Welcome to my website! Whether you’re an audience member, an orchestral player, a singer, a rival conductor or the manager of the Berlin Philharmonic, here you’ll find everything you could want to know about me – and probably more! You can even get in touch with me to berate me for my tempi or to introduce me to music I should be programming.
I’ve noticed over the last couple of years that audiences are becoming more involved in our concerts. Sometimes I see people in tears. Either we’ve wrecked their favourite piece, or we’ve reached something deep and meaningful for them. More and more I feel that what we do as musicians is absolutely essential, for we connect people with things that are beautiful and true in a world that is increasingly ugly and confusing. We can’t reach all of the people all of the time, but if even one person leaves a concert calmer, happier, more in tune with themselves and the world than they were when we arrived, then we have done something remarkable.
Something similar happens for me in astronomy. Studying the vastness of space and understanding how extraordinary and precious we are in an enormous and uncaring universe is at once terrifying and inspiring. We are reminded how important it is to connect with each other, for we may be alone. Music and astronomy, linked by scholars throughout history, remind us how special we are.
But I’m not immune to the angst and fear that stalk the airwaves and the newsfeeds. Sometimes they threaten to overwhelm. Music – particularly in that strange and wonderful ritual of performance – keeps me sane, and reminds me that humanity, as Carl Sagan said, is capable of beautiful dreams as well as terrible nightmares. More than ever, we need the beauty and the connection that music gives us. I hope that at my concerts I can share some sense of that joy and hope with you.