Ljubljana Life

Interview: George Pehlivanian

Bringing intensity to Ljubljana's musical stage

by william wagner, july 2006

Ljubljana Life got together recently with George Pehlivanian, the first chief conductor the Slovene Philharmonic, and asked about his experience working in Ljubljana. Mr. Pehlivanian was born in Lebanon, where he began playing the Piano at age three and the violin at age six. In 1991, at the age of just 27, he earned international recognition by winning the Grand Prize at the prestigious conducting competition in Besancon. During his meteoric career he has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras, and is currently serving as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Slovene Philharmonic until 2008.

What do you enjoy the most about living and working in Ljubljana?

First of all, I look at it as working and living, because I'm here to work. I'm not here to enjoy myself. That's not my purpose. I have so many possibilities to go to other cities if I want to. I had the privilege to have a choice, and I chose to come here not only because of the city, but because I want to work. That is my passion.

What I'm doing in this city, in this country actually, is building an orchestra. It already exists - but I am taking what they have - a good solid foundation, a good solid tradition, a good solid schooling of music - we have all the basics and even more. But my goal was to come here and build this orchestra to a very international level, which is a completely different ball game. It's very difficult, it's very challenging, and it's not easy. So when I come here, the few short days that I do spend in Ljubljana, I'm completely immersed in my work, because that's what I have to do, this is why I'm here. I'm really here for the long term. I didn't come for just two or three years, because one can not build a top-rate international orchestra in a few years, it's impossible. It takes many years to do that, and I was very clear with the management, the Ministry of Culture - everybody here knows that it's going to take a long time.

But the results that we are already seeing with the musicians, with the level of quality, has improved so drastically already in just 14 months, that it's proof that my decision was the right one, that the chemistry is working, the orchestra is improving in quality. Every time you see that, it encourages you to continue your hard work.

Then, on the other side, there is the lifestyle, which I do enjoy. I enjoy Ljubljana - it's beautiful. We are situated in the center of the city - it's an ideal location, with a beautiful river. I enjoy a small city - I'm always in big cities, so it's good to be in a small city. Everything is within walking distance. I'm able to connect much faster with the people because I see them every day while walking.

Do you have a favorite place in Slovenia?

Yes, the golf course at Bled is where I like to go to relax. I know the director and lots of people there. I enjoy playing golf, I go out to hit a couple of balls when I have time. I enjoy going to Bled and playing there - it's right in the Alps.

You have lived and worked in many cities around the world... does each urban setting contribute something to your creative style as a conductor?

The environment - with my work - does not really affect me very much. Because I do my work in a room - it doesn't matter if it's in a park, or if it's in a castle, or a village, or if it's in a big city. When I come into the room, I close everything off outside, and I work. What it might affect are the musicians that are living in that city, because they live every day of their lives in that city. For me personally, it doesn't affect me that much. Of course, it gives me pleasure because Slovenia is very green, and I can breathe better since the air is not polluted. It helps me function better and stronger, and I feel healthier.

When did you first come to Ljubljana, and what was the initial experience like?

I came the first time in 1998. I was invited, I accepted, and I came and met the orchestra. The city was a bit different then in 1998, it was still in the beginnings of development. And then I came back 4 or 5 years later and I saw a change, a complete change in the mentality of the people - they were thinking differently, playing differently. Life was changing. And then I realized that this might be a very good place for me to invest my future. As I say in my speeches, I'm kind of a visionary - I look far ahead and I can kind of see what is going to happen, and I thought that this would be a wonderful opportunity to invest time and energy into this small country, which I think is very good.

You mentioned similarities between Armenia, your home country, and Slovenia... could you elaborate more on that?

Yes, Armenia and Slovenia are both very small countries, and I've noticed that when countries are small, the people are very talented. Somehow the talent multiplies, and I've felt the same type of affinity to this talent in Slovenia. People here are hard working, and Armenians are hard working also. I think that 1991 was the year of independence here. In 1991 Armenia was the first country in the Russian Federation that became independent, and Slovenia was the first country in Yugoslav Republic to become independent. This shows the character of the people - they want to move ahead.

I understand your family lives in France... do they visit Slovenia often?

Yes, my family lives in Montmartre. My children love to come here. They enjoy walking around, eating ice cream, playing. They enjoy coming and being with their daddy, listening to music - anywhere in the world they love to do that. They also have made some friends here. My wife also really enjoys coming - she feels the same way about this place.

How do you manage to divide your time between work, family life, and so many other engagements?

It is very, very challenging. I have to plan one or two years ahead on my calendar to be with my children. I know exactly when they have school vacations in 2007. I'm at the point where I accept or refuse engagement offers depending on whether they fall on my children's' vacations. So I'm very careful now - the first thing I put on my calendar is when my children are not going to school - it's in red until 2009!

Can you give us an example of what a typical day is like in the life of the chief conductor of the Slovene Philharmonic?

I can try! I wake up quite early - sometimes I'm the first one here in the building at the Filharmonija. I enjoy coming here, getting to my desk and taking care of lots of emails I receive and lots of organization work. As chief conductor and artistic director - I do both actually, so there are two different jobs. One involves taking care of the musical work of the physical orchestra, and the other is taking care of the artistic leadership of the whole Filharmonija - the programming, the soloists, the guest conductors, and the vision of the whole musical establishment. I do both. The part that takes a lot of time is the artistic director position. But it is very exciting.

What do you think of this year's program for the Ljubljana Summer Festival?

I haven't looked at all the concerts they have planned, but Darko Brlek is the managing director and he is a very professional man. He has lots of experience. He's now the president of all the European festivals, and he has lots of contacts all over the world. And he's had a big, big success with the Ljubljana Festival. He's always inviting the biggest orchestras he can find. This year he's bringing the New York Philharmonic with Maazel. They always ask me to take part in the festival and I do it gladly because I think the Ljubljana Festival is important, and it will be even more so in the future. I think this time I'm doing two concerts, Mozart Requiem and I'm closing the festival with Dmitri Hvorostovski, who's singing with our orchestra also.

If you could be something else rather than a conductor, what would you be?

What would I be? Ha ha, that's a good question! Well, I would like to be an entrepreneur - somebody that creates ideas and new inventions, and brings something new to the world. I would love to be in this type of work if I wasn't in the artistic world. But this is also artistic, because you are thinking about the future, new things, development, something that challenges you, and there's no limit. I hate limits - I'm not somebody that likes limits - I like to have the sky clear and go as far as I can until I die. That's the way I like to live.