On Saturday, the 9th of March 2024, violinist Alexandra Conunova is the soloist of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra in the Trinket concert at the Romanian Athenaeum. On this occasion, the musician from the Republic of Moldova shares some of her thoughts in an interview with Ioana Țintea

Alexandra Conunova, you come from a family with rich musical traditions. At the age of 6 you started studying the violin and since then you have performed on important international stages. At what point in your life were you convinced that this was the path you wanted to follow?

I think from the very first moments, from the very first days, from the very first minutes of meeting the violin, this connection was formed and it was very natural. I never questioned whether this is what I wanted to do. I let myself be guided by my parents, by my family and I never regretted it, with each passing year I feel more and more that it's really a vocation, it's a blessing, it's dear to me and natural to be on stage. From a spiritual point of view, the violin is for me an opportunity to allow my soul to express itself, to sing, to come out of my emotions and to share this with my audience.

Last year, together with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, you were awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of the Republic of Moldova for your artistic work abroad. What does this distinction mean to you?

It is a great joy and honour to be appreciated in such a way by my country, by my people. I also have a charitable foundation in Chișinău, so I am involved in the educational, social, cultural and artistic life of Moldova. I am the ambassador of this country and I am very proud.

Coming back to the Mărțișor concert at the Romanian Athenaeum, you will perform with the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yuri Botnari, a musician with an extensive international career. Have you collaborated with a renowned musician before?

This concert will be the first collaboration with Yuri Botnari, we already knew each other, but he is also Moldovan and I am very happy to have this first collaboration. He invited me after we met last year in Chisinau, during the Trinket festival, and I think that since then this idea of collaborating together was born.

You will perform the Concerto in D major for violin and orchestra by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a score that is technically considered a milestone for a performer. What motivated you to choose this work?

To tell you honestly, it wasn't a particular motivation, but I think Tchaikovsky is this music with a Russian soul, and I, apart from being Moldovan I am also Jewish and Russian, Ukrainian, so the Russian blood is flowing, and this music is very close to me and I seem to play it quite sincerely and it is something that represents me.

Looking back, how did the preparation of this opus go? When did you first approach it?

I first played it in high school, so we've been developing it together for about twenty-something years now, so to speak.

How do you relate to Tchaikovsky's music? What place does this composer's work have in your repertoire?

Tchaikovsky's music is one of the most beautiful pieces of music. He is one of the most important Russian romantic composers. I travelled a lot in Russia as a child, as well as in Romania, and as I said before, this music represents me.

We talked about the concert on Saturday, the 9th of March at the Romanian Athenaeum. After this event, when will you be back on stage in Romania?

In Romania, I will be back in Timișoara, Iași, Satu-Mare and Bucharest this year and next year. Other concerts are also scheduled. Follow my website, Instagram where I am quite active and I invite you to all Romanian events with great pleasure.