Yann Passabet-Labiste Interview
Yann Passabet-Labiste is a French violinist with a beautiful warm intensity to his playing, and in this episode we’re focussing on his album “Robert Schumann et son univers” with pianist Bertrand Giraud. Yann talks about some of his mentors in France and Switzerland, many interesting and inspiring musical highlights and his perspectives on how music has helped him through some difficult challenges. Below is the transcript of my interview with him, and the podcast and video versions are linked here below with the show notes:
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:00:00):
The particularity of Liliane Rossi and her teaching is that what is fantastic, which I've never seen with any other teacher, is that she was understanding, technically speaking, she could know exactly what was missing in your playing.
Leah Roseman (00:00:19):
Hi, I'm Leah Roseman, and this is my podcast Conversations with Musicians, which I hope inspires you through the personal stories of a diversity of musicians with in-depth conversations and great music that reveal the depth and breadth to a life In music, Yann Passabet-Labiste is a French violinist with a beautiful warm intensity to his playing. And in this episode, we're focusing on his album Robert Schumann and his universe with pianist Bertrand Giraud. Yann talks about some of his mentors in France and Switzerland, many interesting and inspiring musical highlights and his perspectives on how music has helped him through some difficult challenges. Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast, and I've also linked the transcript to my website, leahroseman.com. Also, you can use the timestamps to navigate the episode. It's a joy to bring these inspiring episodes to you every week, and I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity. You can support this independent podcast through both the unique collection of merchandise as well as through my Ko-fi page. Have a look at the description of this episode where you'll find all the links.
(00:01:29):
Hi Yann, thanks so much for joining me here today.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:01:32):
Thank you for receiving me.
Leah Roseman (00:01:33):
I was thinking about where to start. I think it would be interesting to talk about your recent album of Schumann and his universe, and right before this interview I was just googling Schumann to see his dates. I was curious to know when he died and then I was reminded he only lived, Robert Schumann only lived 46 years. And the other thing that struck me when I googled him is that Clara's name actually came up first because now she's getting the attention she deserves. So she actually came up first when I googled Schumann.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:02:02):
Yes, she was a wonderful pianist but also a composer and she has composed few things and which are beautiful by the way. And we find the Romances of Clara Schumann, of Opus 22 on the CD album. So it's about Schumann and his universe, so we didn't want to forget anyone. So his wife of course, and his friends, best friends.
Leah Roseman (00:02:34):
And the pianist that you recorded with, Bertrand Giraud, did you have a longstanding relationship with him?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:02:41):
Oh, actually I got to know him when I was 17 years old, and that was almost by coincidence. I was looking for a pianist to play around in the area where I live in the south of France and I don't remember I got his contact, but then I asked him if he was okay to come and do those concerts, play those concerts with me, and he said yes, and it was very nice. But then after this, we lost contact for many years until maybe 2019 or 18 when I reached him out again, proposing this to record this album.
Leah Roseman (00:03:28):
And your choice of repertoire, Schumann, I believe he wrote three violin sonatas and you chose the third?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:03:36):
Yeah, the third Sonata, yes. We all know the first and second, violinists themselves, but they do not know well number three, and there is well Sonata number three, which is linked with F.A.E. Sonata composed together with Johannes Brahms, his best friend of that time, and Albert Dietrich, who was his student, his best student. So why did I record together with F.A.E. is because the two movement, two movements, Robert Schumann composed for the F.A.E., we find them again in the third sonata. So he just copied the two movements and added two more movements to compose his third Sonata.
Leah Roseman (00:04:26):
And these romances of Clara Schumann. I've loved them for many years. I performed them as well. I really particularly love the first one. I was hoping we could share that as part of this episode.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:04:35):
Yeah, sure. I have been playing it and it's perhaps one of my favorite.
Leah Roseman (00:04:41):
This is the First Romance by Clara Schumann, on Yann's album with pianist Bertrand Giraud. In the show notes, you'll find the links.(music)
(00:04:49):
So you went to the Paris Conservatoire, correct?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:08:50):
I studied in Paris, but not in the Superior Conservatory. I did my Master's in the Superior School of Music in Geneva in Switzerland.
Leah Roseman (00:09:04):
Yes. I was going to ask you about that experience because coming from France, and it's a French culture, but it's different. You studied with Jean-Pierre Wallez.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:09:14):
Yes. In Geneva. Yes, exactly.
Leah Roseman (00:09:16):
Well, we kind of skipped ahead to Geneva, but I was curious about your childhood as a violinist because you excelled very young, you did many, many competitions, and I was curious what that felt like for you.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:09:33):
I'm coming from a family of musicians. My father was a flutist and also conductor and now he's composing, he has done many things, many things in his life, also conducting, I mean directing music schools. He also created many of them. So in my family, we're all playing an instrument. So how did it feel like? I mean, I was so much loving violin and I mean I was gifted, which was a chance because I could just take the violin and impress around and impressing by, I mean by not practicing so hard. I was not a very hard worker just by pleasing myself. That was great. So all those exams I did when I was young was fun for me because I easily got the best place the first prize. So that was a nice, nice challenge like a game. So after, when I grew up and then we start to be among really great players and it require us to practice harder, then we start to feel more stress and it's less fun because we realize more what we are doing on stage. The maturity make us realize that it's, it's big When we are a child, we are a bit naive in a way, so we don't realize what we are doing.
Leah Roseman (00:11:35):
Yeah. I listened to some of your father's pieces that you've recorded, and I particularly liked his Sonata number one. So can you speak about that title?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:11:49):
Oh, we lost my family and I, we lost my mom when I was about to be 19 years old. It was in 98 from a cancer, and then my father, we were all devastated and then he wanted to compose something in our memory and for me to play for her, for us. And then he composed that. So that is the first movement of this sonata for solo violin and which is, I even forgot how much touching it was because I played it long time ago and after no more. And we decided to perform it again on stage. And I could see the, I don't know if it's a story together with, because I explained to people, but people are very much touched and some cries of emotions. So I believe because I independently from the story, it's very touching music, so I find it beautiful.
Leah Roseman (00:13:00):
You'll find the link for this live performance in the show notes. This is Sonata number one,“A mon fils Yann pour sa Maman” by Gérard Passabet-Labiste (music)
(00:13:09):
Your mother knew that you were doing well with violin.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:16:18):
She was used to come, of course, because I started to give concerts. I was eight years old, so my father was organizing that. He was director of music school and very early on I started to perform. My mother was always there even on my exam when, I mean the audience was allowed, but she was usually not staying during the performance. She was going out because her heartbeat was beating. It was so fast that she thought that I might feel it in a way and be disturbed. So she preferred to go out during exams. That was very, very sweet of her. Yeah, but usually she was in all concerts. She was here and yes, supporting my father, who was my first teacher supporting me because she knew I was gifted. So yes, I had her entire support and that was great to feel.
Leah Roseman (00:17:42):
Was she a musician as well?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:17:44):
She was loving to listen to it, but she was not musician, musician herself. But then by hearing music every day on everyday basis, she started to develop a very good hearing. And then she could sometimes say things very, very impressive about what was not good enough, what could be played better. And someday I made a test to her and I asked her if she could recognize if I sing to her or play beginning of violin concertos Concerti, if she could recognize the composer. And because I was not sure that she did, and that was, and she said, but do you think your mother is stupid? Or something like that. And I never forgot that.
Leah Roseman (00:18:51):
So did you grow up in the south of France?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:18:54):
Yes, I am from Paris, but every holidays, vacations, we came here in the family home and then, yes, this is why I can say I grew up here and I really love this area of France.
Leah Roseman (00:19:14):
So your father, he was a violinist as well? He's a violinist as well, you said he was your first teacher?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:19:19):
No, flutist
Leah Roseman (00:19:21):
Oh, so what did he teach you
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:19:23):
Then? Oh, because I was three years old. For the little story, my father came back from work at home and came back home and then he heard me singing whistling while playing, playing with toys. And then he asked my mom what Yann is singing, and she said, oh, I don't know. I played a while ago, Brahms or something among the CDs we have. And then I don't know since then is he's singing. My father listened carefully and he said to my mom that it's amazing. He's singing in tune. And my mother at this moment, he said to him, don't miss him. I mean, you know what you have to do. And then not long ago after I was again playing and there was a tv, there was an show on TV and my father asked me which instrument I want to play.
(00:20:29):
Then I, okay, I was disturbed. I went to the TV and I pointed violin. I said, I want to do that. And he said, you sure you don't want? I said, no, I want that. That was maybe a Saturday, Sunday and already on Monday I had a violin he went to in Paris, both the smallest violins looking like a toy, so much small, I still have it, and brought it home. He was so happy because that first I want to do music, but he was loving violin actually. So he brought me to the teacher and wanted, I start without waiting any more day. And then the teacher said, oh, he is very young. So I would suggest to start to that he starts with me in a year and a half when he would be four and a half years old so that he can enjoy his childhood and still play, I think is necessary. And my father was frustrated and me, I was disappointed because I couldn't start immediately. So maybe I started a bit with him. I'm not sure about that. But when I started at four and a half years old, my father was bringing me and staying during the lesson. So I had the second lesson once back home. He was reminding me what the teacher said. So I had an assistant that was great. And I think this has helped me to improve fast.
Leah Roseman (00:22:12):
I was curious about some of your teachers, if you wanted to speak to any of those experiences, things that helped you as a student.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:22:21):
Liliane Rossi, who is certainly is the best teacher I've ever had, the best pedagogue I've ever seen. Liliane Bégin Rossi has been between 30 to 40 years violinist at French or National De France, French National Orchestra. And I still see her time to time. And yes, she's the one who really brought me the most. I started to have lessons with her when I was 16 years old maybe, and then after I went on in Geneva, so I stopped seeing her. And yeah, many years later, which is just a few years ago, I took contact with her and actually I've always been missing her and I was happy to see her again and to have again lessons with her that was so great. And yeah, I can say she is one of the two who was really brought me the most as violinist before us. When I was very young. There was Monique Vallet, Monique Voisin-Vallet, who was a violinist in a French Philharmonic orchestra or radio France. She was very, and she has been my very first teacher, very patient. And for many years she brought me a lot.
Leah Roseman (00:23:48):
So with Liliane, what about the style of her teaching was so effective for you, do you think?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:23:56):
For me, Liliane Rossi is not only, I cannot say she's not only a teacher, because to be a very good teacher, it's not only about your skills and your pedagogy, it's something about your personality, your communication, your approach. And Madame Rossi has always been very, how to say, very human. She was really social, very understanding, and this is why I felt really supported and carried during my courses with her because there was this approach. She was what she had to be, I mean, not too sweet, not too soft, because I mean otherwise I would've maybe stopped to practice, but well, she always had this quality to be a great person as well. And the particularity of Liliane Rossi's teaching is that what is fantastic, which I've never seen with any other teacher, is that she was understanding, technically speaking, she could know exactly what was missing in your playing. For example, like a car specialist who would be in front of a car and he knows exactly how the car is composed and according to the sound, what is missing, how we could make it better, what piece should we change? This is Madame Rossi. Amazing.
Leah Roseman (00:25:41):
Yeah, wonderful. You're about to hear the Brahms Scherzo from the F.A.E. Sonata. This is on Yann's album linked in the description and this live video from a Paris concert, it's also linked.(music)
(00:25:53):
Living in Geneva with the mountains so different than Paris. What was it like when you moved there and you lived in Switzerland for a while afterwards as well?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:31:33):
Oh, actually I was living in a French border because it was cheaper. So like many students, I have enjoyed it very much at the same time. I lost my mom in March 98 and I succeeded the exam to enter in Jean-Pierre Wallez class in June of the same year. And I started in September, October. So it was on one go very, very hard because for the first time of my life I had no more mom and I was living alone. So that was really abrupt, very hard. But what I have enjoyed very much is that this music school was really international. Many people, students from different countries were student studying in this music school. So that was very interesting and exciting I would say, to see all those people from different backgrounds, cultures and so on. So yes, I really enjoyed and I could also, I saw some, I mean first prize from Paris Conservatory, superior Conservatory coming in Geneva to make a master after the first prize with the same teacher I had. So that was very nice. And this made the level to be high.
Leah Roseman (00:33:13):
And you did play in, you were a member of the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:33:18):
Yes, I was
Leah Roseman (00:33:19):
For a few years,
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:33:20):
2005 to 2009. Oh, that was my, I would say my best musical experience in life. Yes.
Leah Roseman (00:33:29):
Yeah, it's a very good orchestra. But you did decide to leave.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:33:33):
I will never mean, never regret to have of course worked there, this fantastic orchestra and I had the chance to work with the best conductors, the best soloists, playing the best concert hall, had great tours. That was fantastic. So musically speaking, it was just perfect. But now to match with my personal goals and what I was aiming for, which has always been to go toward soloist, career or position, then I started to, I mean, I played for an audition in another orchestra in Switzerland for a solo position, which I won. So then I decided to leave. In one hand, I regret on the other, no, because when you're in an orchestra, you need to read to maintain your level. Even the orchestra is high, you still have to, so when you do too much, I mean you don't have much apart from orchestra life musically, and you stop practicing or playing technique, making scales, any orchestra in the world, your level will start to go down. So I really needed a boost to move myself because I was witness of my level going down, even if I learned a lot to work there of course. So yes, I needed a change. Yes, I needed a change.
Leah Roseman (00:35:35):
Yeah, yeah. I've been an orchestra musician for over 30 years now, so I know the challenges of keeping in shape and finding outside projects and certainly I never aspired to be a soloist and I can imagine it's hard. It's not like you can just get time off too if you want to go do a recital tour or something right? You're committed to the orchestra.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:35:56):
Yes, of course. I didn't leave the orchestra. I mean I made sure I would get somewhere before to quit because this orchestra is one of the best I've ever heard and the best where I've been playing. So this orchestra is in my heart forever, the sound of this orchestra and my time there.
Leah Roseman (00:36:22):
Well, I wanted to ask you, Yann, about auditions for orchestras in Europe because I'm Canadian and I'm curious if you do it similar to the way we do things here with screens and so on.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:36:33):
Oh yeah, there is. Nowadays most of the orchestra are using screens, so it depends when they remove it, sometimes that is more rare. The whole competition is eliminatory,behind the screen, the whole auditions, the three rounds, except of course if there is a music chamber tour, which is the fourth tour for example, then there is no screen. But most of the orchestras they remove from the second round or the third final depends. But nowadays there is a very common thing.
Leah Roseman (00:37:12):
And what was your experience of preparing for orchestra auditions? Did you get coaching from your teachers or were you kind of on your own that way?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:37:19):
Yes. After Geneva, when I started to interest myself to work a bit in orchestra, I didn't have any idea about how to play what you asked for an audition, those little pieces from a symphony or opera. And if you didn't learn with someone who knows about it, then you just play like you play a concerto. And this is completely wrong because you have much less freedom than for a concerto. You need to be very specific about the dynamics, the rhythm, everything really it's millimeters. So of course like everyone at the beginning, I didn't know at all how I should play that. And I had the chance to meet Jean Piguet, who has been violin solo of Swiss Romande orchestra for many years. And because he was in one of my exam, my final exam in Geneva, that was for chamber music for the quartet, he was in the jury.
(00:38:39):
So he made me compliment nice compliments. And then after I thought I should maybe go to him too, but actually I went to him, not for him to teach me how to play orchestra, orchestra work, but I wanted the support for a solo career. So I don't know, I remember he has liked me, so I reached him out, he was okay to see me and I played and I still remember his compliment then, I don't know how we came to the orchestra thing, but he was a very right person to teach that. So it was so great and I really learned how, yes, how to play in auditions and in orchestra because of him, he brought me very much, I owe him a lot.
Leah Roseman (00:39:40):
When I was researching you Yann, it came up that you had studied some Japanese.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:39:45):
Oh, a little bit because I've been would say about 10 times in Japan for professional reasons and also tourist reasons. So it's a country I really like mean the way of living is easy, the food is very good. Even fast food there is very nice, which is, I mean a bit the opposite of France because of France you can have a great food as you can have the US ever. But in Japan I never tasted something bad, never. So I always enjoyed, yeah, always enjoyed to go there. Life is easy
Leah Roseman (00:40:31):
And you know some Malgache, a language from Madagascar. Is that a family connection?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:40:36):
Yes, exactly. My mom was a daughter of Metis from Metis Malgache, my grandmother. So her mom was from Madagascar and her father was French from Normandy. So I have some Malagas blood and even we cannot see that very much. And yes, I had the opportunity to go there several times. My father remarried with Malaga,sh so is half a year in Madagascar and the rest in France now these days more in Madagascar because he loves this country. So yes, so of course going there and it was fun for me to learn a bit some basics and the language of my mom because she was born in France, but at the age of three years old, she went to Madagascar until 16, 16 years old, she came to Paris. So it was all her childhood. She has often mentioned about how great it was this time she had in her heart. And I remember she few words she was, Malagas what she was saying. So I was very happy to learn a bit about this language.
Leah Roseman (00:42:00):
So what are your impressions of Madagascar?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:42:03):
Very nice to me, especially where my father stays, which is Saint Marie. Saint Marie, which is part of Madagascar, but it's really in the Indian ocean, so much nicer than the capital who still suffers poverty and things we can see so. So I would say the best place to stay. So Malagache people are very welcome, welcoming tourists, foreigners, there are many. And what is interesting about Madagascar is that they have this mix of culture between African and Asian. So long ago Malaysia has occupied Madagascar. So on their face we can see some Asian, Asian signs and I would say in their behavior as well, I would say they're more Asian than African in terms of behaving.
Leah Roseman (00:43:18):
And I was wondering in your role as a soloist and chamber musician, if you've collaborated with composers, I mean other than your father?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:43:28):
No, only my father. I was not against to work with any other, I didn't have the opportunity. This didn't come up for now only my father and I enjoy a lot. We have really this connection as musician, most of all because I can understand his music, I feel it like I compose it myself and he really love my way to play it and sometimes not even what is written, I propose something and he likes my approach and ideas. So it's like a perfect team. It's really enjoyable, it's really fun to work together.
Leah Roseman (00:44:15):
And you said your dad started composing later in life. He wasn't always a composer,
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:44:21):
He was kind of always composing but more arranging and he became composer mostly after my mom's departure. So fulltime, he stopped teaching and even playing flute and now he's composing really full-time. It's his joy in life.
Leah Roseman (00:44:45):
I was wondering about if you want to share helpful habits you have in terms of your routine as a violinist or just as a person?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:44:55):
I'm used now because before, no, when I was still in Tonhalle I was not doing that. Now I would say I'm really regularly practicing scales every day and this is very good, very good. Scales is mostly third, sixth and more because for the hand shape, that's very good. That's very good to keep in shape and yes, playing of course double stops, triple stops and more it, it's I would say essential. So this is I would say my daily yoga and now I can enjoy exercising. When I was younger I was hating that. So when I was doing it, it was just for papa to hear me, but I was thinking of something else I was just doing for doing it. But I didn't feel this, I understood the sense of doing that, but I didn't have any fun so I was forcing myself so I was not really doing it properly. So now I do it with pleasure because actually I learned to enjoy it and that's great.
Leah Roseman (00:46:06):
And you enjoy doing yoga?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:46:08):
Oh yes. Real yoga I'm doing on regular basis. I think it's very important for the posture because buying posture is not so natural. It's not like we don't have this comfort and this stability like we have when we are cellist. So we are suspending in the air that it's not very natural. So we got to have some kind of pain or things like this when we practice a lot. And mostly because when we practice we are usually not thinking of our positions and not especially checking in the mirror and after we feel some. So I think it's absolutely necessary and this has helped me a lot since I do that.
Leah Roseman (00:47:35):
Hi, just a quick break from the episode.You may be also interested in my episodes with Nimrod Borenstein, Omo Bello, Julia MacLaine, the Euclid Quartet, Jeeyoon Kim, and many more going back to 2021. It’s a joy to be able to bring these meaningful conversations to you, but this project costs me quite a bit of money and lots of time; please support this series through either my merchandise store or on my Ko-fi page; you’ll find the links in the show notes. For the merch, it features a unique design by artist Steffi Kelly and you can browse clothes, phone cases, notebooks, water bottles and more. You’ll also find the links to sign up for my newsletter where you’ll get access to exclusive information about upcoming guests. Now back to Yann.
(00:47:40):
I thought it might be interesting to talk about some of your musical memories. I was wondering if you had favorite violinists growing up that you got to hear live or recordings you love to hear?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:47:52):
My favorites are among those who are already dead. Not only, but if I speak about my very special one, I would say it's Christian Ferras. Yes. Who was feeling and playing the music like no one. This kind of, I was explaining to a colleague recently, his music expression makes pain inside and inside of you and this pain is like, it's like a drug, it's addictive, it's a pain, which is good, difficult to describe, but that's the way Christian Ferras and another one was playing that Jacqueline du Pré also, they're intense musicians, very intense and yes they are, they're my favorites.
Leah Roseman (00:48:44):
The first name you said was it, Christian Ferras? I did not hear what it was.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:48:51):
Christian Ferras. Thank you. French violinist.
Leah Roseman (00:48:53):
And you mostly grew up in Paris. Do you have memories of certain concerts or I don't know, attending the opera or different styles of music that were very memorable?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:49:07):
I remember when I went to Pleyel concert hall different times when I went to hear to watch Perlman's performance, Itzhak Perlman. There was also another time I think that was a name just flying. A lady was being noticed by Karajan.
Leah Roseman (00:49:39):
Oh, Anne-Sophie Mutter?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:49:42):
Yes, exactly, exactly. But a while ago when you asked me which violinist I like, of course I spoke about my favorite one. But there are other which I really love I want to say because Christian Ferras is not the only one. Itzhak Perlman I like it, I've always loved him, but Arthur Grumiaux his way to play Mozart is really Mozart teacher for me. We forget the violin. There's no more violin, no more technical things. It says a voice and I think it's a way one of those rare musician who understood how to play Mozart, I think. So still alive Vengarov Maxime Vengarov. There was many other, but I cannot mention them all. So if you want to hear more names I can just tell you
Leah Roseman (00:50:58):
It's interesting.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:51:01):
Yes. But of course, Anne-Sophie Mutter, yes, I spoke about her great. I always loved her playing. Very engaged, very powerful. Very now still among living people there is Julia Fisher. I really like Julia Fisher. It's very, very clean, very pure. She have played Mozart concerto with her. I was in the orchestra in orchestra accompanying her and her Mozart was super class, very clean. She's a great player. There is Augustin Hadelich who was really amazing because wherever he plays it's always super clean. And even as violinist sometimes there is moment in concert or it's you never hear that completely super, super clean because it's very difficult. But obviously he can. So whatever he plays, it's always super clean and you wonder does he have a secret or something because it does better than any other. So he's amazing. He is really a real big violinist.
Leah Roseman (00:52:21):
Yes, I've had the fortune to hear him live a couple of times. Wonderful.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:52:26):
Oh yeah, must be so great. I didn't have the chance to him live. So about concert memories, there are those and there are more, but then I was younger. Yes, I was younger when I heard watched Mozart violin, viola concerto with Augustin Dumay, violin and Gérard Cosset viola. I was young at that time and I also heard Pierre Amoyal in Beethoven concerto. So while there is different concert I've watched, I have the autograph of Itzhak Perlman, I heard him also later in, it was still even his age. It's always beautiful. As soon as he plays the violin, it's beautiful. It's very much singing. I love his sound, his vibrato is so generous and I think this man, I've met him once but I can't say I know him, but I think he's a generous person I can feel can see.
Leah Roseman (00:53:54):
Now on your website you have this quote, I think it's yours, play as if tomorrow does not exist.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:54:01):
That's my phrase. Yes. I have been a bit stealing it. If I may say when I watched the movie Shine, there was a picture of David Helfgott to say something like, this play like tomorrow does not exist. And so to be honest and say it's actually the sentence does not come from me, but this is a way I see and feel music. So this is why I took it. And actually I even wrote somewhere on my Facebook "live love and play the instrument like tomorrow does not exist". Yes, with this same intensity like there is no tomorrow. So I give all now. Yes.
Leah Roseman (00:54:46):
Now how did the pandemic affect you when everything was suddenly shut down?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:54:52):
For me it was a bit hard because I couldn't be on stage anymore. And I think a musician not being able any longer to play in front of an audience is just dying. I was dying in that way. I had a chance to meet someone who organized a concert for me alone by at a place. And that was so great that I could play again because after many months I could play again and I even, I had this new anxiety, it's like a training. It's like when you go to fitness, your muscles and so on and it's the same on stage. If you don't go for a while and you come back on stage you have a new anxiety. So I was very anxious. It's my very first concert, but it went well and it was so great because I was retrieving myself, I was quite satisfied with my playing. I could retrieve myself emotionally, musically speaking and I remember I cried during the break, I went to the toilet and cried. It was very strong, so happy to refine myself with my instrument with the violin.
Leah Roseman (00:56:20):
For myself, when we started playing again it was live streams. We did a lot of live streams and that felt weird because there's this permanence. It's not just playing a concert in the moment and the audience is so far. So that was strange for me
Yann Passabet-Labiste (00:56:38):
And there is even stranger than this. When there was those concert hall with
(00:56:42):
No audience, that's just terrible, just terrible. So I don't know how many meter between chairs, when I watch Berlin Philharmonic playing, they were very far from each other. With mask and it's almost like a bad joke. And then you say it can't be real, we couldn't go so down. So you of course really hope every day that we'll come back to normal life again because this is all except what humanity requires, what people needs. We need contact each other. It's terrible to otherwise it's just a spirit dying. It was a very, very great challenge I think for everyone. But for us musician, it was very frustrating not to be able to play in front of someone unless at home. I think it was already great if we could play in front of a friend or something or because it's like death.
Leah Roseman (00:58:00):
You're about to hear the second Romance of Robert Schumann, Opus 94 from Yan'ns album with Bertrand Giraud "Robert Schumann et son univers".(music)
(00:58:07):
I was also curious to talk about the kind of ecosystem of music in France because you do have your Conservatoire system, but what is music like in public schools for average children?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:02:20):
I remember at my time, but it's long ago, I had the chance that to be able to have managed hour at school so that I could study in conservatory. So it was a special schedule class to allow me to have lesson and to have time also for practicing. So that was great. A conservatory system is not that great because when a kid want to start the instrument, then we want the institutions, the system want to force him to study solfège first. And the problem is that we bother the kid who was excited to start the instrument who still already hear it in mind, but then he cannot touch it because there is this, I don't find that very clever. He must study solfège for a minimum a year time before touching the instrument. And many gave up because they don't see the point. It's like the kids can see the toy but he cannot touch it. So it was very bothering and it's very bothering to learn solfège alone. Ideally it has to be taught together at the same time under the instrument. But if you want to, you have to learn solfège before touching the instrument. I understand and more, I mean kids, they don't have patience that we have when we are grown up, so they just give up and that's such a pity. So it's not, no, I won't say it's the right system.
Leah Roseman (01:04:05):
I've heard this from other French musicians and it's curious to me. Of course we have nothing like that. But I was curious about just public schools. When I look at, I'm in Canada, but I look at the United States, they have a much more robust music education in their schools for sure than we do in Canada. So I was kind of curious, bands, orchestras, choirs, all this sort of ecosystem that honestly builds an audience for our music I think as well.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:04:31):
So at school I know that there is still now I guess there is a music class we have for sport. There is about something about music. But yeah, I won't say that France is a country example. Gives the best example about yes. And also because our economy is our country is spending a lot for sport for all. What is sport? We invest much more for sport than culture and music and that's a pity. Sport is good, but without culture, what are we?
Leah Roseman (01:05:18):
Yeah. Now you have done well in so many competitions and I was curious if you wanted to speak about some of your best competitions maybe for furthering your career or that led to great performance opportunities or how to choose which ones to do.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:05:36):
I can speak about those competition. There's not too many. Well I felt something very special while playing, but it's something personal after what to say about this competition is better. I mean I don't need to have done myself because we know that best competition such as Reine Elizabeth or Queen Elizabeth or Paganini, boom, you should be able to, I don't know if you can make a career really career because it depends on so many factors, but it's supposed to open you the way, at least a minimum. And those less high competitions, it's difficult nowadays. I mean even great competition, it's better to have several and a first round price better than only one. But as I said, it depends on so many factors, the social, your contact. Some people speak about local, so your economical situation and also look in terms of sometimes it's more helpful when we know someone who knows someone which is about concert concert or artistic agency rather than, because if you don't just show off like hey, I am very honest looking for an agency and for an agency and you have a very strong curriculum but then you are not known, recommended or unless you are superstar but then you are not, they didn't see or they didn't hear about you from someone they know.
(01:07:30):
So it always help to know someone they know they trust.
(01:07:39):
There is this contact which is very important. So the human part about and recommendation it is super important. In fact, yes, you can suddenly have the door opening to you because as a person you both know the same person and you chose this person rather than you can struggle really, really, really long if you are not introduced by someone or something like that. And now to speak about those competition, especially in my mind, my memory in my heart because something special happened, I would say first it was my Virtuosity prize, my Master in Geneva. But it's not international competition. It was my Master. Why was it special? Because I felt strong on stage. I remember before playing, I was in the practicing room and I was anxious and then I was thinking how can I was trying to comfort myself and I was looking for a sound. I was about to start with Bach, the sound to have. And then that morning I've listened, Szeryng, playing Bach and I remembered it and then I tried to have his sound.
(01:09:26):
It was just like I turned on the somehow in my mind and I went on stage and I play, I would say differently. I cannot say I play Szeryng, but I really felt like this sound I heard from him and I tried to approach, I had it on stage that was amazing. And that was in 2001 and I had my mother pictures in my shirt returned so that it's a bit discreet because she died in 98 and I wanted, she's here on that day helping, of infinity. She was here but she didn't need any pictures but me. I needed. So that was special to me. After about international competitions, there was Tibor Vaga competition in 2001. Still in 2001 it was during summer. Why? Because I went there thinking like, oh, I have no chance. I would go there just to see, evaluate myself, but I will be with so strong player, I have no chance.
(01:10:38):
And I was a bit type of preparing always last minute. So I had two weeks before I realized that, oh, I have two weeks left, what do I do? I go to the competition or shall I cancel? And then of course part of to cancel because it's so scarier to have only two weeks time even of course some of the program was the same than I played for my Master. It's when you stop practicing it, you have almost in a way always like to start from zero. So I said, another part of me said Yann, so you have balls, assume what you did and just practice hard. That's what I did for, I was practicing around eight hours. I don't know if I did that two weeks, but I did that for more than a week for sure. Seven days to 10 days. And then I went there.
(01:11:39):
I did a very strong first round and I remember I played in the morning, I don't like morning. I'm not a matinale person. And I was unlucky. It was draw rotary was maybe the very first one of the competition. Oh no, I went there and I did really my best, but I still thought it's not enough. But at least I was satisfied. I did my best. And when we, several days later, because there were many candidates as a result came, I remember I heard my name first, but that's normal because it was by playing order. And then when I heard my name, I asked my colleague in another ese competitor beside, I said, did you hear my name? I was not sure, wanted to make sure I heard my name. And I was so I cried. So it was my very first international competition. I cried of happiness. We were about 50 people and in semifinal were only 11 or 12.
(01:12:52):
Oh my god. And I remember I went to the jury and I was shaking and shaking the hand, thanking them and he asked me, but you passed to the semifinal, right? I say yes. I said, why do you come or really to us? I say, because I want to thank you. I'm so happy. Okay, now if it doesn't go farther, but it's like I've realized dreams. So thank you so much. That was in 2001 special to me. But there are few others. There is, in 2012, Val Musica in Italy that year there was only two rounds instead of three. I don't know, I can't remember why from the first round it was a concerto. First round, only concerto, one movement of concerto and directly the final. If I am not, yeah, it was something like this. I've played, I remember why is it special? Because it was very intense. Very intense. I went on stage and I remember I asked my uncle if he could send me vibes, all that. And when I went on stage, I felt so strong, unbeatable, unbeatable. And I played better than when I was home or anywhere else. It was amazing. I could decide to do something musically or something new. I didn't fear knew just on stage I was succeeding. Everything, everything. And I felt like I was making one with everything around me.
(01:14:44):
People, the concert hall, the music piece, the pianist, everything I was making, I was feeling so strong and so high. And there was a moment in Tchaikovsky, in the first movement when we are going very high this it's a singing melody, very high. And I felt like I was like a eagle very high in the sky on the top of a mountain with a beautiful panorama. I felt like this. And after playing, I cried nonstop. I couldn't, it was so strong I couldn't hold myself. I cried for several minutes nonstop so much. It was strong. So that I never retrieved that I regretted I wanted to, I said, what's the recipe? How to expand this again because it's unforgettable and it's so amazing. It's much better than any kind of drug. It's fantastic, fantastic. And that is in my memory, in my heart forever and never had it again like that.
(01:15:50):
And in 2014 when I won my first grand prize in Padova international competition in Italy, a bit the same but different. I felt like I was in my final stage with Tchaikovsky, I was also uniting with everything around me. And I felt like I was a team for myself on the violin, it's difficult to explain, but it was like we are several. One is thinking about, for example, one about the left hand, one about the orchestra, one about the soundcheck. I felt like I was 10 people myself. It was different from 2012, less intense. But it was also very special experience and very unique I would say. So those are very memorable for me and unforgettable.
Leah Roseman (01:16:46):
Yeah, it's very interesting, some of the stuff you're saying about inhabiting almost a character like an actor. When you said you thought of Szeryng and then you went out and played Bach, I've used that technique sometimes as well with extreme nerves of just feeling like I'm somebody else. And I think what it enables us to do is maybe get rid of the ego and it's just the music because we take ourselves, our nervous wreck out the occasion, out of the equation. You know what I mean?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:17:15):
Yes. Whenever, when we play, which is competition or concert, we play a piece and probably a masterpiece. There is a composer, there is a great person who wrote it with his own story. So remaining amber is important. I think if we don't want to go over the real music frame, my teacher was saying how we serve the music but don't use it. So in French it's even better because "sers la musique mais ne t'en sers pas". So it's the same verb at the end. But yes, and I think it's very important of course we give of ourself according to our own story and it has to be. So it's important that it's like a partnership between the composer as an interpreter who can find similarities with both stories. And it's like resonating as the composer who's probably dead from a long time and similar experience on that moment he was experiencing that. And in your life you have already experienced that. So it's like doing equal in you. And it's magical in a way. Very magical. And you communicate with the audience. But it's important to remember that you serve music if you really want to do yourself, you should play your own music. But if you read a text, you need to respect the text, the period and everything. So it's just when you put on yourself, it's just, I would say minimum.
Leah Roseman (01:19:08):
Now have you written any of your own cadenzas for concertos, for example?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:19:14):
I wanted to, I didn't, but I wrote Cadenza for Mozart Serenade. There is a moment where there is a violin soloist with orchestra and the conductor said that or invited me to write my own cadenza or something like that. So I did. I was quite satisfied, quite happy of what I did. We can find it somewhere on YouTube I would send you if I retrieved those video. But then the music, I didn't keep it. At the end of the concert someone, oh you forgot. And I said, oh, maybe it was a conductor. I say, I'll give it to you now if it's to do again. Of course I keep, and I mean I just gave it and no, I don't really mind if someone I hear some days someone says that it's him who wrote , my ego will not suffer. But I mean I didn't even think that. Yeah, so I would do differently today. So I think I can still play. If I listen the video, I will remember it, but I don't have the score anymore.
Leah Roseman (01:20:37):
So I'm curious, what are two or three of your most favorite concertos to perform?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:20:43):
Oh, I will speak about what I did in my life in the order. And the order doesn't mean that I prefer the first better than the third for example. But I started with a Sibelius when I was in Geneva the first year. After one year we had an exam to enter in Master. And then I played the first moment of Sibelius I remember. And a little quote about that, that at the end there is many octave notes and I have never been so comfortable about. And also I was reluctant to practice them fingered octaves. So I did them one, four, all of them. And I did them, I mean as good as if I was a better fingered-octave player, they were in tune actually. So that was Sibelius. And then afterwards, what did I play for my Master? I played Shostakovich. Really like Shostakovich.
(01:22:09):
I played the third and fourth movement of the, the first one in A minor. I think it's the first concerto. Ah, so exciting. Yes, exciting to play. So great. It's a great music. And quickly after Geneva, I had five concerts. First it was in 2001, I had few concerts, like three concerts with Brahms. Yes, I was wanted to play Brahms since long time. But we not have a real orchestra. So I mean the effective was smaller, but I remember we didn't, we were lacking different wind players. And my friend, I had a friend who was saxophonist and she played a part, what is great with saxophone is that there is a power of brass, but there is a finest of wood. And it was absolutely not shocking. After the year later in 2002, we had more people and the bigger orchestra and I played it like five times successively.
(01:23:23):
And that was so exciting. Oh yes. I said, oh, I could do that all my life. That Brahms. And then Tchaikovsky came, I think afterwards. Tchaikovsky has been my very first concerto, my dream concerto, my first love. I was still a kid. And I remember I had a tape of Christian Ferras performing and that is, yes, that was my favorite, I would say my precious stone, this concerto with him. So I always wanted, didn't always wanted to play Tchaikovsky, but I didn't start with Tchaikovsky. So it's like in a way as if I want not to finish but to put when you keep things at the end because they are better. So I kept it for later and I know it very well by now. I played it so many times. And in 2014 when I won the first grand prize, it's so enjoyable to play it with orchestra. It's magnificent. But I would say Brahms too and Sibelius too and Beethoven for sure, except that Beethoven, I would fear more. And if you want to hear the story, I have a story about Beethoven concerto, you want to hear?
Leah Roseman (01:24:48):
Sure.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:24:49):
I was in Geneva still student. And my teacher said, so for next time I want to study Beethoven concerto. I say, okay, bon. I went home, I start practicing and I found it was sounding horrible, horrible because it requires so much about cleanliness, about intonation, about vibrato. Everything is so delicate. You feel like you are high in the sky on a rope naked and there is no feeling, no security, nothing. That was terrible. And at this time I said, no, I will give up. I will tell my teacher no first it's painful when I practiced, but I am not good enough to study this music yet. So when I saw him, he said, so how about Beethoven Concerto? Can you play? I said, I'm sorry, I'm very sorry. I stopped practicing. He say, why? I say it's too hard for me, it's too difficult. He said to me, because you want to be too fast. Okay, next time we'll see each other in about three weeks time because I didn't seem too regularly was busy. He said, don't try to play it immediately. Now practice slowly, little by little and I can tell you if you have the patience, it will come. So I did really this effort because it's my teacher and I have big trust in him.
(01:26:21):
So I started to do what he said and it was starting to sound and I was starting to playing it and more and more. And after three weeks time I remember the lesson and he said, so can you play Beethoven concerto? I said, yes, I did that. He told me, I said, please, I listen. So while playing it, I was always, part of me was waiting to when he will stop me in a way hoping he will stop me. That is not stopping me. And I got here to play again, and again, I say, oh my God. Even he made me play the whole first movement. And when I'm finished, I was exhausted emotionally. I turned to him and he said, I would never forget that because for me it's a very meaningful compliment. He said, oh, this concerto is fitting you well. And I said, oh my God. But now if I'm asked to prepare that I will fear the same before. It's terrible. This concerto, Oistrach was saying that he will probably never be mature enough to play this concerto or someone like Oistrach. When you hear that, you say, okay, no change for me.
Leah Roseman (01:27:46):
I forget the name of your teacher in Geneva. So which was this teacher?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:27:49):
Jean-Pierre Wallez, yes.
Leah Roseman (01:27:51):
Right. Now I read that you went on tour with Yo-Yo Ma to Japan in 2006. What was the context for that?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:28:06):
That was when I was working with orchestra in Zurich. We had different tours and one of them was in 2006 for several weeks with Yo-Yo Ma in Japan. That was my first time in Japan and that was amazing of course. But I have also been on tour with Alfred Brandel and we finished the tour in Amsterdam, Concertgebouw. That was, I think my first time to play there because I played several times there. And I remember, yes, and I remember the sound, if you ask me what's the best hall sound I've ever met, it's Amsterdam Concertgebouw. It's unique, completely unique because you have the impression that it's whatever sound you produce, the hole is making it better than when it went out at first. It's like shaping your sound. Your sound is so enveloped, so, so warm, so fantastic. Fantastic. And that was I think the last concept of Alfred Brandel's life because after that he was planning to stop and I felt honored to be playing with him, his very last concert that was there.
Leah Roseman (01:29:45):
Yeah, I grew up with his recordings. I remember those pictures of him with the glasses on the,
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:29:50):
And I remember he was singing when he was playing. So at first, I say because rarely when I say rarely mean you will never hear violin singing while playing because it's more disturbing. But many pianists actually are doing it. And he was singing loud when I was listening to him as I found it disturbing. And yes, it was really, he was singing, there was like two players. We were playing Beethoven concerto.
Leah Roseman (01:30:27):
And now as a soloist you went to China and you played the very popular Butterfly Lovers concerto there. And it was broadcast in China.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:30:34):
Yes, yes. That's an unforgettable experience for me because in Chinese people, when they do something, I mean they don't mind what it requires. They will make it shiny, goldie and spectacular that Chinese way. So I've been invited to give this performance as so with orchestra, but I don't know the concerto. I have no idea. So I've watched online and I heard Gil Shaham playing it, so I inspired a bit myself from it. And I saw also Maxime Vengarov, it was a small video concert playing it. So yes, it was very new music for me because it's like Chinese classical and it was outside, I don't remember. There was a roof probably. There was a roof and there was so no, there was everything. And I was sharing the concerto with another violinist. So we are replying to each other.
Leah Roseman (01:31:52):
Oh really?
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:31:53):
Yes. Chinese girl violist who plays very well. And then yes, so she was playing the first part and I was playing the second part. And in my second part, sometimes she was, when it was high tone, she was playing. Because in this story there is a myth about two people loving each other. A woman is a princess or soul, and the man is just an ordinary person. And then it's impossible love something like that. I mean the situation, I think something like that. But it's impossible love. So to love each other, it's like it's very dramatic. They commit suicide to be able to, and they become butterfly. And at this moment they're free to fly and to love each other. So there was really this dialogue between the lady and the man. So with the violin. Yes. So the appropriate moment in the concerto, we were replying to each other and at the end, the very last phrase, we play together.
(01:33:14):
So it was a very special moment. And what was very great for me is that I got greatly applause. And even during playing like an opera, we never had that, never experienced that before. It's just so amazing because people recognize, they know, know this story very well and they know very well the melody. And you finish your phrase and people are already opposing all that. It's so exciting. So I was realizing, must be great to be a singer because when play concert or you need to wait the very end to get applause. So sometimes people don't know after the first moment they applause.
(01:34:00):
It can be nice at the same time it can be annoying because you say, oh, lack of knowledge. But it's great to feel like encouraged. Carried, loved while playing. Fantastic. And I remember after there was so many who came, wanted two pictures, make a picture with me, wanted to have my sign. Wow. I felt like I am Chinese great artist. And afterwards there was a dinner and so I was not the only one invited because there was a piano concerto, also Chinese piano concerto. There was a French girl, a pianist. There was different singers, French, Italian, German invited. So the paperis was different, different pieces. So we were, first, we had pictures. We had to say thank you in different languages, all that, this kind of thing. And there's a moment I have been invited to come in front of everyone to receive an interview.
(01:35:18):
And I was feeling a bit shy, a bit shy, because no one got interviewed. It was only me. So I felt shy in front of my colleagues. I felt a bit ashamed in a way, because I was afraid they would feel bad or offended. I would rather that everyone get an interview, not only me, but actually only me got an interview. And then I was asked, so I had a translator. I was asked if I did special studies to play so well, Chinese music, because I played, I completely understand their music. And it was a super success. And I was felt so honored to hear that. My God. Wow. I said, no, I didn't. And then I tried to involve my colleagues saying, since it's a story about love, as long as we have experienced love, then we can play this music, which is true at the same time. So I think I don't need special skills. If I know about love, I think I can play anyone who know how to do that. And then they told me that this performance has been watched by 6 million people because it was at the same broadcasted online on WeChat. And I made him repeat 6 million. My god, we don't know that here. Wow. Well, for different reasons. It's unforgettable experience and I have been very well welcomed and liked. So it was, yes, it was very nice. Chinese people have been very nice to me.
Leah Roseman (01:37:13):
I wanted to ask you a little bit about concert, like your pre-concert routine, if there are things you do to help you feel common centered.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:37:22):
Yes, because I remember in 2014 when I went to the final of Palo Inter Competition, which I won two weeks before, because this competition is special. The two first round took place one year earlier and the final was like many months later. And so the two weeks before I was doing a jogging for the length of the concerto, or even more concerto, is about 40 minutes Tchaikovsky concerto. And I was running for a minimum 45 minutes. And I wonder if I didn't double it, because I always heard from my teacher saying that if you want to be able to physically, emotionally, and stuff, to enter a program of one hour, you need to prepare for two hours.
(01:38:31):
So you need to double it to make sure. But that was about an hour every day jogging to be fit physically. And I think this really helps because it's really physical. We forget this factor, but it's really physical when you are 40 minutes holding in the instrument on stage nonstop, because there is no break. It's tough in a way. So it requires preparation. So that was my preparation for that competition and in general I recommend for competitions and for concert. I would say I try not to be too much overwhelmed by my anxiety. So I practice slowly moment, unless I have the time to play more. But slowly, slowly. It really helps. It's a question of reflex at the same time. It's like, it's like a therapy because you play slowly, you count yourself, you observe more what you do, your fingers know more, where to go, how to place themselves, et cetera. So playing slowly is very important before the concert. Yes, I try to do that.
Leah Roseman (01:40:06):
Yeah. Good advice. Well, thank you so much for speaking with me.
Yann Passabet-Labiste (01:40:10):
Great. Thank you for inviting me. Thank you.
Leah Roseman (01:40:14):
I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please share this with your friends and check out episodes you may have missed at Leahroseman.com. If you could buy me a coffee to support this series, that would be wonderful. Or you can browse the collection of merch with a very cool, unique and expressive design from artist Steffi Kelly with notebooks, mugs, shirts, phone cases and more. I'm an independent podcaster and I really do need the help of my listeners. All the links are in the show notes. Have a wonderful week.
