Meet the Musicians: Johanna Ander Ljung
interview
L
Live Klassisk4 min read|18. 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 (and workplace or place of study, if relevant)
Johanna Ander Ljung, freelance harpist in Norway and Sweden.
What are you working on at the moment?
Right now I am about to take my master's exam at the Haute École de Musique in Lausanne at the end of June, and after that I look forward to moving home to Stockholm after 6 years of studying abroad and to having more time to share the music with others in upcoming concerts on home ground, most immediately in the solo recital Harpans Hymner.
Most overrated composer or piece?
A good question without a universal truth to answer it with.... The closest is the Swedish expression ”tastes are like backsides - divided”! 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 an enormous amount of tone colours! Think of the music video for a-ha's "Take on me", but a little more old school.
Your most recent great concert experience - what made it so special?
Performing Debussy's Danses sacrée et profane in Tromsø domkirke at Arktisk Filharmoni's Dark Season Concert together with fantastic musicians under the direction of Henning Kraggerud. What made the concert so special was probably the combination of the winter darkness, the bright French impressionist music and the atmosphere that the musicians (and the northern lights outside the window!) created.
Which living composer inspires you most, and why?
Missy Mazzoli, Sofia Gubaidulina, Britta Byström, Andrea Tarrodi, Caroline Lizotte.... A common denominator that inspires me as a listener is probably that their music both challenges and moves. It hurts the heart in a good way!
Can you remember a single event or experience that made you want to pursue a career as a musician?
I was around four years old when I saw a harp on TV and thought: "My God, this instrument is something completely out of this world!".
Do you have any role models? Is there anyone who has been especially motivating or inspiring to you?
Absolutely, my harp teachers from an early age up to today! They have inspired me enormously and put heart and soul into conveying 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 have 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 gold mine, use the explorer and go bananas! The more familiar you become with a piece, the more you will hear the different voices and the surprising turns the music can take, and that is 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 would like to recommend?
For those who want to take a trip to Stockholm, I recommend the festival Gränslandet Symfonisk Fest on 23-24 August, led by conductor Christian Karlsen and taking place for the eighth year in magical surroundings under one of Stockholm's bridges, Skanstullsbron, where it offers concrete-poetic encounters (as a reviewer wrote last year😉) in both 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 chamber music festival Valdres Sommersymfoni, celebrating its 30th anniversary, led by Guro Kleven Hagen, where I took part in the Papillon programme during my bachelor studies at Norges musikkhøgskole. It was an incredible experience both to perform and to enjoy exquisite music on concert stages around Valdres's magnificent nature!
Minister for classical music in Norway for a day - what would you do?
Teach the Swedish politicians the importance of investing in culture in general and classical music in particular!
Finally - who would you like to challenge to take over the baton?
Marcus Michelin!