Is music intertwined with youth? I’ve often pondered this question without finding a definitive answer. The inspiration always comes from something I witness. A few days ago, I had the pleasure of attending a concert by Strings in Motion where I saw young musicians performing at a high level, with the enthusiasm that this very characteristic—their youth—imbues them with. However, enthusiasm can also lead to mistakes, it can derail, but it can also bring forth something new, something fresh. A risk? Perhaps… but a beautiful risk.

I remember many years ago, when I was studying in England, I had the good fortune to see Lang Lang in a recital four years after he won the Tchaikovsky International Competition, which was held in Japan at the time. I didn’t like it at all… he seemed dry and uninspired to me, without ideas, though of course with amazing technique. Let’s also consider my own youth and my musical tastes and readings of that era, as I was only 22 years old. Of course, every time I reflect on that particular concert, an incessant musical garrulousness comes to mind, and I probably wouldn’t like it even today, but perhaps for different reasons. Nevertheless, I still wouldn’t like it. I’m setting aside the stereotypical notions of the Asian musician who has tremendous technical capabilities but isn’t “European enough to understand what they’re playing.” These certainly influence many people, and I no longer believe them for a moment, as, apart from some “grey” areas related to a peculiar racism, I also have countless examples that prove the opposite.

Fast forward several years later, and I hear Lang Lang in Athens. He seemed magical and magnificent to me. A performance that stood out. A very beautiful experience that allowed me to see music through his eyes and grasp the greatness of a soloist’s thought.

Youth did not win in this case; maturity prevailed. I return to the Strings in Motion concert, under the supervision of Professor Christos Kanettis, which was full of youth but also maturity! Here the experiment succeeded, and although the musicians may not have had—yet—Lang Lang’s fame, I dare say they left a good impression on me, and I didn’t find their musical ideas boring for a moment. I might disagree with an interpretive approach, but that’s my personal issue and doesn’t detract from the significance of what is musically articulated. Conclusion once again? Long live Youth!