Today we have great pleasure in interviewing Mark Andrew James, founder and Principal Conductor of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra. Mark will be conducting the SSO at the “Grand Opera Gala” which takes place on Saturday 24th May at 7.30 pm at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Ann Street in Brighton. He will be joined by four talented soloists from the National Opera Studio and the Gala evening will be hosted by Sally Taylor, presenter of BBC South Today.
Under the artistic direction of Mr James this is going to be a wonderful evening not to be missed! So let’s put our 10 Questions to the talented Musical Director of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra and learn more about him…
1. What are the milestones in your life’s journey (both personal and professional) that have led you to be Principal Conductor of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra?
Firstly, winning two master class competitions that enabled me to study under two of the world’s most eminent and famous conductors, Zubin Mehta and Leonard Bernstein, both of whom gave me the confidence and expertise to hone my style and approach to conducting.
I have had terrific family support in my journey to where I am now in conducting, which has to date led me to conduct in the USA, Japan, all over the UK and Europe and Russia..
I actually founded the SSO as I realised that there wasn’t an orchestra of high calibre that was truly representative of the enormous amount of talent we have locally without the need to go elsewhere.
2. What are your musical influences?
I seem to always have a pictorial idea in my mind when interpreting music, the music suggests a scene or picture, I imagine myself in that picture then try to reproduce my emotions with the orchestra, this way I believe we can always give a truly personal and original account of the music, whilst keeping faithful to what I believe the composer wanted and imagined.
I am an unashamed romantic when it comes to music influences, I adore most things Russian as I find their music so passionate and stimulating, and having conducted in Russia many times, experiencing the ‘ownership’ the Russian orchestras have for their music gives me a great basis to approach that music with our orchestra.
3. What is the Opera Gala about and what should the Brighton public expect from your show at the Brighton Fringe?
This will be the 12th Opera Gala in the Festival we have performed and they are always hugely popular. We invite up and coming singing stars, who will soon be seen on many of the world’s greatest opera houses, we play many of the world’s most favourite and well loved moments from opera,(nothing you can’t hum along to!!) and we also have someone who will be narrating and setting the scene for each aria or moment in the concert, in short, a fantastic evening where you can come along and lose yourself in some of the world’s most beautiful music!
4. What is your favourite Festival/Fringe and why do you like them?
I think that the Fringe displays all the talent in so many genres we have regionally and is an unrivaled Festival in this regard, I do think more support from established venues could be given to local organisations. My favourite moments in both the Fringe and main Festival are many of the comedy productions, great to lose yourself for an evening! – some of the visiting journalists offer interesting moments and the many other smaller concerts and recitals that you get to hear about because of the publicity and advertising through the organisations.
5. What is your best advice for aspiring musicians?
This really depends on how far a musician wants to take their gift of music, some want to go all the way and become professional, some just want to keep it simple and do music in spare time, whatever your approach, it is essential that you enjoy it, otherwise it becomes a chore and then you don’t enjoy it and inevitably any resulting performance is not what it might be. The secret of all of this is PRACTICE! – We all hate scales, arpeggios and long notes, but, like it or not, these are the basis of any technique in any instrument, in essence then, an amateur practices until he doesn’t make mistakes, a professional practices until he can’t make mistakes!!
6. What has been your funniest experience conducting the Sussex Symphony Orchestra?
Over the years, I seem to have developed some phrases when rehearsing that always come up and one day, whilst rehearsing a particularly tricky work, I noticed that the orchestra was giving me rapt attention, more than usual! – When I had stopped for a moment, and said something, one of the Double Bass section shouted ‘BINGO’ – the orchestra collapsed laughing and then explained to me that each section of the orchestra had been given a card of different phrases I commonly used and the first section to tick all them won and so SSO ‘BINGO’ was born – hilarious!
7. As you travel worldwide, where is your favourite place to vacation and why do you like it there?
Depends on the time of year, I love Mexico, but only when it not too hot, I like exploring the pyramids and the history, the silver markets and meat with chocolate sauces! – I adore Cape Town in their summer, the air is so pure and clean, the scenery fantastic, terrific wines and all very cheap, I also love the Far East, with all its interesting smells, heat, different culture mixes and food.
I also love Spain, it is close by and has so much to offer, especially the cafe culture and laid back attitudes!
8. Who is the person you most admired and why?
This is hard, but I think this has to be Leonard Bernstein, as he was the most inspirational and charismatic man I have ever met and studied with. He would encourage you to form your own opinions and methods and as long as you could justify them, it was ok with him, his basic message was that no two performances need be the same.
9. What is the best tip you have ever been given?
I am assuming you don’t mean monetary! – apart from never eat yellow snow(!) I think that the best tip I have had is always try to be honest with yourself and others.
10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Having had the enormous privilege of travelling the world extensively, seen and experienced many cultures I have to say there is indeed a common thread and the one thing I would change is the attitude of man, the phrase ‘man’s inhumanity to man’ has never been so appropriate and I truly believe that it is simply this that is eroding so much of the world today.
