On March 30th, we will present "Diversity matters" in our 4th subscription concert at the Stadtcasino Basel, under the musical direction of Kevin John Edusei.
German conductor Kevin John Edusei is in demand worldwide and praised for the dramatic intensity of his interpretations. He places great emphasis on the creative elements of performance, presents classical music in new formats, seeks out new audiences, and conducts a diverse repertoire. Highlights of the 2024/25 season include debuts with the New York Philharmonic, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Edusei is a regular guest conductor with orchestras such as the Munich Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. With the Chineke! Orchestra, he performs at prestigious venues including London's South Bank Centre, the Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Elbphilharmonie. In 2022, Edusei made his debut at the Royal Opera House with Puccini's "La Bohème," followed by "Madama Butterfly" in the 2023/24 season. Born in Bielefeld, he studied at the Berlin University of the Arts and the Royal Conservatory The Hague, and in 2007 was a prize winner at the Lucerne Festival's conducting competition under the artistic direction of Pierre Boulez.
We are very much looking forward to this collaboration and have asked him a few questions to get to know him better.
1. How did you first come into contact with "classical music" and why have you been unable to let go of it?
I was exposed to classical music at a young age through my parents. My father liked to put on a record or two on weekends after work. Some of the beautiful record covers, like Carlos Kleiber's "Der Freischütz" with that double-barreled shotgun against a black background, have remained vividly in my memory. The same is true, of course, for the music itself. I once told the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter that I had been forced to listen to her recording of "The Four Seasons" more often than probably anyone else on the planet. She replied that she would, of course, do things quite differently today. We both had a good laugh.
2. As chief conductor at the Konzert Theater Bern and a sought-after guest conductor worldwide, you have conducted many repertoire operas from Mozart to Wagner. Alongside this, however, it is always important to you to try out new formats and to bring new music to the stage. Why?
Engaging with classical music offers the opportunity for a fascinating retrospective, which can sometimes feel like a journey through time. As a performer, however, I also want to look ahead and work together with composers to shape the sound of tomorrow's music. For me personally, this also helps me better understand precisely what constituted the progressive nature of music in the past.
3. At our joint concert on March 30th, we will give a platform to works by composers with diverse identities. For a long time in music history, composers were predominantly male and white. Why is it important to you that this changes?
Our society is subject to a constant process of change. Migration is part of this change and has led to the increasing diversification of even Western European countries without a significant colonial history. If we want our art and music to continue to have social relevance, this means, conversely, that we must take these changed circumstances into account. Quite apart from that, the integration of non-European elements has always been a great artistic enrichment for music, from Rameau to Ligeti.
4. The Basel Sinfonietta has made it its mission to perform "music that reflects the spirit of the times" and to participate in social discourse through its programs. How can this be achieved from your perspective?
With its clear focus on the eras since musical modernism, the Basel Sinfonietta makes a significant contribution to revitalizing the discourse. It acts as a kind of wide-angle lens, making what lies at the margins more visible. Broadening our perspective is something from which we can all greatly benefit.
