When one thinks of classical music, the accordion is unlikely to spring to mind, but Latvian accordionist Ksenija Sidorova has made it her mission to challenge people’s impressions of the instrument, as she tells Maria Blanco ahead of her first concert with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

How did you fall in love with the accordion, and what did it take for you to become synonymous with the instrument?

I started playing the accordion aged six with my grandmother. It quite quickly became a serious after-school activity that I happened to enjoy (of course with occasional pressure to practise from my parents!).

Soon enough, I realised that I loved sharing music with people and performing on stage. Moreover, I loved the possibilities that my instrument gave me and the variety of music that can be performed on it.

The accordion is typically associated with folk music, but you’ve become one of its leading ambassadors in the classical music scene. How did you manage to carve out such an unusual niche for yourself?

I think the accordion has a wonderful tradition, and a very long one. It is very important to remember those roots. I do believe that, by now, this instrument reached new heights thanks to manufacturers, composers and performers. The tradition that it brings will never go away!

The tradition that the accordian brings will never go away!

Working with composers is very important for me as a performer. I believe the true identity of the accordion as a classical instrument comes with contemporary music. Of course, besides commissions I also play arrangements and occasionally perform with pop stars.

All those exciting things would not have been possible were it not for my teachers. They were the ones who started carving the path for the instrument and who made it possible for accordionists around the world to continue enriching their legacy, enter conservatories and perform in the most famous classical concert halls around the world.   

You have yourself commissioned new works and performed arrangements of existing ones to expand the classical accordion repertoire. Why do you think the accordion has been overlooked for so long by classical music composers, and why do you feel it should receive greater prominence?

Earlier classical composers didn’t overlook the accordion. They simply didn’t have it then, or didn’t have those possibilities. I’m pretty sure Mozart or Bach would have been fascinated to hear it. The instrument offers a wide range of octaves throughout both hands, is fully polyphonic and comes with bellows, which make it a ‘breathing instrument’. By the way, bellows in our case are very much like a bow for a string instrument.

So there are endless possibilities, really, with articulation, because of the registers which act like stops on an organ. I am positive that, in some cases, the accordion brings a new freshness to the classical repertoire.

You’ll be performing Astor Piazzolla’s Concerto Aconcagua with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. What can you tell us about this work, and what does the music of Piazzolla mean to you?

I am absolutely in love with this piece. Despite it not being originally written for the accordion (it was written for the related bandoneon), I think the sound of my instrument brings something new, nostalgic and romantic.

I first played this piece by Astor Piazzolla in my teens, I guess. It is such beautiful music for anyone who hears it. Yet, as a performer you definitely need to grow and live through some experiences which help you understand the melancholy of Piazzolla’s musical language. I discover new things with his works at every performance.  

You are one of the artists affiliated with EMMA for Peace, a non-profit organisation which focuses on cultural diplomacy and education, as is the MPO. Can you tell us more about its work, and of your involvement in it?

I first encountered EMMA for Peace in about 2013. Since then I closely followed their work and I support their cause fully. I am honoured to be part of such an organisation. There is truly no better way to bring peace to the world than with the unique language of music understood by everyone.

The upcoming concert marks your first visit to Malta. What does Malta bring to mind, and what are you looking forward to in your visit?

I am very excited to visit Malta for the first time. I had the honour of collaborating with Joseph Calleja for one of his CDs. I also met a few musicians from Malta during my student years at the Royal Academy of Music in London. I am thrilled about my trip and a chance to perform with the MPO!

Ksenija Sidorova will be joining the MPO in Musical Fairy Tales, which will be taking place at the Manoel Theatre on May 5. Tickets are available online.

www.teatrumanoel.com.mt