Polish virtuoso pianist, composer and producer Leszek Możdżer’s unique concert in Yerevan that took place in “Aram Khachaturian” Concert Hall on Dec. 13 was the result of cooperation of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland to Armenia, the Ministry of Culture of Armenia and Directorate of State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia.
In the interview with “Aravot”, 43 -year-old musician said that he was 5 years old when he first sat at the piano. Then he added that it was the wish of his parents, although according to him, later, he could not be “torn off” the piano. Obtaining a fundamental education, Leszek, at the age of 18, was attracted by jazz. Over the last decade, the business card of the world famous Polish pianist was the jazz variations based in Chopin’s works. To the remark that the Western media often calls him a showman-jazz pianist, Możdżer replied, “First of all, I play the works of Chopin, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky by jazz improvisations, then to traditional and contemporary jazz. I never refuse interviews, I take photos with the audience, even joke with them. I love interacting with them from the stage.
I do not think I was making a show…” I remembered being in different countries, including his joint concert in New York’s Carnegie Hall with famous Alan McConachie. Without shy, he mentioned the opera voiced first time in the presence of 15 thousand spectators in Chile, written based on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” play. Half-jokingly and half-serious, we asked the following question of whether it is necessary to be an American to play jazz, better to say, an Afro-American. “I do not agree with this popular opinion. In my numerous performances with the Americans, they have never complained about, let’s say, that they are lacking behind in swing. Instead, they say that I have listened to their jazz albums not much. They would not explain them that I have listened to Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Chopin, Stravinsky… Of course, I do not present jazz like Americans,” replied our interlocutor.
As for the Armenian music or the Armenian jazz musicians, Leszek Możdżer said that on different occasions he has meet with the names of Armenian music players, and among the jazz musicians, he knows only, in his own words, the talented jazz musician Tigran Hamasyan.
Samvel DANIELYAN
