Photo by Sarah Wijzenbeek. Verbatim: Nora Fischer ahead of her performance at the Philharmonie with the BBC Symphony Orchestra on Sep 5, 20:00.
Ahead of her performance at the Philharmonie with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Sep 5, 20:00), Dutch vocalist Nora Fischer reflects on occupying the netherworld between classical and pop music.
“I’ve always loved classical music as it is written down on paper, but the traditional style of singing turned out to be a jacket that didn’t fit me well. It’s an amazing craft and can sound like a beautifully polished diamond, but I have always had a fascination for singers who dare to sound raw and unpolished. I’ve always had the feeling that the voice is such a rich instrument, and it’s a shame to learn to use only a small part of it. I made it my challenge to learn to use the voice in many different ways, searching for the right colour for any emotion I’m trying to convey. Classical music is very often seen as richer, deeper and of a higher quality, but I have always had a strictly non-hierarchical way of listening to music. I see myself as a kind of funnel: a lot of inspiration goes into it, and a certain hybrid vocal style comes out of it, which I learned to call my own. Whether I’m performing classical, pop-infused or experimental contemporary music, I always aim to make it as widely accessible as I can – without lowering my standard of quality. It can be hundreds of years old or written today, but in the end, it’s all music, and it should speak to people’s guts – not to their brains.”
Musikfest Berlin Through Sep 19 various locations
