Taking top prize at the Santander Competition in 2002 catapulted the Moscow-born Boris Giltburg into the international spotlight. The 21-year-old Israeli tells Erica Worth why he's chosen Russian repertoire for his debut disc
How was your career launched?
The most important thing was winning the 2002 Santander Piano Competition. As a result of that, I gave many concerts, about 70, some in very important venues in Europe and South America. I gained a huge amount of experience and the chance to play for people.
What was it like to win the Santander?
I knew it would be significant, but I couldn't know then how significant. Yet during the actual Competition, all of us participants were just concentrating on the Competition itself. We had five appearances in the two weeks and so we weren't thinking about anything else. In the finals, I played Bartók's Concerto No.3 with the London Symphony Orchestra and I was so thrilled just to be playing with this orchestra and conductor. For me it was such a joy, that I forgot it was a competition!
Were you prepared to play all these concerts afterwards?
I had at least six months before the concerts began and I worked really hard. If one has no concerts, no matter how much one work, one's never ready! Performers need the experience of playing on the stage. There's something very special going on when we're up there.
Did you always want to be a pianist?
As far as I know, yes. I asked my mother to teach me. My mother and great-grandmother were piano teachers. My grandmother was a performer, too, and she still is!
Are you content living in Israel?
I love Israel very much. I live near Tel Aviv. All my friends are here. I really feel this is my homeland. Whenever I see the shoreline of Israel, I feel like I'm coming home.
Did you have to do army service in Israel?
Yes, I did. I managed to get leave though after one year. I had to fight quite hard for it. One usually has to be in the army for three years. And nowadays it's not so easy to get leave earlier. They try to stick to the same rules with everyone, which is totally understandable. With exceptions come problems.
Have you played with the Israel Philharmonic?
Yes, I've played with Israel Phil, but not with Zubin Mehta. I auditioned for him and he told me he was very impressed. He asked me lots of questions and then I got the engagement with the orchestra under Dohnányi about a month later. Last March I also replaced Rudolf Buchbinder when he cancelled with the orchestra.
How is it to step in for another pianist?
It's not very different. The public comes and you play! You can't allow yourself to think you're playing in place of someone else.
Is there any particular repertoire that you feel drawn to?
In general, German and Russian. Just those two schools alone encompass a huge amount of music. I like Liszt, when it's not just pure show. He wrote lots of deep works too, such as the Piano Sonata, which I play now. It's totally new in my repertoire.
How did you decide on your programme for your EMI debut disc (Prokofiev's Sonata No.8, Scriabin's Sonata No.2 and Mussorgsky's Pictures)?
Even though the composers are all Russian, the works are very different. I love this music very much! When I looked at this programme, I just liked it - the big Mussorgsky and Prokofiev works with the smaller Scriabin.
Who helps you with your career?
I get advice from both my agent at Intermusica and from my teacher, Arie Vardi, who is a wonderful teacher and a wonderful person. My mother helps me very much too. We still work together at home. Having someone near you whom you trust alleviates some of the pressure.
You're just 21. What are you doing besides music, and do you have a long-term career plan?
I just started studying for my Masters at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv. The long-term plan is to continue working, learning and performing. The only way I can influence my future is by playing as well as I can, and giving as much as I can in every concert. I hope it's just going to happen. I need to work very hard. Seven to eight hours of practice a day is normal for me, and I slide into more if there's need.
You have a Wigmore debut in January 2008. What will you play? Is this something that you have to plan way in advance?
It's somewhere in the back of my mind! Part of the problem with committing to programmes years in advance is that so many things change in between. You realise you could play something better but then it's too late. Of course the organisers want to print the programme and need to know repertoire in advance so that they can make sure everyone's not playing the same thing.
Is there any genre you prefer?
I like doing orchestral, solo and chamber. In a recital for example, you have 90 minutes, so you can show different things. It's very satisfying to 'be there' from beginning to end. It's one big journey. Playing with orchestra is like a big holiday, a big joy. It's a very festive thing. Chamber music is also different - it combines the best of the two - you play for a long time, and with other musicians in an very intimate way. I love playing lieder recitals.
Is it vital to have other hobbies and a 'normal' life?
Absolutely. I like reading a lot, computers, and going out with friends. My best friends are not musicians. They come to a lot of my concerts, though, and they've started liking classical music. I'm trying to teach them!
Boris Giltburg's debut disc is released on EMI Classics (353 232 2) on 6 May. Giltburg performs in the USA at the Miami International Piano Festival (11-14 May) and in the UK at the Brighton Festival (17 May) and the Cheltenham Festival (11 July); he tours Israel from end of May and appears at the piano festival Piano Aux Jacobins (Toulouse, France) on 9 September.
Interview taken from Pianist magazine issue No 29 (April-May 2006) http://www.pianistmagazine.com/