MUSIC TOUCHES A PERSON’S INNER SELF
Too seldom do we think about how music is important for children and their development. If we have a baby at home, we look for lullabies and gentle melodies to help him or her fall asleep. The music will be completely different if we have a teenager, but it will certainly be part of our “personal film”. I discussed this with Larisa Vrhunc, an educator and composer who is a real treasure trove of knowledge, while also being a sensitive creator of wonderful melodies, including melodies for the youngest listeners. I’m grateful to have an opportunity to share her thoughts today.
What is music for you? How does it touch you and to what extent is it related to emotions?
It’s difficult to define what music is. Even in professional circles, there’s no uniform explanation. In layman’s terms, I would say that music is a stream of sound that touches a person’s inner self, so on some level it’s definitely related to emotions. Everyone has their own experiences, their own search, so what touches me may be completely unlistenable for someone else. I think that these “short circuits” take place on several levels: the average Slovenian listener may have the same problems listening to contemporary composed music, medieval music or even folk music that uses systems other than ours. Musical taste is a matter of upbringing, so there aren’t really good and bad genres of music. I believe that people always create primarily from an inner necessity, just with different means. I like what one musician once said: everyone is looking for sugar for their particular musical bacteria.
Let me quote from an interview with you: “In music, I’m actually interested in everything where there is still room for genuine exploration of sound and oneself.” To what extent is music and creating music also an exploration of our inner world, our psyche and everything within us? Is this kind of creation also therapy?
I still agree with this quote. Everything must first derive from exploring who we are, from listening to our own inner self. Only then comes the intellectual work: the rational arrangement of sonic ideas and the knowledge of craft. I think therapy also comes from the same core, from self-exploration. Some people find it easier to get to know themselves through words, others through sound or visual impulses, and still others in a different way.
What about music for babies and toddlers? How important is it for their development? How does it affect them? A great deal has been written about your work Tako tiho, and it’s a wonderful project for the younger generation.
Although “my” part of the project B-air has ended (the second symphonic concert will take place in a few days), I continue to reflect intensively on this experience and everything it has taught me. It will be interesting to see whether the second part will confirm that which I had an inkling of before “our” concert but now believe. Music is very important in all periods of a person’s life, even for babies and toddlers, who are certainly not as limited in listening as we adults often think. On the contrary: in this early period, there is a window of time in which music can decisively accelerate the development of the brain and personality structure, as long as it is presented in the right way. Once that window closes, we can’t go that deep anymore. I think that we’re not sufficiently aware of the importance of music for children and other vulnerable groups. Music should not be pushed out of the public sphere. By ensuring better quality and more accessible music, we could build a healthier society, but of course the effects aren’t obvious immediately.
Which composition are you most proud of, or which one has given you the most pleasure?
In the season that is just coming to an end, I had the opportunity to realise two really beautiful and special projects. One was the project we have already mentioned with symphonic music for babies and toddlers, which we also tested with adult audiences, and the other was a tribute to an important couple from Ljubljana, the artists Mira and France Mihelič. The latter was planned together with the Slowind wind quintet and the visual artist Boris Beja. In addition to music for a large ensemble, this reading-visual-concert event also involved various visual media that paraphrased Mihelič’s motif of the traditional Slovenian carnival figure the kurent, as well as transitions between live readings and electronically transformed texts. The evening at which the project was presented was made even more special because it was the final appearance of the Slowind quintet, who concluded their extraordinary role as organisers of contemporary music festivals for more than twenty years.
When and how do you prefer to create? Are there any special periods, any special conditions?
Before I start writing a new piece, I need a slightly longer period of peace and quiet to work out what I want to do. I need time to tap into and reflect on my ideas, so that the material starts to vibrate. Once the image is clear enough, I’m not particularly picky about the working conditions. With all of my work commitments, I can’t afford to be.
Did you know or feel from the beginning that you would end up being what you are today?
Music has always been a big magnet, but in secondary school I first chose science, and I also seriously considered pursuing design and visual arts. Towards the end of secondary school, however, I started to put aside things that I thought would be easier to live without, and the call of music turned out to be the strongest.
Composer Larisa Vrhunc will be the central figure the second concert of the Slovenian Philharmonic’s next NOW subscription series. The concert will take place on 14 February 2024 in Cankarjev dom and will feature the premiere of a new composition commissioned by the Slovenian Philharmonic. At 11.00 am on Saturday 10 February 2024, , as part of the series SIM – Saturday Insights into Music, Larisa will take part in a public presentation of herself and her new composition.