Conductor strikes the right balance

Xian Zhang

Chinese conductor Xian Zhang is a firm favourite with Auckland Philharmonia audiences and her concert tomorrow could be one of the season's highlights.

Her career has blossomed since her visit last year. She is now an associate conductor with the New York Philharmonic.

It is not only New Yorkers who have taken to the diminutive maestra. Her successful 2005 London Symphony Orchestra debut has led to her being asked to conduct its 70th birthday concert for American composer Steve Reich next month.

Also on the LSO programme is Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, one of the pieces Aucklanders will hear tomorrow night.

"I haven't done any 20th-century work with the APO," she says, "so that will be a challenge to see how they do. I love Stravinsky. Some people might find the metre changes in the work difficult but I find it fun to do."

Yet this woman is, at heart, very serious about her art. She was impressed by Steve Reich's determination that artistic principles are never compromised.

"There was an instance where he wanted the strings to be quite light, with no more than four stands of instruments. One orchestra wouldn't let him do that and his reply was that he wouldn't write for them any more.

"You should never compromise anything on the artistic side. Otherwise things go crazy and don't go the way that art should."

One can also sense the influence of Lorin Maazel, as teacher, mentor and friend.

"Maazel is a master of balance, even to the point of balancing your work and your private life. He is also a great advocate of mental preparation as a conductor, for that is often the way to solve the problem, be it just one note or even an upbeat. It is something that has helped me immensely in the last few years."

Was this approach more Eastern than Western in its implications?

"It's hard to speak about it from the outside," Zhang replies, "because I am Chinese and grew up in mainland China.

"When I look at things I try not to be limited by the moment and that helps sometimes. Maazel has studied a lot of Eastern philosophies and is a remarkable thinker. Eventually it will influence your conducting and your interpretation. Everything comes together in art - your personality, your life, even what you eat for breakfast.

"It's true," she adds, sensing that I am credulous about the influence of muesli on a performance.

Also on tomorrow's all-Russian programme is Tchaikovsky's popular Romeo and Juliet overture. The programme is completed with Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death, in Shostakovich's orchestration. The soloist is Australian Michael Lewis, whom many will remember from his singing the title role in NBR New Zealand Opera's Rigoletto a few years ago.

One senses this will be Zhang's personal highlight of the evening.

"When I studied as a pianist, my second major was vocal accompaniment and I played for many singers. I like to listen to people and when we are together it feels wonderful."

* Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra performs at the Auckland Town Hall, tomorrow 8pm