French classical pianist Hélène Grimaud breezes into the historic Victoria Theatre’s Music Studio fresh from her practice run for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s Gala Concert, where she is set to perform Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major. “I flew in from Hong Kong [yesterday]. I was in China for two weeks, [where] I was playing Beethoven’s fourth Piano Concerto. So when the idea came to reconnect with the Singapore Symphony, and I was told by the management that the request was Ravel, I was actually very happy, because I remembered having done it here, and having enjoyed it a lot,” she tells us with a gentle smile as she settles in.
Born in 1969 in Aix-en-Provence, France, Grimaud is a living legend in classical music, known for playing with emotional depth and technical precision, being able to communicate intense feelings in her performances. She was accepted into the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris when she was just 13, and made her debut in Tokyo in 1987. Apart from her musical accomplishments, Grimaud is also a committed environmental activist, establishing the Wolf Conservation Center in 1999 to advocate for the animals and push for their conservation.
Her many accomplishments have led to her being appointed a Rolex Testimonee in 2009, something that she feels “extremely lucky” to be a part of. “I’m honoured to be part of this and I’m really grateful for companies like Rolex and what they do for the arts, and also for the planet,” she says. “I hope that my values resonate with theirs, but I’m also humbled to see that determination, that resolve, and those initiatives that they put in place and also take to the end goal.” Here, the musical virtuoso talks about what it takes to be a great pianist, how music has changed her life, keeping an open mind to other genres of music and the one watch that holds the most sentimental value for her.
On what it takes to be a great pianist: First of all, you need fire. I think as a child, you’re possessed by this, and so it does not feel like a sacrifice, because all you want is to find out more about what you’re doing; to learn more and discover more. So you know what could be perceived as a lack of certain social activities—growing up with friends, I mean peers of your age—I did not perceive it as such. For me, I was a loner anyway. I was happy to be in my tunnel and I started relatively late, so I had a lot of catching up to do. But when I started, it was the instant I knew, “Okay, I love this, and this is what I want to do.”
On the rewarding aspects of her job: I think that the ultimate privilege is to be able to live from what you love doing. It’s probably also a double-edged sword, because some wise people have told me that, in fact, on the contrary, you should only do what you love, simply for that reason, without any other strings attached. But I have, I have found that the passion has not lessened in any way, even after 39 years on stage and so, I feel blessed.
On how music has changed her life: [When I was young], I loved nature; I loved the animal world. Like so many little girls, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I probably would have been a good field biologist. And so, who knows? I could have found happiness in a different way, because I think that’s an attitude—it’s not what you do, it’s what you have inside you, and I think you can translate it to many different things, but it certainly has made my life extremely interesting. Every day, there is something different. There’s something new to discover. So it’s turned into an adventure, really.
On how her work with wildlife conservation has influenced her approach to music-making: I think that it has always helped me in the sense that it reconnected me to what is essential—the world of the non-spoken, which, of course, is a counterpoint to music. Being a musician, it’s wonderful to be able to evolve within a language which makes what we understand as language as unnecessary, right, something which really goes to the deepest part of your heart and soul, and affects you on a cellular level. Music does that, but to be in touch with nature, and especially with an element as vital, but also as misunderstood and such an essential, vital part of the big picture ecologically. It has always been a lesson, as I’ve tried to explain before, especially when you work with animals.
One of the gifts that they give you, is that you have to be in the moment. And for human beings, it’s unfortunately so easy to always ruminate on the past and what could we have done differently, or project yourself into the future, and as beautiful and exciting as that can be, it inevitably takes away from your ability to really live in that moment, and that has been a wonderful lesson, always.
And also, I think, when you work for a cause which involves nature conservancy or anything to do with preservation of a species at risk, it keeps you connected to what is larger than our immediate world. So it’s also a bridge to—much like music, very much, in fact—to the spiritual world. And I have to go back to that word humbling, where you feel so small and insignificant that it might seem like that’s actually intimidating or perhaps discouraging on a level. But in fact, it’s quite the opposite, because that’s when you feel connected to every other being out there.
On being a Rolex Testimonee since 2009 and her long standing relationship with the brand: First of all, I would say this long term trust and partnership is something that’s really precious, because the nature of life is such that people take different paths, and there can be a very intense phase, but usually the natural process is that you move on, and other partnerships are created. But when you’re lucky enough to have something which goes over two decades, it becomes extra meaningful, because there is this mutual respect and also this trust to be worthy of the partner and what they see and what they envision, and to be part of that vision and contribute to it. It’s a great honour, and it’s something that gives you confidence. And it’s such an important role and such an amazing opportunity that Rolex gives to so many artists, and also, even beyond the arts—visionary people who think about the big picture and transmission of knowledge. It’s highly symbolic and when that vision gets implemented, there’s nothing more marvellous.
On the watch that holds the most sentimental value for her: Probably my first Rolex watch. At the time, I was living in Switzerland, in Lucerne, and I happened to be given the opportunity to be the artist-in-residence at the Lucerne Festival. I was presenting five different programs and it was quite a magical moment, and I have the feeling that the [watch] itself was charged with this magnetism. So for that reason, I probably have a soft spot for it. [The watch face] has this rose colour, and it has this shimmering [quality] when you look at it, and depending on the light, it can look anywhere from silver to pink to a little purple hue, so it’s always changing. It’s a really special one.
On listening to other genres of music and how it makes her a better musician: I do listen to different musics. I listen to rap, to rock sometimes, even to pop, mostly because you can’t really subtract yourself from it. But in the end, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I don’t think classical music is the richest, the deepest, and the one that can provide the greatest solace. If it’s good music, then I’m definitely not a snob. So whether it’s something that gives off energy or the poetry of the text, or the nostalgia of the melody, I’m absolutely up for it. I would say I’m pretty open minded to other forms of music.
On what keeps her motivated: I think it’s relatively easy [to stay motivated], because a piece of music is always larger than yourself, and you always learn from every rehearsal and every performance. This is what makes music unique, and it has so much depth and so many different facets. These are like sacred texts, but at the same time, they only live anew with every interpretation, so it’s easy to stay motivated. It’s relatively natural to feel that there’s always more to discover.
On her mental and emotional rituals before a performance: I have a sort of ritual. For me, it boils down to trying to quiet the mind and just trying to get into that groove where you tune into a way which is not an active way, where this brain shutter gets and I find that it’s usually best achieved with silence and also darkness. I find light extremely stimulating, and sometimes I just need to remove myself from it to get into that state. Breathing can also help a lot.
On the best piece of advice that she’s ever gotten: Don’t give up too soon! I was told this by a teacher early on. He always told us, just remember, you always have to persevere. There is so much more to gain from going the extra mile and putting in the effort. That’s perhaps what stayed with me the most. But, yeah, it was absolutely true. That’s certainly a piece of advice I would always give [as well].
READ MORE
#GraziaGameChangers: Tang Tee Khoon On Classical Music’s Accessibility
Meet Calista Liaw, The Erhu Virtuoso Who Is Reinventing Traditional Chinese Music
Meet Louisa Raj, The Singaporean Artist Who Weaves Local Objects Of Nostalgia Into Her Works