, and her family lives there. But she lived in France for 30 years and raised us children there. When we were older, she decided to come back to Germany, but she didn't want to go back to Bad Segeberg; she chose Görlitz. She thought it was a beautiful city and she wanted to live there, so she did.

Without having any prior connections to Görlitz.

No connections or friends, she simply chose the city.

And you've been coming regularly to visit your mother for the past 15 years?

Not very often, but once or twice a year?

Have you made contact with any local institutions? The theater, Meetingpoint?

No, I've never actually performed any concerts in Görlitz, and I'm not that familiar with the institutions here.

The Meetingpoint organizes the Messiaen Days every January.

Yes, I know that, but I've never been there, neither to hear the concerts nor to play…

Would you be interested?

Of course! I saw that the "Quartet for the End of Time" is performed every year. It's a piece I love and have played often. And it would be wonderful to play it here as well. A lovely festival. I also heard a major work by Messiaen—I don't know which church has a huge organ—what was it? "L'Ascension"? With enormous pipes, 32 just for the feet, so very low notes that are almost inaudible to the human ear.

It was probably St. James' Church.

Is that where the best organ in Görlitz is?

I don't really know. And is your mother ill now, and what's the situation?

Yes, I'll be spending a bit more time in Görlitz. I also have two sisters, and we'll organize ourselves to visit more often and help her.

It's an opportunity to visit and get to know the region. There are some beautiful spaces in the area. Have you been to Poland as well?

Yes, I also played in Wrocław once and then at the opera house in Warsaw (Beethoven concerto).

As a final question: what does the future hold for you? Dreams, plans?

I'd like to play piano concertos a bit more often. That's quite complicated. I play one concerto with an orchestra a year, which isn't very much. I'd like to do a bit more.

A specific concerto?

Currently, I have two major projects, one about Enesco and one about Déodat de Séverac. Enesco wrote many works for piano or chamber music, and many of these works are rarely performed. Some are played very often, like the third sonata with violin. My dream, for example, would be to play Brahms's second piano concerto. I've already played the first, but not the second. It's a dream of mine.

De Séverac is a "regional composer," meaning he incorporated a lot of French folk music from the south (Languedoc). He lived there and, at the beginning of the 20th century, tried to integrate melodies from France, typical folk music, into his works.

Are you also interested in folk music?

Yes, quite a lot. I also did a series on Dvořák's music this year, and he's another composer whose piano music isn't so well-known. People know his chamber music, symphonies, the cello concerto, and operas, but his piano music isn't played as often, and he also wrote a lot of folk music.

We have that in the competition, too. Cycles like "In Folk Style," "Gypsy Songs"...

We played Gypsy Songs at the festival in Syros this year. Yes, I'm very interested in playing this music, and Bartók, too.

What do you think of our city?

The city is great; I really like Görlitz.

Do you like historic cities?

Yes!

Who knows how life will develop? But you're staying in Paris, right?

Yes, of course. I teach there.

Is teaching important in your life?

Yes, it's very important to me to dedicate my energy to teaching, but also to chamber music. While I'm not a chamber music teacher, my students know they can sometimes come to me with a chamber music piece because I love it and enjoy doing it, or even pieces for piano and voice.

Thank you very much, Jonas, and I hope we'll hear you perform in Görlitz in the future.

Yes, I'd love that!

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We wish to Mrs Vitaud all the best for her health!