L'altra metà (del cielo) delle Suites per violoncello di Bach

Matilda Colliard describes herself as a storyteller – musician. Each music she faces outlines in her a sort of film made of landscapes, characters, and emotions, feelings. Her goal is to bring as many people as possible into the story she’s telling. When they can feel what she is feeling, then it’s a real triumph for her! Music is everything for her. It’s like canvas and colors for a painter, words for a writer, music is her weapon: she fights peacefully every day with notes!

WHAT AGE DID YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN? AND WHAT EDUCATION HAVE YOU COMPLETED?

I started the study of Cello at 4 years old with the Suzuki method. My parents are musicians and they thought it was natural to approach their daughter to the music too. At the beginning, it was very hard and many times I thought to leave the cello: I only wanted to play with others “normal” children and wasn’t thinking to play an instrument! But growing I realized, at 15 years old, that music was inside me and I decided to become a musician.

So, I graduated at the Novara conservatory, and then I participated in several specialization courses and many Chamber competitions. I was in love especially with Chamber Music because I really love playing with others and having a human exchange; for this reason, my specialization and my experiences, in general, were focused in Duo with piano or in Piano trio. 

WHAT CAREER SUCCESSES ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF HAVING ACCOMPLISHED?

I am proud of many things I did, but I am certainly very happy with what I have done with the Trio Carducci. Together with the colleagues, we debuted with the Brilliant Classics label with the Arensky trios. We won an important competition in London and toured China, which gave us a lot of satisfaction.

Last year, the Da Vinci Classics label (based in Osaka) published my Beethoven complete piano and cello works (with the pianist Stefano Ligoratti). This too was a rather ambitious project, which I am very proud of. 

WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT GOALS? WHOM WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE THANKS TO?

My next goal is the realization of the Bach Cello Suites recording. At this moment I am totally focused on studying for its realization. Surely I have to thank a dear friend, Massimo Vecchio, who saw me grow up from the conservatory because his son was studying cello with me.

I thank him because one day he said to me: “why don’t you record the Bach cello Suites?”. That’s what I did! In any case, I thank all those who believed and still believe in me.

ANY UNIQUE STORIES?

A few years ago I happened to play in sort of cave. There were few people, but the atmosphere was very intimate and pleasant. On that occasion, I played some pieces from Bach’s Suites. In the audience, there was a therapist and a patient she had been following for some time. A few days after, I met the therapist and she told me that the boy, after listening to my concert, had felt in peace, and healed from the anxiety that had haunted him for many months. I cannot fully describe my satisfaction!

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OF YOUR PERSONALITY PLUSES?

I think my personality pluses are that I am open to new experiences, always in the making, so I want to get rich inside, I put at my service what I can do for others, I have a deep listening ability to others and I accept diversity quite easily. 

Thanks to  Gaetano Lo presti for the interview

ANTEPRIMA MONDIALE.....................................................

Mario Marcello Murace - StillSail™ Acoustics Lab

Beethoven complete cello & piano works Interview: