We launched our series, entitled “Quarantine Minutes,” so as not to lose touch with one another even during these difficult times. We will speak with our musicians to hear how they are dealing with their new circumstances in light of the coronavirus epidemic. How have their lives changed? Are they able to find anything positive in their situation? What music do they recommend for you? How have they transformed their ways of making music? We hope you enjoy hearing from trombonist Attila Sztán.
What music would you recommend for our audiences while they are isolated at home? What do you listen to and what do you like to play to improve your mood?
Everyone should listen to the kind of music they like, but we should all dare to be open to something new! If I had to choose right now, I would recommend Mozart. I always find his music liberating.
What do you do in the time you otherwise would have spent with the orchestra? With whom do you make music at home, and how?
In addition to my orchestral activities (right now this means the Quarantine Soirées), chamber music also plays a very important role in my life. As the In Medias Brass ensemble, we make music together using our smartphones. In practice this means we agree on the tempo and dynamics of the particular piece, and then each of us records their part at home using their phone. Once done, we have a friend who edits the five videos, and we share the final product with audiences on our social media platforms. Based on what feedback we have received so far, we have brought joy to a lot of our followers, so we will keep at it. This is also a way for us to experience a little bit of the many concerts and rehearsals which have had to be canceled.
Have you learned anything new during the quarantine? Have you perhaps picked up any new habits?
I have learned to wash my hands more thoroughly and to water the palm plant I recently bought. :) I listen to operas several times a week. Most recently, I watched György Kurtág’s Fin de Partie, performed by La Scala.
What do you miss the most right now?
I miss my family and friends the most; those who are far away now.
What do you like about the quarantine?
There are a number of benefits to the quarantine. I can schedule my daily tasks more comfortably. Breakfast, coffee and rehearsing can be more relaxed this way. I have time to think about my future, plans and lifestyle. I hope the world learns a lot from this!
Is there anything in your life for which you never had time before, but always wanted to do - and now you’ve been able to try it?
I have organized my sheet music collection, the ones I have on paper, alphabetically. I have always wanted to have them arranged so that I need not spend hours looking for a piece. This saves me a lot of time.
Tune in to our Quarantine soirées each night! Visit our website and Facebook page every evening from 7:45 p.m. If you would like to support our series, we would appreciate it very much.
