National Violin Day: Views from Virtuoso Johan Dalene
Fri 13 Dec 2024Why the violin? What made you choose it as your instrument?
Both my parents are musicians. My mom plays the piano and my dad is a cellist, and there was always music around the house when I was growing up. Before starting to play the violin at the age of four, I really wanted to play the cello and be like my dad. I was really fascinated by the instrument and would watch (and disturb) my father when he was practicing. Eventually I was persuaded into trying the violin instead. The teacher in my hometown, Norrköping, had a fantastic reputation and my parents thought it would be really nice if we could play piano trio together (which we have done a few times, quite long ago now…). I tried the violin and fell in love with it.
What other hobbies do you have? Are they a welcome distraction from the violin or do you think they somehow enhance your playing?
When not playing the violin, I might go for a walk, do some cooking or most preferably spend time with friends! I also really enjoy watching football, especially Premier League. Since music and the violin takes up so much of my time, it’s really nice to think about something completely different at times!
What did you think when you were chosen as Gramophone’s 2022 Young Artist of the Year? What are you most proud of during your career?
It was such an honour for me winning Gramophone’s Young Artist of the Year award in 2022. It is definitely one of the biggest highlights for me in my career so far. Another fond memory of mine is the first time I played the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with a professional orchestra. I was 16, and it was in my hometown with Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (with my dad being in the cello section). It’s such a great memory and one that has really stuck with me!
What advice would you give to young musicians?
Enjoy the process! Practising is something all musicians have to do, and sometimes it’s really not that fun… But if you try enjoying it as much as possible and really focus on reaching the goals you set for yourself, it’ll feel much more fun!
Are you looking forward to playing Korngold’s violin concerto? Why is it an important piece of music and what does it mean to you?
I love Korngold violin concerto! I learned it for the first time during the pandemic, in 2020. There wasn’t much to do back then, so I started making a list about new repertoire I wanted to learn. Korngold concerto was at the very top of the list. Since then, I’ve played it a few times in concerts, and it’s such an exciting piece and it always feels like an adventure playing it!
Is there a part of the music audiences should listen out for in particular? How do you interpret this moment?
Korngold violin concerto has everything. Amazingly beautiful written melodies, virtuosic places and some very glamorous moments. Korngold was also a film composer, and I think one can really hear that in the violin concerto, for example towards the end of the last movement, just before the coda. Horns are playing the principal theme, and it sounds really epic and majestic!
What are you most looking forward to when performing in Canterbury?
I’m so excited to meet the audiences in Canterbury, and see the city for the first time in my life! I’m also of course very excited about playing with the Philharmonia orchestra and maestro Martyn Brabbins. So much looking forward to it!
Philharmonia Orchestra: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 will be at the Marlowe Theatre on Tuesday 20 May 2025. Tickets are available now.