"There is no such a thing as contemporary music, or music of the past, as a matter of a fact. There is just great music as a whole," Mr. Elisi said in a recent conversation in his Hamburg hotel.
"Compositions that are being written right now ought to be part of concert programs along other music written before. This process keeps music fresh and, perhaps, helps shaping history too. It is the responsibility of the performer to understand these very simple values, when considering concert programs," he remarked.
"Present-day music is only a small part of my repertoire, but it's a part that I think is extremely important."
The living composers Elisi plays are, indeed, a select handful, but his awareness of contemporary music is much wider. Among composers, old as well as new, he appreciates more than he plays. ''The piano repertory is beyond human capability, so I focus on pieces that I'm absolutely sure I'll never be tired of,'' he said.
Mr. Elisi enjoys working with living composers and has premiered several works (some of which were dedicated to him). In the last few years, Mr. Elisi played music by Ukranian-born, American composer Virko Baley, works be Peruvian composers Jorge Villavicencio Grossmann (premiere) and Celso Garrido Lecca, a premiere by Korean composer Kye Ryung Park, and several piano works by Wolfgang Rihm. During the 2009 season, he will also pay tribute to renowned composer, award-winner, Paul Chihara, by performing a great deal of his chamber music, as well as premiering a commissioned trio. He will premiere two new chamber works by Jorge Grossmann and Kye Ryung Park, respectively, in 2010, and is in the process of creating a call for scores (Arioso International Composition Competition for Piano,) under the auspices of the Arioso Management.
-- Gisela Lilienthal
