THRILL TO DO MUSIC - like sport!

Thanura Mendis

‘Le festival est de retour!’ French Spring has returned to Sri Lanka for the second consecutive time thanks to the French embassy and Alliance Francaise de Kotte.

The occasion can’t get any bigger when it features the likes of ‘Jean- Pierre Baraglioli’ who is a world renowned classical soprano Saxophonist. He will be performing live on four concerts, starting on July 3 with Peshala Manoj, a singer and a Tabla player and Bridget Halpe, a well known Sri Lankan Pianist.

Jean- Pierre Baraglioli. Picture by Samantha Weerasiri

Q: How do you recognize yourself?

A: I’m a classical musician from Paris. A soprano jazz musician in France. A member of ‘Paris Garde Républicaine’ - a world famous wind orchestra in the world. I’m also a teacher in a big conservatory with high recognition.

Q: What made you become a musician?

A: I was born in Montreuil where there was a conservatory in the opposite side of my house. when I was ten years old, my mother insisted me to go to the conservatory. I made a choice to play the saxophone. I liked the instrument when I was 4-5 years old and when I arrived there, I told the instructors that I want to play the instrument. Yet, I knew nothing about notes and the methods of playing a saxophone. And I was an improved saxophonist by the age of 10. When I was 13 or so, for Christmas I asked my parents to buy me notes to play the instrument rather than asking them to buy Christmas gifts. That habit continued as I asked them for notes rather than gifts such as games.

Q: How did the family and your instructor inspire you as a child in your pursuit to become a musician?

A: Well. All my family said was ‘just go to the conservatory’. I don’t come from a musical background. My family didn’t get to help me much and as a result, I had to travel the journey mostly by myself. Fortunately, it was in my veins and wasn’t that difficult. My teacher though, had me giving a lesson or two to the class and at times told the director that he has a wonderful student in the class who might have a long journey as a musician.

Q: Do you restrict yourself to a particular genre? Are you just a jazz musician?

A: I don’t restrict myself like that. I’m a classical musician. I don’t make improvisations. I write music and experiment with the kind of music that I play. It’s not only jazz music that I play. I also play good music like Tango and yet, when I play with a musician who is in a particular genre, I don’t make improvisations as it’s their job. Not mine. In such cases, I stick to the basics of that particular musical genre. My first CD came out when I was 25 or so and it was a duet with one of the best of musicians when it comes to Jazz, tango and popular music. I don’t mind playing good music with good musicians regardless of the genre.

Q: What kind of challenges do you meet in your career as a musician?

A: I have to practise every day and have to think about new projects. As someone who takes part in at least 80 conservatories for an year, I don’t know the kind of challenge I might get when I’m about to take the stage for my next show. I have to work with different musicians and it takes some effort to get it done smoothly. Most of the time, I get new notes and practicing and performing flawlessly are features of an arduous journey.

I like challenges and it’s what it takes to improve yourself. It’s more like sports. You need the thrill to do new things. I’ll give you one instance. I’m supposed to play with a Sri Lankan Tabla player with whom I have never played before.

Not only that I’ve never played with him, also, I’ve never played in a stage where Tabla is a part of the performance.

I sent him some recording to get an idea on my music and yet, I don’t know what might happen in the show.. I don’t know what kind of collaboration it’s going to be. I said to my wife, I have to start practices with him at 10 am in the morning and I don’t know when I’m going to finish the practices.

Q: When you were just a beginner, is there anything special that you did to improve your performance and take it to the next level?

A: I don’t consider the outcome of doing certain things to improve my performance. I take every project as it comes and concentrate on it so that I can succeed in what I’m doing at the moment.

It’s important to play with friends and I make friends with most of the people that I play with. I personally don’t consider what might happen if I play with particular musicians and how it would affect my musical career. Since I was 21 years, old, I have been in the best wind orchestra in the world and I don’t think about my career when I’m having to play with a musician. It’s just a matter of getting along with the new challenge and the new coworker and getting the job done.

Q: What kind of good memories do you possess from your tours abroad?

A: Once when I was in Japan, the hall didn’t have more than a handful of people and it suddenly filled up when I started my performance. I love to go to countries such as Japan, Russia and China. Once I was playing in a seaside bar, there wasn’t many people to start up with. Yet, when I got on the stage, the audience was full and I was treated like a rock star there. I have also played for an audience of a couple of people as well.

Q: What kind of a treat can your fans in Sri Lanka expect from you during your stay here?

A: I have planned to play the likes of Debussy, portejoie and Tallet in 4 concerts in Sri Lanka in collaboration with Sri Lankan musicians and I hope those who are enthusiastic won’t miss my first tour to Sri Lanka.