The music event of the Fall season is the world premiere of a new piano concerto, Atlantic Crossings, by South-African composer Kevin Volans, composed for one of the great piano performers of the moment, Marc-André Hamelin and conducted by our own Michael Tilson Thomas. Marc-André is a 40 something Quebecois, who now lives in Philly and who kindly has agreed to answer our questions.

Marc-André, how would you describe yourself to our not-necessarily-super-classical-music-savvy audience? How did you get interested in playing the piano?

MAH: Everything I do musically comes from my belief that the piano repertoire is a great deal larger than most people realize. From what is heard in piano recitals these days, it's easy to come to the conclusion that pianists don't have much of a choice as far as what to play, but the truth is that they have an immense amount of works at their disposal, if they only took the trouble to investigate them. There is a great deal out there that is wonderful, and unfortunately it's not being heard, or at least not as often as it should. I realized this very early – mostly due to a natural and very intense curiosity -- and a large part of my activities consists in unveiling this music to listeners, through my recitals and especially my recordings.

I owe my musical career to my father, who was a very good amateur pianist. Had he not played the piano himself, there is a good chance I would not have discovered my musical aptitudes.

You are playing a commission from the SF Symphony and it's the world premiere. How would you describe Atlantic Crossing? How should we prepare for hearing it?

MAH: It's difficult for me to give an accurate assessment of the piece, since so far I have an incomplete impression of it; this is due to the fact that I have not yet heard what the orchestration is like, aside from a MIDI synthesization of it. What I can tell you is that the piece is, save for one lengthy quiet episode, unbelievably energetic and propulsive. The final section in particular is unrelentingly rhythmic and percussive, in imitation of syncopated drumming, with the pianist flailing away on the whole range of the keyboard.

What kind of collaboration have you done with Kevin Volans? Have you worked with him before? How did you get to be the one performing the concerto at the premiere? Did Kevin pick you, or did MTT? Did Volans tailor Atlantic Crossing to your strengths as a pianist, or to his own piano skills? Did you provide input to the piece?

MAH: I believe that Kevin was the one who chose me for this premiere, after he received the commission, but I'm not absolutely sure.

We've had two meetings, which were somewhat difficult to organize since we live on different continents! The first one occurred when the concerto was in its planning stage, at which time Kevin showed me a few of his sketches, and the second meeting, about a year later, took place just after the completion of the work. There were some adjustments to be made; the piano part is demanding to such a level that some passages had to be altered in order to render them more practicable. There are certain things that are feasible at a certain tempo, but which become either much more difficult or even impossible when played faster, and since much of the fast tempi in the work are extreme, some of what Kevin had written had to be altered. I seem to have developed a reputation as someone who can 'do anything' at the piano -- which is quite laughable to me, since I encounter pianistic problems just like anyone else -- and I think this might have caused Kevin to compose without restraint in this case! Fortunately, he was more than willing to alter his writing, and I'm happy to say that he gratefully accepted my suggestions regarding the necessary changes.

What distinguishes MTT from the other conductors you worked with? What is distinctive about the SF symphony orchestra's sound?

MAH: I've never had the pleasure of working with Michael Tilson Thomas, so comparison is impossible! I can only tell you that I'm extremely excited by this collaboration, since I've long enjoyed his recordings. Some of my favorite records to listen to when I was a student were his Rite of Spring on DG (dating from the 70s) and, more significantly, on the same label, Ives' Three Places In New England, a performance which is still, in its spirit, attention to detail and sumptuous recorded sound, unsurpassed.

Talking about MTT, did you get to watch his and the SF Symphony's new Public Television Series, Keeping Score? Some people worry about classical music audience shrinking. Do you participate in any educational or community engagement activities on behalf of classical music? (We really wanted to go to the talk you were giving at the Performing Arts Museum and Library in April, by the way).

MAH: I'm sorry to say I haven't caught the series; I travel so much that I can't keep up with television here in the US. I did however happen upon the American Mavericks book and CD, which I acquired, and it made me wish I'd been there to attend at least some of the concerts. Marvelous idea, and brilliantly realized.

I was at one time a member of a group of Canadian pianists called Piano Six. Our mandate was to give recitals in small Canadian towns that would not normally have had access to world-class concerts. It was very successful, and I understand the program is still going strong.

The 'talk' that occurred during my last visit was actually a Q & A conducted by Sarah Cahill. This is a format I offer whenever I'm asked to do a masterclass. I always propose instead a discussion with the audience, either moderated or not, during which all kinds of questions about what I do are fair game. I feel that this is a great opportunity for the general public to learn more about the kind of life that we pianists lead, the difficulties we face, and also I think it's a great way to dispel certain myths! I also like the way it breaks down the usual wall between the artist and the public.

The audience is one side of the coin, but the repertoire is another: obviously you are doing your part helping new works into the concert halls with this world premiere. Is this something which you focus on? Which living composers do you like, do you feel should deserve wider recognition? How about your own compositions?

MAH: I do keep myself informed to a degree about what goes on as far as new works, but on the whole I have to say that my heart really belongs in the past. Through my early interest in composers such as Boulez, Stockhausen and Xenakis, I equipped myself while still in my early teens with ways to deal with difficulties encountered in their music so that in the future I would be conversant with this new musical language and with the usual problems involved in dealing with new scores. But I have to say that my focus is on the whole more on 19th- and early 20th -century repertoire, if I had to generalize.

I've always felt the need to write; from the very start of my piano lessons, I felt the need to create, though at first it as on a very small scale. When I was 5 or 6 years old, I used to look at my dad's scores (lots of Chopin, Liszt) and I wanted to do the same thing! I used to take music paper and try to write all kinds of big things that never got off the ground since I hardly new anything about musical notation! But the basic impulse was there.

As far as stylistic considerations, I don't consider my music as belonging to the main stream of new music at all; it mostly belongs in the tradition of the pianist-composers of the early part of the 20th-century, and it mainly consists of arrangements. I can think of only a few of us doing this kind of thing today: Cyprien Katsaris, Earl Wild, Stephen Hough, Arcadi Volodos and Frédéric Meinders.

You were in San Francisco a few months ago performing at Herbst theater and now you are back this month. As a recurring visitor do you have favorite places to hang out in the city? You should be finished at Davies Symphony Hall while the night is still young. What will you do afterwards? How do you spend time before the concert begins?

MAH: I love the Haight-Ashbury district, and I always make time to go to the Amoeba store – what an incredible place that is! I have to say that although I love what I know of San Francisco, I haven't ever been there long enough to get to know it really well. Since I've only ever been here for recitals so far, the typical visit has been about 48 hours long or less, which leaves no time to see much. This time though, I'm here for 10 days! Yay!

Thank you so much!