From childhood Disney soundtracks to packed concert halls around the world, pianist Freddy Kempf has always had the piano at the heart of his life. This November, he joins the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra at Norwich Theatre Royal as soloist for Rachmaninov’s much-loved Second Piano Concerto. We caught up with him to chat about where it all began, the moments that shaped his journey, and what keeps him inspired both on and off the stage.
What first drew you to the piano, and when did you realise you could do this as a career?
I always simply loved the sound of the piano. I can still vaguely remember having an old record player (for vinyls!) as a 2- or 3-year-old, and I still remember hearing Disney soundtracks and especially liking any bit where a piano was playing.
I guess the career side just happened in two different senses. Piano was always just a hobby, and I simply kept doing it and at some point, realised it had become my life. On the other hand, I do know that I first got paid for a concert aged 6, playing in a church in Folkestone (Kent), sharing the recital with an Italian tenor(!)
Looking back at your career, is there a particular performance or competition that was a real turning point for you?
I can’t say there was anything as clear-cut as a single event… From my point of view, everything happened very gradually. There are, of course, moments that really stand out in my memory, things that I will never ever forget.
One thing I will never forget is the very first time I rehearsed the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (no. 1) with orchestra – it was up in Manchester in the old “Free Trade Hall”. The conductor was called Fyodor Gluschenko, and it was such a thrill to hear the orchestra playing the opening next to me, knowing that I would now get to play myself. Each time I play that piece, I somehow get thrown back to that particular memory and re-live that moment.
You’ve performed a wide range of repertoire. Do you have any particular favourites and why?
I know this sounds like I am simply saying it, but more and more it becomes emphatically the Rachmaninov 2nd piano concerto. I always loved it. I remember hearing it the first time, as it was featured a long, long time ago in a monthly magazine that featured various composers.
I remember that the very first time I played it was at my secondary school, the music director and now lifelong friend conducting, and my old French teacher playing the bass drum. As I’ve grown older, lost loved ones, been blessed with my own children, and simply lived life as we all do, this piece, a symbol of determination and not giving up for Rachmaninov, means more and more to me. I think that after Covid, especially, which was really tough for artists and performers, I feel simply grateful each time I play this work.
Do you feel a strong personal connection to any one composer, and why?
I wouldn’t say to a specific composer. Composers lived such different lives from performers, and a lot of the greatest composers had such turbulent lives.
What is your process for approaching a new piece?
For me, it’s quite simple and routine. I always make sure I have a rough idea of how difficult it’s going to be so that I can plan when I will start learning it. Once I start practising it, then it does tend to, by now, simply take shape by itself – piano pieces always take so much time to learn (for me at least) that by the time I can actually play the work, then I know pretty much what I want to do with it. Memorising is also a challenging skill for us pianists, and so I do make sure to practise not having the score in time for the concerts.
Touring and performing internationally can be both exhilarating and exhausting. How do you stay grounded?
Well, I have four children… So just going home forces me to lurch back into normal life. It is quite a strenuous change though, from simply concentrating on the piano, travelling all over the place, going running, swimming and doing weights to having to wake up in time to get the kids off to school, replace bike chains, using a hammer drill to replace a broken light fitting etc.
Do you have any rituals before a performance?
I have to say that I actively try not to. I once had a psychologist friend, and he warned me of the dangers of having rituals, especially how one reacts when, for whatever reason, you cannot carry out that ritual… The only thing that I possibly do is to simply look out at the audience from backstage before I actually go on stage.
Outside of music, what inspires you or helps you recharge?
I love doing sports. I’m not outstandingly good at anything in particular, but love running and swimming, so pushing myself as hard as I can go, and with the family doing quite challenging mountain hikes/climbs, and I love skiing in the winter, as if I get into my car, 25 minutes later I can be sitting in a ski-lift!
Do you ever still get nervous before playing, and if so, how do you handle it?
I would say that every once in a while, I might get nervous or, which is just as bad, not feel any sense of nerves or occasion whatsoever. If one does get nervous, then as long as you know how they physically or mentally affect you, and you can prepare a plan of compensation (against the effects), then getting nervous is simply a process that you need to recognise and then compensate for.
If you could collaborate with any musician, past or present, who would it be?
Any musician?! Oh, that’s such a crazy question. I think my answer would constantly change as I am always getting inspired by different people all the time. I mean, I always love George Gershwin’s music and always feel how it’s such a shame how short his life was. So, I suppose it would be him!
You can catch Freddy Kempf when he joins the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra at Norwich Theatre Royal on 9 Nov. For more information or to book, visit norwichtheatre.org.
