Page 5 - Maerki Baumann & Co. AG | Journal 02-2021

Interview
“Simply splendid!”
Ilona Schmiel and Hans G. Syz-Witmer, Director and Vice President of the Tonhalle, on the regeneration of Zurich’s concert hall.
Ms Schmiel, Mr Syz,
Zurich’s new Tonhalle is looking wonderful again. What music accompanied you during the inaugural phase?
Ilona Schmiel: Professionally
I was working on Mahler’s 3rd symphony, which we per- formed at the opening concert. A phenomenal work. I don’t listen to music all the time when I’m on my own: I some- times need silence.
Hans G. Syz-Witmer: I’ve been working on Mahler’s
3rd symphony too. I make it
a habit to consciously listen
in advance to the works I’m going to hear at Tonhalle con- certs, and to follow them with the scores. It’s as exciting as any thriller.
What do you see as the appeal of the new Tonhalle Zurich?
Schmiel: In the hall it’s the colourfulness, the warmth of the space and the attention to detail with which it has been renovated. And, of course, its outstanding acoustic.
Syz: In the face of major chal- lenges, we managed – follow- ing intensive discussions – to restore the hall almost to its original condition, at the same time as equipping it with a new state-of-the-art organ.
That’s simply fantastic.
What was the renovation’s biggest challenge?
Schmiel: The coronavirus crisis sped up the digitisation process for us too. And it showed that the characteris- tics of a hall dating from 1895 don’t always meet our needs. The big challenge was how to reconcile these needs.
The Tonhalle Zurich is livestreaming more
and more concerts.
How important is that? Syz: The digital concert hall is a reality. These days, we have to make concerts available on all channels. I have made up my mind to do everything in my power to argue for the installation of cameras to promote livestreaming.
What are you doing to attract a younger audience to live concerts?
Schmiel: We have a huge music appreciation pro- gramme for everyone aged from 4 to 99. I want all the 240,000 schoolchildren in the Canton of Zurich to come to see us at the Tonhalle at least once.
Syz: The real skill will be to overcome their fear of com- ing in. The new Tonhalle must be for everyone, not just for people who wear ties.
Why did you get rid of intervals?
Syz: It’s like at the cinema: an interval interrupts the flow of the performance. Doing with- out intervals keeps people’s concentration level high. In the past, people often left be- fore the final applause to get home in good time. That was a shame, and it certainly wasn’t what the musicians wanted. Schmiel: Concerts without intervals went well during the pandemic. Instead of intervals, there are now opportunities to meet other audience mem- bers and talk to them, both before and after concerts. And after concerts the audi- ence can meet the musicians informally in the foyer.
Ilona Schmiel
Director of the Tonhalle Society Zurich since 2014
Hans G. Syz-Witmer
Chairman of the
Board of Directors of Maerki Baumann &
Co. AG, Vice President and Treasurer of the Tonhalle Society Zurich
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