Why do you feel so close to baroque music? What does it give to you?
Sophie Junker: I think it is a question of respecting my nature and doing what my voice allows me to do. I always felt at ease in early music, especially in the music of Handel. I am at home with it and it brings me immense joy. When you accumulate experiences, when you are bathing in this music throughout the years, you learn to love the speciality of it. Its expressive power, freedom, the possibility of being particularly creative, the proximity with the musicians and the public, who are often closer to you and easily respond to your energy. It is a vast field of times, languages and colours, so I certainly won’t be bored of it too early. I also adore the professional field in early music, as I find people very laid-back and humble.
This is not the first time you work together with Jonathan Cohen, the leader of the concert.
S. J.: I worked with Jonny last summer, when we performed French cantatas at the Wigmore Hall and I am looking forward to singing with him again. He is a very instinctive musician, very communicative, which are to me the best qualities a conductor can bring. I don’t like being too tied and forced to overanalyse what I am doing. He obviously has much to share and his energy will inspire me for sure.
How does it feel to be dressed up in baroque costumes and to use baroques gestures?
S. J.: While I obviously love dressing up, it will be a challenge to reproduce baroque gestures while singing. You need to work extra hard in order to find fluidity and freedom in a demanding style, and even if I have done a bit before, I can’t say I am that familiar with it. I guess once I am not worried about memorising things, it can be a beautiful tool to be connected to my emotions. I am looking forward to working with Sigrid T’Hooft for the first time and learn this style.
Beside music you studied pedagogy and drama as well. Are you an active teacher?
S. J.: Drama was part of my opera training at the Guildhall school (and prior to that I studied declamation in my teenage years). We learned to be physically involved, comfortable with movements and our body. It was wonderful for me to let go of my inhibitions little by little as I was pretty shy and unconfident. It was an intense training, but I always felt we could be even more pushed emotionally as young singers love being challenged. I always try to remind myself that there is a text to rely on and above that, your imaginative power. It is not about acting per se and add superfluous move to a music that already speaks for itself, but about “feeling” more. I took my teaching degree “just in case”; teaching is not really my priority right now, I have a few private pupils back home, but they are hard to fit into my timetable. I think I would need to structure my approach to teaching a bit, because I can be overly enthusiastic and I find hard to refrain my energy.
Have you ever been to Budapest? How do you feel about visiting Hungary?
S.J.: I have been to Budapest once, it is a strange coincidence that I am invited to perform there exactly a year after my visit to the town for the first time! It was a girly city-trip with my best friend, it was so cold I had to dress like the Michelin guy to get out, but I found a very unique atmosphere here, foggy and cold, but strangely romantic and comforting. We walked around, went to the baths, got cocktails at the ruin bars, we had a great time, but I would love to come back during summer too!
More information and ticket sales for the February concerts are available here.
