Read on to discover what it was like to study with legendary German conductor Kurt Masur, as remembered by new Hallé principal conductor Kahchun Wong...
Conductor Kurt Masur could be a volatile perfectionist...
I first met Kurt Masur in 2011, at a conducting masterclass in New York. Kurt was very passionate about music – he was a perfectionist, and could be volatile on the podium.
Each time I was conducting at that first masterclass he seemed very unhappy with me. In fact, I did four masterclasses with him that year, and each time Kurt would seem upset with me – more so than with any other student. But I think this was his way of showing love and interest in his disciple.
Musur believed in being a good human first, and a musician second
Kurt really believed that before being a good musician, one has to be a good human being. You can see this from his actions during the 1989 protests against the East German Communist government, when he went onto the radio to calm the protesters and the police. He also opened the doors of the Gewandhaus, Leipzig’s historic concert hall, and invited the protesters in for a peaceful, meaningful dialogue.
He believed that we are not just making pretty music for the concert hall: there is something deeper about being an artist and connecting with people.
Conductor Kurt Masur – the unlikely matchmaker!
He was also matchmaker to my wife and me! During one masterclass, in Japan, I went to see him every break-time with a list of questions. I think by the third or fourth day he was tired of this.
He said to me, ‘Kahchun, you have to get a life’. My wife was in the orchestra, and Kurt suggested we get a coffee together. That was the start of our story together.