Corina Belcea in an interview

“Fate has chosen us to be their ambassadors.”

While studying in 1994, Romanian violinist Corina Belcea founded a string quartet. The Belcea Quartet was one of the first ensembles to perform in the prestigious BBC series "Radio 3 New Generation," and then things moved quickly: Carnegie Hall debut, Edinburgh Festival, Cologne, Amsterdam, Vienna Konzerthaus, a major career.

You founded the Belcea Quartet while still a student and gave it your name. Who took the initiative back then?
Actually, the quartet's first violist was a friend of mine from my time studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School. However, after only a few months, he decided to focus more on composition and left the quartet shortly before our first major competition. That was a crucial moment for the quartet, as we had to find a replacement very quickly. Fate brought us Krzysztof, who was studying violin at the time. He told us that he loved playing chamber music but had never played the viola before. So, he spent the following weeks learning to play the viola and to read the clef, which he also didn't know. His condition was that we find a proper violist to replace him after the competition. We won the competition, and working with him was so wonderful that instead of looking for a replacement, we convinced him that playing viola with us was his true calling. Even today, he jokingly says that the quartet is looking for a "real" viola player…
Since we needed a name for the competition, and all the good ones were already taken, we named ourselves after me, intending to change it as soon as we found a suitable one. We're still struggling with that.

You're married to the cellist in the quartet. Is that sometimes a strain on the collaboration or the dynamics within the group?
From my perspective, absolutely not, quite the opposite: I consider working with Antoine, sharing our musical and private lives, a wonderful gift, and I can no longer imagine the quartet without him. Now that we also have young children, it's a blessing for me to have at least one family member nearby on tour to share the challenges of constant travel. Perhaps it's not quite so easy for the others, but if they sense it, they certainly don't complain!

How would you define your role within the string quartet, both musically and personally?
I see my role within the group as being part of a whole. A string quartet is a unity of four different personalities, four minds that together create something special and unique. It's a constantly evolving blend, as we all continually develop. Each of us has to contribute to the group's development. This includes the musical side, the business side, and the daily practice. There's no doubt that each of us has strengths and weaknesses. What's important, however, is that together we can cover all the necessary areas. On a personal level, I believe that we're not just doing a job, but working towards our purpose. We're very happy that we can do this together for the group. For all of us, chamber music is the most beautiful way to communicate countless emotions through music. It doesn't feel like work. I often think about how fortunate we are to be doing what we were born to do. Well, we chose this path and could have pursued a different profession, but the truth is that fate selected us as "ambassadors." We are proud and feel privileged to be able to carry on this incredibly beautiful form of music-making as a tradition.

Do you have many disagreements during rehearsals that you need to resolve, or do you quickly find a compromise?
Compromise is a word we don't like to use in our work. It implies that no one is truly convinced by it. We call it "finding another solution," a solution that is coherent, logical, and in keeping with the score. There are always discussions about how a phrase should be interpreted, what constitutes the form, what the character should be. Often we have different ideas. But we should be aware that the music can sound wonderful in a wide variety of interpretations, and that arguing about a detail is a waste of time. We try different things, and sometimes we realize that something simply doesn't work in concert. So we try to find new paths until we realize what fits and works. That's precisely what's so wonderful about our work. It can have as many facets as a cut diamond throws colors in the light.

Which of you is the most accommodating player?
We only make "compromises" on a human level, meaning we are humble, patient, open to criticism, and kind in our treatment of others so as not to strain fragile human relationships. Sometimes you have to temporarily forgo something you value or change your perspective. I think we are all stubborn to some extent, but we do our best to control it as much as possible.

You also have two young children. Do they always accompany you on tour? How do you manage that?
It's a job that requires a lot of planning and good management. Luckily, my better half, the cellist Antoine, has these qualities in abundance. He organizes the trips with our children amazingly well. We try to take them with us as often as possible, as we feel so happy when our time together is tolerated. Of course, there are the usual stressful moments when you have to leave the young children with a complete stranger for babysitting, but so far our experiences have been entirely positive. The children are becoming increasingly interested in our rehearsals, which is very important for their development and their connection to classical music. This can only be beneficial. The big challenge will certainly come when the children have to start school. We're already looking for a solution, but we'll wait until then.

There are quartets that, after years of playing together, can barely speak to each other anymore, and the individual members want to stay in separate hotels. How do you prevent that from happening?
The only way to avoid that situation is to work on our relationships, like any married couple, only harder because there are four people involved. Many describe a string quartet as a bizarre marriage, and there's some truth to that. Many quartet musicians spend more time with their fellow musicians than with their spouses. This can lead to major conflicts, and I'm not surprised that some need time to themselves on tour. Personally, I would find it very sad if our quartet ended that way, but it works well for others. Every group has its own dynamic, and each of us has to figure out what works best for us.

Do you, as a quartet, also meet up in your free time, outside of rehearsals or concert performances?
Until recently, three of us lived in the same building. That led to natural and spontaneous get-togethers. Now, however, one member lives further away, abroad. It's more difficult to spend time together outside of work hours. When we're on tour, we try to do sightseeing together and eat at the same restaurants.

You come from Romania. Are there things you sometimes miss about your homeland?
First and foremost, I miss the people there, my family and my close friends. I used to travel to Timisoara more often, and I miss that. But since I also travel so much with the children, I also need physical time at home without traveling. Emotionally, I feel very much at home in Timisoara; I feel this feeling of coming home very strongly whenever I land in Romania. I only have this intense sense of belonging when I touch Romanian soil.

There is currently a strong movement in Romania. Large numbers of people are taking to the streets to demonstrate. How connected are you to your country of origin, and what do you think about this movement?
I am very happy and proud that my fellow citizens are taking on the challenge of changing the way our country is governed. For too long, our so-called politicians have only looked after their own agenda and their own wallets. It is time for a fundamental correction so that more decent people can move this beautiful and troubled country forward, a country with incredible people and amazing potential. We need this change, and I sincerely hope that people don't stop before it happens.

Interview by Florian Schär | Classicpoint.net | May 3, 2017

Next concerts

May 6th, 2027 - Kosmos Chamber Music: Belcea Quartet
May 8th, 2027 - Kosmos Chamber Music: Belcea Quartet
May 9th, 2027 - Kosmos Chamber Music: Belcea Quartet