Austrian conductor Alexander Steinitz conducts the National Radio Orchestra's first concert of 2024 on Friday January 12th. He tells us more about the event, his collaboration with the ensemble and the programme in an interview with Sarah Natsis:

Mr Alexander Steinitz, you will be conducting the National Radio Orchestra in concert for the first time. Why did you choose to collaborate with this ensemble?

When I was approached with this proposal, I immediately realised that it would be a wonderful opportunity to conduct in the capital of a very important nation within the European community.

I really wanted to do this, even if it meant organising the trip and making sure it fit in with my schedule. But it all seemed to fall into place perfectly.

At the same time, I have heard of this orchestra before and the members have been described to me as very musical, very talented - a very good orchestra in general. And these expectations were completely fulfilled.

Tell us about the programme you will present on Friday. How did you come up with it?

It was in collaboration with the organisers. They suggested two or three basic works, which I thought were very nice.

I put Antonín Dvořák's 'Slavic Dances' in the first part of the concert and 'Polovtsky Dances', a wonderful work from Aleksander Borodin's opera 'Duke Igor', at the end of the first part.

We will also perform, among others, Johannes Brahms' "Hungarian Dances", Prelude and Mazurka from the ballet "Coppélia" composed by Léo Delibes - a work that is not often performed as a concert piece, but is very beautiful and fits the dance concept of this concert with orchestra.

How do the rehearsals go and how would you describe working with the ensemble musicians?

The rehearsals went very well. I understand that the orchestra members have had a break, and now I think they have come back with fresh strength. They are very nice, very nice and real professionals.

What I really like is the hall and the orchestra knows how to make it sound really good. The musicians are very used to it, so they really use it, it creates a symbiosis, and that's something I really like about this ensemble.