Exhibitionist Interview: Viviane Hagner

Tomorrow night, German violinist Viviane Hagner makes her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut. (There's an open rehearsal tonight.) Hagner, 31, will perform Prokofiev’s light and lyrical Violin Concerto No. 1 under the direction of Charles Dutoit.

Hagner is one of three young violinists heading to Symphony Hall over the next few weeks, and I sent each of them a list of questions. Some good, some perhaps a bit on the too-silly side. But she answered them.

What do wish you had more time for?

I love watching movie classics and am fascinated by the art of directing. I wished I had more time to watch some of my favorite movies over and over. I also wished to be able to spend more time learning languages with Chinese being my current main interest. And being on the road a lot, I wished I had more time to be with my family and friends and home.

How much did your violin cost?

The violin is on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. While I cannot tell you the actual price of the violin, it is definitely way above what I could afford. This is why I am so grateful for the generous loan from the Foundation.

What's the most surprising thing you've ever played, either in concert of just at home?

"Rockomotion" by Eugen Regnier. This was one of the very first pieces ever written for me (more than 10 years ago). My sister Nicole and I presented its premiere quite courageously between a Schubert Sonata and the Schoenberg Phantasy. It was definitely an interesting experience, and I don't remember another piece polarizing an audience as much as this one.

What's the most surprising song you've ever sung?

Hey there Delilah - a beautiful song. The surprising thing for me about singing this song was that this was the first time I tried to sing something and accompany myself on the guitar at the same time!

Madonna or Green Day?

Sorry, neither of the two

Can you dance or do you stand on the sideline?

I don't think I have a lot of talent to dance, so I prefer to stand on the sideline and watch others do it better!

Are you married or single?
I am not married.

Because you're young and attractive, have you ever been asked to pose for publicity photos in a way that made you uncomfortable? What did you do?

No. I wouldn't do anything that made me uncomfortable.

Any superstitions before you play?

No. The only thing that helps before going on stage is to practice beforehand!

Have you ever used beta blockers?

No.

Do you think Roger Clemens did steroids?

Who is Roger Clemens???? :-) A bit kidding. But I could definitely tell you more about Hertha or Borussia. Metzelder rocks! And he even plays the clarinet.

If there is one piece of music you wish people appreciated more, what would it be?

Well, it's not easy to name just one piece of music! While I do think that people in the audience generally have very good ears and taste to decide about why they like or dislike a certain piece of music, I often wished that there was a larger audience particularly for chamber music. Something like the Beethoven quartet op.131 takes a listener on an amazing, powerful journey. It would be great if even more people could experience that.

Is there a piece you wish could be retired for, say, 30 or 40 years?

"Feuerrequiem"! A couple of years ago, this piece was a number-one hit on a German classical music station and it was played all the time. Definitely enough times, and I would be happy if I didn't have to hear it again for the next 40 years.

Are there things you won't do - but wish you could - because you don't want to risk injury? Basketball? Arm wrestling? One handed pushups?

I don't do any of these above mentioned. But I probably wouldn't like to do them even if I wasn't playing the violin. I remember, though, that as a kid I was told by my violin teacher to not go skiing or ice-skating and now, I still don't know how to ski or skate! And if I now travel to places like Utah or Switzerland with beautiful snowy mountains, I wished I knew how to ski. But picking it up now would probably be really risky.