Barbara Kortmann Artist Interview
German flutist Barbara Kortmann is a multiple first prize winner of international music competitions, including competitions in France, Germany and the USA. Winner of the Rising Star Award by Sir James Galway, she teaches at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hannover and gives concerts and masterclasses around the globe. Her debut Album 'Inner Lights' was released in January 2017 and is highliy commended since then by musical and non-musical journals worldwide. 'Inner Lights' was a 3-time gold winner at the Global Music Awards.
Can you give us 5 career highlights?
The really crazy fact is that I have always forgotten my successes just the moment afterwards, because life goes on and new challenges await... that's still the case today. But for you I will gladly remember again, let's see, maybe I can even think of 5 highlights: when I was playing the flute for just 2 years I was invited to play two concerts in my hometown Hamburg to be presented as a talented young artist in Hamburg's biggest concert hall at that time. All 2200 seats were fully booked at both concerts. Those two concerts were absolutely groundbreaking for my ambitions making music my profession later on. When I was 23, I won a competition that was open to all instruments and which no flutist had ever won before. The really great thing about it was that the prize money was so high that I was able to afford my dream instrument (which I still play today...) overnight. Without this prize it probably never have been possible. Another competition win brought me to the USA some time later to give my concert debut at Carnegie Hall. Those days, together with my family in New York, were absolutely magical. I actually think about this time quite often, despite my career-highlight amnesia... ;-)
In 2013 another childhood dream came true, when Sir James Galway invited me to his festival in Switzerland. I had always wished to play for him and never really believed that this wish would ever come true. When I was awarded the Rising Star Award by him personally in 2016, it was clearly a highlight for me, both professionally and personally. In 2016 I was appointed to the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media to establish my own flute class there. This was the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. From one day to the next I was responsible for 10 students for whom I was to train in flutistic and musical skills. So, I think I have five together... ;-)
Do you teach? Masterclasses? What do you like best about teaching?
Yes, due to my weekly teaching activities in Hannover I have been able to gain a lot of experience as a teacher in the past years, which I would like to let students (who do not belong to my class) benefit from in the form of masterclasses, too. For me, the essence of good teaching is actually making the student a flutistic, musically (and personally, you can never separate the two) harmonious and round acting, independent personality. To accompany this path as a teacher and to be able to help to shape it to a certain extent is incredibly fulfilling and inspiring for me. The moment when my students play their final exam concert and I can see them from the audience as individually acting musicians is priceless and the greatest motivation for me.
What do you like best about performing?
Transforming experienced things into music. The feeling of being able to rise above yourself while playing, to forget self-doubt, worries and fears for a moment. The intensive feeling of emotions: joy, excitement, doubt, pain. In music and on stage all this is so much closer together than anywhere else in life. Being able to leave the world for a moment during the performance without having to leave it. To feel connection, a rare feeling of equality with the audience. To perceive the echo of the audience - an emotional echo that turns strangers into familiar ones. And if the unity remains even after the last note has faded away. When the laws and dogmas of our time, the forgiveness and the loneliness disappears for another moment behind the emotional sameness. Those precious minutes when everything is put together anew, when body, soul and spirit become one again, working with and for each other. A break from everyday life and at the same time the most vivid time of all. Yes, I think this is it!
CD releases?
Oh yes - 2017 my debut album 'Inner Lights' was released. On this album you can hear baroque chamber music and Vivaldi concertos for flute. Now I am about to record my second album. It will be a completely different one, in my opinion the topic of the new album and the program are super exciting and I can't finally wait to record it!
What does your schedule look like for the next 6 months?
Right now I'm incredibly excited to return to New York, one of my absolute favorite cities, in 3 weeks. There I will play 3 recitals together with the wonderful pianist Irena Portenko (February 19 at the Flute Center of New York, on February 29 at the Ukrainian Library and Museum in NY and on March 1st at the Ossie Davis Theatre.) On February 22nd I will lead a masterclass in St. John's in the Village, to which of course all flutists living in NY are invited. In April our summer semester at the university will start, in May I am looking forward to play in the Elbphilharmonie (Germany's newest and at the moment most popular concert hall) and in August I will give a 10 day masterclass in France, at the 25th Musicalta Festival in Alsace and record my new album afterwards. Then 6 months will be over already and I think it's time for a little holiday break... ;-)
What are your goals personally? Professionally?
To deal with the time we have on earth responsibly and preciously. Our daily life often moves in such an enormous speed, so many things have to be done and processed that I sometimes feel threatened to lose sight of the essential. Never losing sight of the mindfulness for a well led life, always taking time to go for a walk, currently in the winter sun, listening to good music and staying connected to the people I love above all else. Professionally, I simply wish to be able to continue doing what I love about everything: music!
What has been your greatest challenge?
To be allowed to live my own desire for independence and to accept that life is not always fair and just. I don't know how my parents did it, but somehow they raised us in the belief that if you always act fair and just, you will be treated yourself fair and just. To learn at an early age that this belief simply doesn't work in the world was hard for me to accept. Especially in the artist business, judging is often so extremely subjective that there can often be no justice at all. In addition, I have always been a person who loved independence. Accepting that even in art we are educated to act sometimes completely unfree (although one should assume that in art we are allowed to give free expression to our liberty, creativity and otherness) was another challenging process that demanded a lot of my strength. With time I learned to take my freedom in the binding nature of life and I am learning more and more to stand up for my own needs, even if they do not meet the general needs. Today I am always happy to meet like-minded people and also try to promote the awareness of individuality in my teaching.
What inspires you the most in life?
My environment. Inspiration has many facets and sometimes things which make you feel anxious and uncomfortable can also be turned into inspiration and creativity. Let's not fool ourselves, the world is rocking enormously at the moment and the future is unpredictable in many ways. But the shared knowledge of the dangers can also become a common, highly inspirational force if we work together for something good, no matter what the context may be. And of course, it is the people with whom I share my daily life, especially my great love (am I cheesy now...?), that inspire me and make me happy.
Can you give us 5 quickly, secret, fun (don't think too much about it) hobbies or passions?
Oh, I must admit, I am terribly fond of baking. Even very early in the morning, late in the evening or at night. When I feel the urge to bake a cake, I have to go to the kitchen... I have the stupid habit of falling asleep in front of the television, no matter how exciting the movie is. At the moment I love to eat mint chocolate and licorice alternately. I can't manage to organize my handbags in such a way that I don't always have to look for everything and at least once a day I think I have lost my cell phone because I can't find it in my pocket. I am addicted to documentaries on television and have already made my husband co-dependent (sorry, honey... ;-)). And no, I don't fall asleep while watching documentaries, no matter how boring they are...
What 3 things would you offer as advice for a young flutist?
Always have a goal in mind for which it is worthwhile to put all your efforts of practice and studies on you. Do not look too much to the left and right, but rather always follow your own way in your own tempo, concentrated and focused. Trust that your way is the right one for you. Listen to a lot of good music and never forget that we are musicians and artists and that our instrument is only the necessary craft to be able to express ourselves artistically. Show yourself through your music, we would all love to get to know you better through what we hear from you!!!
Social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.kortmann.3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarakortmannflute/
Homepage: http://www.barbarakortmann.de/en/