Catherine Beynon débute l’apprentissage de la harpe à l’âge de huit ans et intègre la classe de Daphne Boden au Junior Department du Royal College of Music. Elle reçoit par la suite une bourse de la Royal Academy of Music de Londres avant de compléter ses études de harpe au Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et danse de Lyon auprès de Fabrice Pierre. Interprète assidue du répertoire de musique de chambre, Catherine Beynon s’est déjà illustrée dans toute l’Europe ainsi qu’au Japon aux côtés d’artistes de renom tels le Quatuor Debussy, François Le Roux et le Lindsay Quartet. Parmi les labels pour lesquels elle a enregistré de la musique de chambre, citons Naxos, Metier, Timpani et Hyperion. L’enregistrement Flute Mystery de Fred Johnny Berg aux côtés de sa sœur Emily Beynon, Vladimir Ashkenazy et le Philharmonia Orchestra a été nominé en 2010 pour un Grammy. En tant que soliste, Catherine Beynon a présenté des concerts aux côtés de l’English Chamber Orchestra, du BBC National Orchestra of Wales et du London Chamber Orchestra. Comme harpiste du Jugendorchester der Europäischen Union, Catherine Beynon a travaillé avec des chefs d’orchestre tels Bernard Haitink, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Carlo Maria Giulini et Mstislav Rostropovich. Depuis 2003, Catherine Beynon est harpiste solo de l’Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg. Avant cela, elle a été membre du Royal Danish Orchestra. En août 2008, Catherine Beynon s’est illustrée aux côtés de l’orchestre du Festival de Lucerne sous la direction de Claudio Abbado à Lucerne ainsi qu’à Vienne. Il y a peu, elle a été invitée pour un concert présenté à Munich et au Carnegie Hall de New York et un enregistrement CD par le Bayerischer Rundfunk et Mariss Jansons
Ask the musicians:
How did you come to choose your instrument ?
I remember when I was very small I had a little box, a metal box that I used to keep my hair clips and hair ribbons in. On the front of that there was a picture of a harp and a picture of a violin and lots of flowers and 'girlie' things around it. I loved the shape of the harp and I decided then that I wanted to play the harp. Apparently, when I was about four years old, I heard a Spanish harpist called Marisa Robles playing a piece on the radio and I was completely spellbound. From that day on I nagged my parents: “I want to play the harp, I want to play the harp …”
It took me four years to persuade them that I really, really wanted to play the harp, so I had my first lesson when I was eight.
How important to you is the conductor ?
Absolutely vital! There is nothing more important for an orchestra than the conductor, I think. It’s above all a question of trust - you have to know when you’re playing a difficult part or you have a delicate entry with your colleagues that you can trust the person standing in front of you absolutely,almost with your life. If that works, everything works. If there is any doubt in either direction actually then it can be quite catastrophic. You have to be completely convinced of the trust you have in one another in order for the music to blossom.
Who is your favorite composer and which work do you most enjoy playing ?
My favorite composer of all time would be Gustav Mahler and I have a kind of love/hate relationship with Richard Strauss. I love to play his pieces but sometimes I find his music a bit brash and flashy. Actually there is one exception: His “Four Last Songs” I love playing them AND I love this music. Absolutely sublime! What makes them so special? I think it is the very purest writing. For my “Desert Island Disc” piece it would definitely have to be Mahler 3rd symphony, last movement - which has no harp in it (laughs).
How important to you are the orchestra’s tours ?
I think they are very important. Apart from anything else you spend time with your colleagues and get to understand them as human beings, rather just working with them in a kind of blinkered environment. You get to know a little more about their personal lives, what they enjoy and so on, so I think it’s very important as a team-building experience. Professionally for the orchestra itself it’s also extremely important to adapt to playing in different halls. We have a gorgeous hall here, the Philharmonie and we’re very used to playing in it. We know how to play in it, but we need to remember how to adjust when we go to a different hall. We may hear different things according to our position on the stage, certain tempi may have to be changed (for example if it’s a very resonant hall, we may play slightly more slowly) and so on. I think it’s very important that the orchestra exercises this muscle regularly. It encourages us to listen extremely attentively which I think is the hallmark of a fine orchestra. It is also important for us as an orchestra to be heard and seen in internationally renowned concert halls.
What does music mean to you ?
Everything! I think it’s a way of life. I simply can’t imagine a world in which there is no music - it’s just not possible. I think a lot of people feel the same, whether they are musicians or not.
Who or what is most important in your life ?
Family of course - family and friends without a doubt. I have a lovely young family at the moment. They are very demanding and delicious at the same time! It is so hard to imagine until you have a family. It’s very, very, very hard work and worth every second of it. Friends are also absolutely vital - to have a good network of people you can trust and rely on and seek advice from …
What do you do in your spare time ?
Spare time? What’s that? (laughs) When I get the chance I love to read, I love to walk. I like going to see a good film. I like visiting new places, going to art galleries, museums…We’re already traveling a lot with the kids, taking them around trying to get them interested in the world. How old are they? The oldest is six and the youngest is two. They are great travelers.
Do you like listening to other types of music ?
Yes, absolutely. Sometimes I get a bit saturated by the music that we’re rehearsing in the orchestra. As a musician listening to non-classical music, you can’t help having “classical ears” on and thinking about intonation and whether or not something was together. I find it hard to switch that off. I like listening to all sorts of music, provided it is good quality. Good quality jazz, Sting, whatever... it doesn’t matter so long as it’s good…Sometimes the “musak” they play as background in shops can be so badly out of tune that it’s distracting. I forget what I was supposed to be looking at in the shop!
Are there other musicians or composers who have especially influenced you ?
Of course my harp teachers Daphne Boden and Fabrice Pierre influenced me in an enormous way. They have had an enormous impact on the way I look at music, the way I look at the harp, that’s undeniable, but aside from that, yes Herbie Hancock. I had a fantastic experience of going to hear a concert of his in London. It was about three hours long and this is a guy in his late seventies I think. His energy, his humility, his integrity and the quality what he was playing was just breath-taking. It was one of those rare experiences for a classical musician where you go to a pop or funk concert and you come away wanting to go and practice your classical instrument to improve yourself. That’s really magical I think. The other person that has influenced me a lot is Claudio Abbado. I was very lucky to work with him a few times towards the end of his life. His concentration, the shaping of his hands and the sounds he can get from that left hand! When he looked at you in the orchestra you would give him everything in the world. It’s quite astounding!
What brought you to Luxembourg and what do you particularly like about being here ?
I joined the OPL in September 2003 and we had Bramwell Tovey and then Emmanuel Krivine as our chief conductors. I think that the development of the orchestra has been absolutely incredible. The quality and the professionalism has improved out of all recognition. I could see from the very start there was an enormous potential in this orchestra - wonderful musicians, really, really good colleagues and a lot of good will and fantastic facilities - it was all there. And we’ve had chief conductors, thankfully, that have helped us and pushed us on in the right direction. They have been very demanding and that’s precisely what we needed. What do you think OPL will be in 5 years’ time? Well I hope more of the same. I hope it’ll continue to develop and I’m sure with Mr. Gimeno it will be tremendously invigorating. I have no doubt about that. He’s an extremely exciting and wonderful musician and I think he has great ideas. I think we’ve also got a fantastic management team that is very imaginative so I’m extremely optimistic about our future. I think it’s going to be great.
What do you think OPL will be like in 5 years’ time and what would you particularly wish for the orchestra ?
I joined the OPL in September 2003 and we had Bramwell Tovey and then Emmanuel Krivine as our chief conductors. I think that the development of the orchestra has been absolutely incredible. The quality and the professionalism has improved out of all recognition. I could see from the very start there was an enormous potential in this orchestra - wonderful musicians, really, really good colleagues and a lot of good will and fantastic facilities - it was all there. And we’ve had chief conductors, thankfully, that have helped us and pushed us on in the right direction. They have been very demanding and that’s precisely what we needed. What do you think OPL will be in 5 years’ time? Well I hope more of the same. I hope it’ll continue to develop and I’m sure with Mr. Gimeno it will be tremendously invigorating. I have no doubt about that. He’s an extremely exciting and wonderful musician and I think he has great ideas. I think we’ve also got a fantastic management team that is very imaginative so I’m extremely optimistic about our future. I think it’s going to be great.
Are there also some funny moments or anecdotes to tell about the day to day life in an orchestra ?
There are a lot but I really can’t think of anything that I would be allowed to say (laughs). There are always funny stories, crazy things going on especially on tours and it’s entertaining as I’m sure it is in any other workplace!
How is your instrument feeling and what does it have to say about that?