Kissin Breathing Fresh Air

Striking a very special chord for many world class performers the Verbier festival just completed its 21st edition. A regular guest artist there, pianist Evgeny Kissin believes it’s crucial to combine rest with work because it helps the performer to regain lost focus. After remarking that it was too bad that “… there were only 25 (sic) hours in a day and only 365 days in a year …,” Kissin made the point that he preferred the solitude of working on solo repertoire to that of working in a group. It allowed him to apply the energy and focus he achieved during his rest more effectively. Now that he’s turned his energy towards Jewish musicians like Bloch and Krein, Kissin hopes that this hard work boosts their popularity and garners them the respect they deserve.