KARACHI: Alliance Française de Karachi was the venue where pianist Maxime Zecchini was invited to perform by the French diplomatic missions in Pakistan.

During his first tour of Karachi Maxime Zecchini performed works of classical as well as modern composers.

He played two pieces composed for left hand.

Talking exclusively to Newspakistan.tv he said:

Q) You have been composing since early childhood. From where you got the inspiration?

A) Because I have seen someone who plays piano on the TV.

For me it was like an evidence. My decision was to become a pianist.

So I asked my mother: “Is it possible to take (piano) lessons with a professional teacher?”

My mother said: “Yes! Why not?”

I love piano, the sound of piano, the instrument and sensation of the touch of piano.

Since my childhood my decision was to become a pianist. For me now it’s a dream each day.

Because it was always my first love.

Q) You are a graduate of Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris and Imola Academy in Italy!

A) In France, when you decide to become a professional musician, it is necessary to go to one of the two National Conservatories.

There is just a Conservatory in Paris and one in Lyon. Lots of musicians go to these two academies.

So for French people it is very important.

And after the study at the Conservatory of Paris and Lyon I had decided to continue my formation abroad.

Because it is always interesting to have different points of view of different teachers.

So like this it was possible to open my mind to different interpretations, different schools of music.

So I thought it was a good idea to continue the formation aboard to open the musical ideas.

Q) You have performed in 60 countries. What difference did you find among the audiences?

A) The difference is, for example, at the end of the concert the enthusiasm of the audience is different.

Because, sometimes the audience is a little bit shy; sometimes the audience is very warm.

So it depends on each country.

But it is always a pleasure to meet the audience at the end of the concert; to discuss a little bit; to take photo; to sign a CD.

And at this moment it is possible to find the real sensation, feelings of the audience about the concert.

Q) Do you think the audience in Pakistan understands the western music?

A) I don’t know! Because it is my first concert here in Pakistan tonight.

It is my first tour of Pakistan.

It is a big pleasure for me to discover the country, to discover about the audience.

During my week-long tour I am visiting Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

So I think maybe at the end of this week it will be possible for me to have a real opinion about the Pakistani audience.

But I am sure the audience will be warm and interested in occidental music.

Because I think Pakistani people are very curious.

Q) How was your experience of performing at Carnegie Hall last year?

A) For the musician Carnegie Hall in New York is the best place to give a concert.

So it is a true dream to play in this place.

And for me, last year, it was incredible because when I commenced playing piano during my childhood my dream was to play in Carnegie Hall.

So it was the realization of my dream.

It was a very emotional moment.

Q) Tell us about winning Lake Como Conducting Competition.

A) For the professional musician it is very important to take part in competitions of music.

Because it provides an opportunity to meet managers, directors of Music Label, to record CD.

For me, it was an opportunity to meet my future director of disk label.

It was possible to record my first CD.

It is very necessary for young artists to show their work.

So competitions are necessary for that.

I encourage the young musicians to participate in this competition because it enables you to meet people.

And to become a professional musician it is necessary to meet a lot of managers, directors, directors of festivals.

Q) Tell our audience about your teachers.

A) I had lots of teachers.

I was lucky because all my teachers were very nice, very humane.

It is very important for young children because the humane side is very important to play piano.

It is really necessary to have a good contact with teacher.

So I was very lucky.

Just once a teacher was not nice to me.

So I asked my mother to get the teacher changed.

A week later she came to my lesson and agreed with me.

So we asked the director of the music school to change the teacher.

And it was OK!

Q) Your discography includes world’s first anthology of piano works for left hand!

A) There are 1000 pieces written just for the left hand.

And we are just three pianists in the world to play this repertoire.

It is a little bit magic, because if you close your eyes you will have an impression of two hands playing.

Tonight I will play two or three pieces written for the left hand.

It is an opportunity to discover this new repertoire.

I love this repertoire because it is very creative and very sensitive.

It is a big pleasure for me to discover these pieces because (as I said earlier) we are just three pianists in the world while there are 1000 pieces written by big composers like Chopin,  Liszt.

So it is a big opportunity for me.

Q) Are you presenting anything special for Karachi audience?

A) At the end of the concert there is a special surprise for Pakistani audience!

After the Port City Maxime Zecchini also performed in the Walled City (Lahore) and the Capital (Islamabad).

Born in Paris, Maxime Zecchini is a graduate with high honors of the Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris and the Imola Academy in Italy.

He has performed in the numerous musical events and festivals in more than 60 countries, and made his debut recital at Carnegie Hall in New York in May 2022.

His discography includes the world’s first anthology of piano works for the left hand in 10 volumes (piano solo, chamber’s music and concertos..), under the label Advitam Records, for which he has received multiple awards.

He has won several prizes, including the First Prize by unanimous decision of the International Competition at Varenna-Lake Como in Italy.

Eclectic musician, composer since early childhood, he has written numerous transcriptions and his original works are published at the prestigious editions Durand-Salabert-Universal Music.

Newspakistan.tv