Marina Lomazov/Joseph Rackers Interview

Duo pianists Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers (they're also married) recently interviewed Connect Savannah's Jim Reed on their experiences performing piano duet recitals. The complete interview is available on the Connect Savannah site, of which here is a small excerpt:

Jim Reed: Do you prefer to play solo, or with additional musicians? Why or why not?

Marina Lomazov: Each medium provides its own pitfalls and rewards. Playing solo gives you the ultimate freedom to express yourself without constrains. It’s also a lonely medium. You are by yourself for long periods of time practicing, and when you perform you bear full responsibility for the outcome. It’s a high stress environment. Playing with other people allows you to share in the excitement of music making and it provides an opportunity to learn from other musicians and get inspired by someone else’s ideas.

Jim Reed: What are the inherent challenges in playing “four-handed” piano recitals?

Joseph Rackers: The biggest challenge is trying to achieve a uniform concept of sound and articulation with your duo partner. The goal is to make a blended sound that almost sounds like one pianist rather than two.

You can read the entire interview here. Those in the Savannah area can also see the Lomazov/Rackers duo on Saturday night at the Savannah Concert Association.