The harp stands out visually in the orchestra but is not always so clearly audible. This will be different at the Conductors' Academy because of Sarah Verrue's solo performance.
"The harp doesn't always play in the orchestra, often you don't even notice it. It acts like a colour, a perfume. It is often the connecting element between the timpani and the basses.
My preparation for rehearsals and concerts consists of knowing the notes, of course, my solo parts and the parts with the whole ensemble. It is just as important that I am physically fit so that I feel as relaxed as possible in the technically tricky passages.
As part of the Conductors' Academy, I'm playing Mozart's concerto for flute, harp and orchestra. Although the harp and flute often play as a duo, I'll be a bit more excited, partly because of the live stream. I will be sitting much further forward than usual, next to the conductor, and they will often take turns - a new position and a new perspective. Being a musician at Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich is a special job. We are a large group and everyone has an individual sensibility. I find it exciting to see how my colleagues develop artistically and personally. We need a certain fragility and at the same time good self-confidence in order to give our best.
The music and the feelings it triggers in me remain the reason why I am still passionate about this profession. For example, when we performed Mahler's Symphony No. 2, everyone got goosebumps and a lump in their throat when the choir started: so intimate, so touching. What a privilege to be able to take part here! And there are many such works. I can't find these emotions anywhere else, they connect us to our souls - if we let them."
