Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Orchestra for the first time in 2006. The famous conductor has recently prolonged his contract with the orchestra until 2016.


You started your musical career in your native country, Austria, and then you conducted several great European orchestras. Still, you have recently signed a long-term contract with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Would you say you prefer the musical life in the United States to the one in Europe?

I believe the United States of America have wonderful orchestras, and the one in Pittsburgh is one of the best. There is a fantastic tradition here and this institution has worked with great conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Otto Klemperer. I was honoured to become the director. I am glad to be here and conduct this well-established American orchestra until 2016.


What can you tell us about your relationship with this orchestra?

First of all, they are exceptional musicians because, as we know, the technical standards in America are extremely high. What this orchestra has in particular is the members' passion for music and the fact they like to work hard. They have a phenomenal enthusiasm and no matter the repertoire, the result is always very good. We have recently launched a CD with Mahler's Symphony No. 1 which was very well received. I am very glad that alongside this wonderful orchestra I succeeded in unveiling a whole new perspective on Mahler's work.


What projects do you have in mind together with the Pittsburgh Orchestra?

We will soon perform a concert with soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter at Carnegie Hall. We will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 1 as well. We will go on an European tour, pass through many important capitals and cities. Unfortunately, Bucharest is not among them, although we would love to perform there as well. However, we will visit Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Paris, Frankfurt, just to name a few. So it will be a rather long tour for an American orchestra.


In May 2010 you will also perform a concert at Musikfestspiele in Dresden. What are your expectations regarding the collaboration with Jan Vogler, who will play Schumann's Cello Concerto?

Jan Vogler is a wonderful cellist and I think he will interpret this concert of Schumann's extraordinarily. We are very glad to perform in such a beautiful building like Semperoper. Dresden is also one of the German cities that have a rich and long tradition of music. We are honoured, as an American orchestra, to have the opportunity to participate in this festival, especially alongside Jan Vogler, this great cellist of our times.


What other soloist did you particularly enjoy working with?

We are working with remarkable soloists. If you take a look at our schedule for this season you will see exceptional pianists such as Yefim Bronfman and Emanuel Ax. Last year in our opening concert we performed with Lang Lang as soloist. We also work with great cellists like Hilary Hahn, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Hans-Peter Zimmermann, Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham. The cellist elite is here within our family in Pittsburgh.


What type of music would you say is part of your ideal repertoire?

I conduct contemporary music as well. However, I cannot do that everywhere, but when I first came to Pittsburgh, I conducted a work in first worldwide audition - a work by the Iranian-born American composer Reza Vali. And when I came to Pittsburgh for the second time I conducted the world premiere of Alan Fletcher's Clarinet and Orchestra Concerto. So during my first two visits to Pittsburgh before becoming artistic director I performed worldwide premieres of contemporary works.

I also find it important to be considerate to the composers from Vienna - Austria, the country I was born in. I am talking of course about Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler. They make up my main repertoire, but that does not mean I do not conduct music of the 20th century as well. In April, I will conduct Stravinski's Sacre du printemps.


Is there by any chance a work you have always wanted to conduct, but you did not have the opportunity to do so?

There are many works I would like to conduct. We have, of course, a repertoire of thousands of works we might never be able to perform. But I would like to conduct Mahler's Symphony No. 8, as I haven't done this yet.


At the end of our dialogue, would you like to send a message to our listeners?

I just want to greet all classical music lovers. Romania has some remarkable soloists, especially Radu Lupu whom I actually invited to Stuttgart. He is a great friend and I am glad he still has a powerful bond with Romania. Once again all the best and greetings to the Romanian classical music lovers.