PRESS - ‘Grace at the tip of the baton’
Kristiina looks back on two successful European tours, officially marking the start of her tenure as chief conductor of the Orchestre Français des Jeunes (OFJ). The OFJ is France’s National Youth Orchestra, which comes together every summer and winter for concerts in some of Europe’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals. Some press impressions…
Tagespiegel: “Finally, the large orchestra under conductor Kristiina Poska — for her, a return to Berlin, where she studied at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music and worked at the Komische Oper — shows what it can do in Debussy’s La Mer: shimmering tonal colors, wonderfully layered dynamics, motivic fragments that appear and vanish, never the same, just as the waves of the sea are always different, sparkling in the concert hall like sunlight on the surface of the water.”
El Diaro Montanes: “Kristiina Poska displayed with Scheherazade her enormous conducting ability: tireless, attentive to all the sections with precise and well-judged gestures, shaping and coloring with perfectly judged dynamics without letting a single detail escape. The famous violin passages that sensually weave through the suite revealed a soloist of great caliber, with beautiful phrasing; he was rightly applauded, and warmly so. The OFJ offered a lesson in enthusiastic orchestral playing — cohesive and solid — and the ovations from the audience burst forth with well-deserved spontaneity. Kristiina Poska also set an example of generosity, yielding all the protagonism to the young musicians, thereby demonstrating both the enormous value of the project and her firm commitment.
She announced the two heartfelt encores with which the evening was to close, both by Ravel: Le jardin féerique from Ma mère l’Oye and the Feria from Rapsodie espagnole, complete with castanets.
When the conductor left the stage, a fantastic surprise awaited us: the young orchestra members began to perform a tutti pieces of a nocturnal and festive spirit, with the audience on their feet clapping along. It was a touching gesture full of meaning: a catharsis after the tension of an entire night of effort (the concert lasted more than two hours), the release of contained talent, and the expression of friendship shared through music.
A day especially fresh and moving, one that rejuvenated the International Festival on the eve of its veteran anniversary.”
Cantabria 24 Horas: “Young musicians, yet perfectly accomplished in their performance, delivered a program that truly moved us. With Berlioz and his distinctive, masterful musical language, they expressed a beautiful scene in the overture to The Roman Carnival.
A highlight was the powerful interpretation of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with Alexandre Tharaud as soloist. An excellent pianist, he provided the perfect counterpoint in harmony with the orchestra, and left his mark with an encore — a dedicated performance of Gnossienne No. 1 by Erik Satie, a piece well-known today as a popular film soundtrack.
The program concluded with one of the most creative performances of Scheherazade we’ve ever heard. The conductor shone, masterfully combining every element of the orchestra, blending their diverse personalities into a single, spectacular sound.
And then, as a surprise, two encores thrilled the audience: a piece by Ravel and Rhapsodie Espagnole. To cap it all off, the entire orchestra, this time without the conductor — like mischievous children left alone in class — stood up and began to play a widely recognized football stadium anthem, clapped along to by the audience. A truly wild and joyful finale.”
Le Dauphiné: “The program opened with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival, before pianist Alexandre Tharaud — fully immersed and vibrant at the keyboard — swept the audience away with Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2. His intensity was such that he at times seemed to rise from his seat. The palpable emotion alternated with more vigorous outbursts.
In the second half, the energy rose yet another notch with Rimsky-Korsakov’s sumptuous Scheherazade, inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. It was an intense moment where virtuosity and sensitivity met in perfect harmony, confirming the dazzling maturity of these young talents.”
