Alondra de la Parra: "When I'm not conducting, I love silence."

What is the best thing someone has ever said to you after a concert?

If someone says something like “I saw myself” or “I saw my life through the music”, that’s beautiful. That’s when I know they’ve connected with something really deep within themselves.

What is the most important non-technical, “soft skill” for a conductor?  

Empathy. Being able to put yourself in the chair of every musician and understand what they need from you and when. And sometimes the answer is nothing.

What do you listen to when you’re not conducting? 

When I’m not conducting, I love silence.

At the PAAX Festival you are the Artistic Director AND you conduct—what’s the most challenging part of juggling two roles at the same time? 

Well, not being able to blame anyone for having to work so hard. When I’m there, I’m thinking, “Who programmed all these concerts back to back with no rest?” And then I remember — it was me.

So I just have to do it. Of course, as a programmer, the act of programming is beautiful and exciting. But when it comes to the practical side — actually rehearsing and putting together so many programs one after the other — it’s exhausting. I always feel conflicted… but it’s a beautiful problem to have.

As an artistic director, what is the most daring program you’ve ever put together? 

There are many — and definitely at Festival PAAX. But I think a great example of a program I loved was last year, when we opened with West Side Story: Symphonic Dances by Bernstein. We also premiered a symphonic suite with Natalia Lafourcade, featuring her own compositions, beautifully orchestrated by Gordon Hamilton. We closed the program with Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.

For me, that’s a great program because it brings together three absolute geniuses — one of them still alive — from completely different sides of music. And when you juxtapose them, it creates a beautiful kaleidoscope. All of them share a common inspiration in popular music: Stravinsky in the tribal sense, with tunes drawn from Lithuanian songs; Bernstein from the streets of New York, influenced by jazz and dance; and Natalia through popular song and her own compositions.

So that was one of my favorites.

Starting June 19, catch four live broadcasts from the Festival Paax GNP here.