From underdog to star
In his younger days, violin virtuoso Julian Rachlin snuck into the New Year’s Concert in Vienna. At this year’s New Year’s Concert at Kilden , he Kilden a completely different role.
- "Music is my religion, it's the most sacred thing in my life. My moments on stage, it's my church, my synagogue - my mosque," says Julian Rachlin.
He is a violinist, violist and conductor with a world reputation. This fall, Rachlin began his three-year engagement as principal guest conductor and soloist for the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. Born to musician parents in Lithuania, he emigrated with his family to Austria in 1978 and practically grew up in an orchestra pit in Vienna. Rachlin became the youngest soloist ever to make his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic - after winning Eurovision's "Young Musician of the Year" award in 1988.
- I am a violinist and music is my calling. I am a deeply passionate man and musician. I love my wife and I love music," he says.
And the audience loves Julian Rachlin.
World-renowned and acclaimed
Rachlin is today world-famous for his warm expression, plays a Stradivarius from 1704 worth tens of millions of Norwegian kroner - and is acclaimed by a unanimous body of critics as one of the world's finest soloists. He travels 300 days a year, performs with the world's most acclaimed symphony orchestras and is now in his 12th year as a conductor. In 2018/2019, he will perform with the Vienna Philharmonic, the symphony orchestras of Naples, Moscow, Strasbourg, Zagreb and St. Petersburg. He highlights the latter city in particular as a hotbed for his own development as an established musician.
- They were absolutely crazy, the years I lived in St. Petersburg. I met musicians who had been close to some of the great gods of classical music. Everyone was there. I was lucky enough to meet and play with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who had been a student of Shostakovich.
Rachlin sees himself as a servant of classical music.
- To continue the analogy to religion: I serve music as a priest serves God, and deep down all music is connected to the divine, what we cannot explain. It's energy, fulfillment, great depths," he says.
He became a conductor by chance. He was invited to play with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, when the orchestra asked if he had any ideas.
- And of course I had. It was just that no one had ever asked me. Thus, the second main vein of my life began to take shape. It's one of the most difficult professions in the world, and I approach it with great humility.
Music is my religion, it's the most sacred thing in my life
Julian Rachlin, violinist and conductor
Enormous gratitude
Rachlin has devoted his life to communicating what, for him, is the most powerful and beautiful thing there is: Music.
- We manage three centuries of classical music. The great giants, the composers, are still among us. I feel an enormous sense of gratitude for everything my career has brought me so far.
For the same reason, Rachlin is also involved in charity work, including as a UNICEF ambassador.
- So many children grow up without basic security, so many are exposed to unspeakable things. UNICEF does invaluable work to stop the spread of AIDS, to help children escape miserable conditions, substance abuse and violence. We can't do enough in this arena," he says thoughtfully.
Rachlin held his first violin in his hands when he was two and a half years old. He nagged his parents to get him a teacher, and wouldn't stop until they did.
- I loved the music. It was all I wanted to do. From the time I was little, I was always sneaking into concerts in Vienna and bribing the guards at the Kunstverein all year round. After all, there were no tickets to be had.
He tricked his way in to hear the great giants; Karajan, Bernstein.
- Fortunately, I was eventually invited as a musician. So I didn't have to be a criminal just to get into the New Year's Eve concert," he laughs.
Coming in the new year
It is precisely the powerful experiences he had as a young man in Vienna that make his relationship with New Year's concerts so special. On January 9-12, Rachlin will be on stage in Kilden as both conductor and soloist, and he promises to enchant us with both Russian ore and magic dust from Vienna.dust from Vienna. Master of ceremonies Herborg Kråkevik will lead it all.
Together with the orchestra, Rachlin will take us on a journey through works by Tchaikovsky, Strauss and Kreisler, Russian Glinka's "Ruslan and Ludmila" overture - and set us adrift into the new year with the closing work "An der schönen, blauen Donau".
- It will be fantastic to come to Kristiansand again. It was ecstatic to play with Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra the last time I visited Kilden in February 2017.
Last year's "blind date" was so successful that it ended in a permanent entourage. Rachlin feels that has all the prerequisites for creating its own sound and identity:
- The chemistry was fantastic. And it will be an adventure to continue this relationship for the next three years.
Text Amund Hestsveen
Photo Evgeny Evtiukhov