Music runs in the family for Robert and Bettina Aust. The former has performed in various chamber music ensembles worldwide and has established himself as a sought-after piano player in the music scene. Not far behind, his little sister, Bettina is considered one of the most promising young clarinettists in Germany. As a sought-after soloist and chamber musician she performs worldwide.

Then there is mezzosoprano Lydia Krueger who, much like the siblings, is a very accomplished performer. Last year, she made her debut with the North German Philharmonic Orchestra.

The trio were in Karachi recently to perform and hold workshops on Western classical music and took time out of their busy schedule for a tête-à-tête with Icon.

Why did you come to Pakistan?

Robert: Because we want to see the world. We don’t see any limit, any borders. We’ve got a completely different impression now that we’re here.

A pianist, a clarinettist and a mezzosoprano from Germany were in Karachi recently for a concert

How easy is it to travel across the world with a grand piano?

Bettina: It’s a very heavy instrument.

Robert: I never take my own piano with me. But if they have a grand piano where I can play, I will play that. The grand piano we have here tonight will be around 350kg. There are some pianists in history or even in present time who are carrying their own instruments. But this is very, very, very rare and really expensive.

Lydia: There’s one guy. It seems to be he’s the only one in Karachi who’s able to tune the piano and he’s also doing the transport.

How did you get into classical music?

Robert: I started with piano lessons at the age of eight. We had very ambitious teachers for clarinet and piano.

Bettina: Our father comes from a family where classical music is very important. They do it at home, they do it at church, it was a part of life. He tried to give that to us.

Growing up, did you guys ever compete with each other?

Robert: Maybe yes, maybe not.

Bettina: There was this point where Robert was the piano star of the family. I started later so I couldn’t play that way. When I took up the clarinet, for me, it was so easy. I could play in orchestras. I was playing in competitions. It was working a lot better. I liked playing the piano but it’s not my heart… I think we motivate each other a lot and also fight a lot. There was one time at one point where there was a bit of competition. But since we play different instruments, we can’t compete.

Lydia, you specialise in German Lieder [poem set to classical music], especially composers, that were banned during the Nazi regime. In 2016 you also won a competition for banned music and recorded some of the songs for Austrian radio. How did you end up doing this type of ‘banned’ music?

Lydia: It was an accident! I never liked doing something what everyone else is doing. When you want to go to an opera house, then you have five pieces of music that everyone is going to sing. I don’t like that. This is very limiting. So, I was looking for something which is challenging. Where I used to live, the next town we had a huge bibliothek [library] where they collect that kind of [banned] music. During the second World War, those people were banned, they were executed.

Why?

Lydia: Because they were Jewish.

Robert: Not always Jewish, but also because of the message [in their songs].

Lydia: That also. Most of them were Jewish. Some went into exile and some were sent to concentration camps where they were executed. Some of them still had the motivation to compose. There was one composer who wrote [music] on stones. And little sheets of paper. Anything he could get his hands on. This music from this time kind of disappeared. Those stories are so interesting for me and the lives of those composers are heart-breaking. That was one of the reasons why I kept doing it.

Since all three of you teach, how has teaching affected how you approach and understand music?

Robert: I’m teaching students from the ages of six-years-old to 17-18-years-old. I noticed that, especially from the very, very young students, that they don’t think a lot about what they’re doing. I felt for myself, that have I lost this quality. I’m always thinking what I’m doing and not letting it go. This is something I wanted to find for myself, again. Also, when you teach, you have to reflect a lot about how you play as well.

Lydia: I have a children’s choir. They sing with such passion but you have to motivate them. But when they do, it’s so beautiful — you look in their eyes and they’re smiling all over. I also teach adults who’re around 50-to-60-years-old and who’ve just started singing. They didn’t sing for their entire life. Never in a choir, never at home, just never, never, never! For them, as they tell me, when they come to a lesson, it’s their time — 45min. They have homes, children, lives otherwise, but for them it’s 45min of freedom.

Bettina: I had one student, she was very passionate about music. Every time she played in an orchestra or a group, her eyes would be wide. She would tell me how amazing the music was and how amazing it is to play. I like music but for me it’s a thing of my body. It’s a feeling. Breathing. Getting one with the clarinet. It’s connected with music, but it’s a very physical thing that you get addicted to.

Lydia: Your voice is very connected with your body, mind and soul. So, it’s very intimate. There are some moments for me when I am totally inside of the music, everything feels complete. That’s the feeling I’m always looking to get again.

Published in Dawn, ICON, November 25th, 2018