Marc Migó: “In Barcelona, North American classical music is little known, but it is a great treasure”

What does the IEN’s new cultural proposal consist of?

We have devised a concert series with the goal of disseminating a selection of high quality American classical music performed by excellent musicians. In Barcelona, in Catalonia and in Spain in general, it’s very difficult to hear this type of music, especially such carefully chosen pieces. However, apart from that, the series has another objective: to strengthen Catalonia’s relations with the United States. For this reason, we will program North American performers to come and play at home for us and we will send Catalan performers to play in the United States. For the moment, we are focusing our efforts on a single annual concert.

It will be this March. How was the concert planned?

We will have the pleasure of having three excellent young performers, trained at Juilliard, one of the most emblematic conservatories in the United States: violinist Max Tan, pianist Jinhee Park and soprano Marisa Karchin. Together, they will perform works by 20th century North American composers Leonard Bernstein and Charles Ives, and 21st century composers such as Sarah Gibson and Matthew Aucoin. When thinking about the program, we also wanted to include a work by Albert Markov, which is sensational and very much reflects the American spirit and American culture.

There will also be one of your pieces!

Yes, they insisted. They wanted to include me because of the connection I have with the performers -I’ve also attended Juilliard- and because of the close relationship I have with the United States. The piece Tres romances will be played.

It’s said that North American classical music represents many different styles and identities. Does the selection of pieces reflect this?

Absolutely. Moreover, it covers this variety with a great temporal arc: the pieces that we have programmed span more than a century of music. For example, there will be a violin sonata by Charles Ives, who is an eclectic composer with a very open mind. I really like the openness of his music and the emotion that comes out of it. The United States is a country of contrasts, and that’s a very nice touch. The perception of music and musical styles has a lot to do with geopolitical phenomena: how the Second World War was experienced in the United States and in Europe, how the Cold War ended, etc.

In comparison, could we say that North American music is especially influenced by its historical context?

Yes, but all music -wherever it comes from- is always linked to the place where it is made. In the United States, what we find is a great diversity of styles. This has to do, in part, with the way in which the arts are sponsored in America. In Europe, the public has a lot of weight. In the United States, on the other hand, it is the spectators who are in the driver’s seat. That’s why there are people who call American music popcorn music. There has been the idea that North American composers are just a bunch of sell outs who only know how to make soundtracks. To think so is a mistake!

In fact, do North American composers have a relationship with European musical heritage?

Yes, John Williams himself is a direct descendant of the music of Gustav Mahler or Johann Strauss. He received the romantic heritage that escaped from Europe, fleeing Hitler. Sometimes, from the European academic intellectual elite, North American music has been demonized for being more romantic, friendlier and more able to connect with the audience. Although the historical context of European totalitarianism is now in the rear-view mirror, Europe still shies from the link between music and emotion. Now it’s opening up a little, but the United States is setting the trend. Academically, it’s the predominant pole. It’s where the most interesting things are being done from the point of view of new musical creation.

Given that, nowadays, what differences would you highlight between music made in Europe and that born out of the United States?

There are very different aesthetics. In general terms, in Europe there is a sense of avant-garde and a lot of experimentation, but often there is a lack of an expressive or emotional calling. The concepts of notions of beauty and harmony are not the main focus of investigation. There is an important disconnect between the will of the composers and what the audience receives. If we catch a person on the street in Barcelona and ask them if they want to go to see a contemporary music concert, they’ll say no. They’re afraid they won’t understand anything. In the United States, there is also a lot of exploration, but they have kept those romantic touches that make it more accessible. Through their music, it’s clear that the United States is a very patriotic country and that they believe in what they do.

It’s also more diverse?

Yes, they’re not afraid to look for beauty, to make melodies, to find new colors, to want to communicate with the audience… In Europe the latter is not perceived well. There is the concept that good music is only understood by very specific people: only an elite of prepared intellectuals can enjoy it. It’s a very elitist reasoning. From my point of view that’s a mistake. I want to tell stories, to sublimate my experiences through music.

Why does classical music still have this elitist patina?

There are people who see it as a mark of luxury or distinction, like someone who buys a watch or a Ferrari. It is the snobbery of saying: “I am more intelligent than the rest because I can understand classical music”. That is a big mistake. Classical music is also recovering from a series of social conventions that don’t help to open it up to everyone: musicians wear tails, silence is a must… Given that, it seems like a refined and sophisticated thing. This happens a bit more in Europe than in the United States. But, well, in the end, music has always been politically instrumentalized.

What will the audience who comes to the concert find?

To begin with, a very high level of performers. In Barcelona, although there are many concerts, it’s difficult to find virtuosity of this caliber. You will also find a repertoire that is impossible to hear anywhere else. These kinds of things are not being programmed because they’re not known here. In fact, to be able to contribute to the IEN by programming this concert series makes me very happy, because we’ll be able to uncover a treasure for Barcelona audiences.