Meet the musicians: Johanna Ander Ljung
interview
L
Live Klassisk18. June 2024
Welcome to our interview relay with musicians from the classical music scene! Today we have the pleasure of presenting Johanna Ander Ljung, who was nominated in the previous round. She works as a freelance harpist in Norway and Sweden. Here she shares her thoughts on classical music and recommends upcoming concerts for both new and experienced concertgoers!
Name, instrument and profession?
Johanna Ander Ljung, freelance harpist in Norway and Sweden.
What are you working on at the moment?
Right now I'm in the process of taking my master's degree at the Haute École de Musique in Lausanne at the end of June and then looking forward to moving home to Stockholm after 6 years of studying abroad and to have more time to share the music with others in upcoming concerts at home, most notably in the solo recital Harpans Hymner.
Most overrated composer or piece?
A good question without a universal truth to answer.... The closest is the Swedish expression "smaken är som baken - delad"! One man's trash is another man's treasure...
And at the opposite end... what music should everyone really get to experience?
Find out more about Marcel Tournier - listening to his music is almost like jumping into an impressionist painting with a huge amount of timbres! Think of the music video for a-ha's "Take on me", but a bit more old school.
Your last big concert experience - what made it so special, either as a performer or audience member?
Performing Debussy's Danses sacrée et profane in Tromsø Cathedral as part of the Arctic Philharmonic's Mørketidskonsert together with fantastic musicians conducted by Henning Kraggerud. What made the concert so special was probably the combination of the winter darkness, the bright French impressionist music and the atmosphere created by the musicians (and the Northern Lights outside the window!).
Which living composer inspires you the most, and why?
Missy Mazzoli, Sofia Gubaidulina, Britta Byström, Andrea Tarrodi, Caroline Lizotte.... A common denominator that is inspiring to me as a listener is probably that their music both challenges and touches. It hurts the heart in a good way!
Can you remember a single event or experience that made you want to become a musician?
I was about four years old when I saw a harp on TV and thought: "Oh my God, this instrument is out of this world!".
Do you have any role models? Is there anyone who has been particularly motivating or inspiring to you?
Absolutely, my harp teachers from an early age until today! They have inspired me immensely and put their heart and soul into communicating what music is and how it can be performed to reach an audience. During my studies with Isabelle Perrin at NMH and Letizia Belmondo at HEMU, their passion for music, expertise and wonderfully positive outlook on life has been a game changer!
Do you have any advice for "new listeners" who are curious about classical music and don't go to concerts very often?
Spotify is a goldmine, use the explorer and go bananas! The more you get to know a piece, the more you'll hear the different voices and the surprising turns the music can take, and that's what makes classical music (almost!) never boring. Classical music is like a cheese, it gets better the longer you store it!
Any upcoming concerts you'd like to recommend?
For those who want to take a trip to Stockholm, I recommend the festival Gränslandet Symfonisk Fest August 23-24, led by conductor Christian Karlsen and taking place for the eighth year in magical surroundings under one of Stockholm's bridges Skanstullsbron, offering concrete poetic encounters (as one reviewer wrote last year😉) both in the form of popular and classical music, this year including Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" and Ravel's spectacular Piano Concerto in G performed by the brilliant David Huang.
For concertgoers in Norway who prefer the scenic to the urban, I would recommend the 30th anniversary chamber music festival Valdres Sommersymfoni under the direction of Guro Kleven Hagen, where I participated in the Papillon program during my bachelor studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music. It was an incredible experience to both perform and enjoy exquisite music on concert stages around the magnificent nature of Valdres!
Minister of Classical Music in Norway for a day - what would you do?
Teach Swedish politicians the importance of investing in culture in general and classical music in particular!
Finally, who would you challenge to take over the baton?
Marcus Michelin!