IJ: Why did you choose voice as a specialisation, instead of piano, which I understand you loved?

Pavlína Matiová: I thought I wouldn’t be able to learn a living as a pianist. And I decided to learn a “trade”, so I completed secondary school with a diploma in pedagogy. But in my fourth year I started studying at the conservatory anyway, so for a year I was at two schools simultaneously.

IJ: And why did you make the decision in your fourth year? Did something unusual happen?

PM: That summer, I had taken part in a summer camp with [the Romani singer] Ida Kelarová, where I learned that a new conservatory was opening in Prague. I didn’t have high hopes for my application, but they accepted me. I had originally planned to go to university in Ústí nad Labem. If the conservatory hadn’t been founded, I’d probably be a teacher in Ústí today.

IJ: Five years ago, you put on a musical with some children from a special-needs school. With your pedagogical and music performance degrees, this seems like the perfect synthesis of your skills.

PM: This is what really fulfils me – I’m dedicated to teaching. I began as a Romani mentor in the town of Slaný. That was a two-year job that resulted in a musical that I had created with local children. I think that form of pedagogy is the best – learning through play – that’s what works. I’ve also taught at the International Conservatory, where I’ve worked for five years.

IJ: What style of music do you feel closest to?

PM: Traditional Romani music! I can sing it for two days straight and it’s not physically taxing, unlike classical music, for example. I consider Romani music to be a healthy type of singing, and it requires virtually no effort on my part.

IJ: You also direct a co-ed children’s choir. How did that get started?

PM: For last year’s International Romani Day celebrations, we had the theme ‘Together we can.’ Our director, David Tišer [founder of the Ara Art socially progressive theatre] had the idea of putting together a choir of Romani and non-Romani children to sing the Romani anthem. I would also like to form a Romani-Czech adult choir, but that will be at some point in the future.

IJ: What do you personally get out of your work with children?

PM: It brings me joy and energy. Although it’s true, of course, that at times it takes energy out of me, especially during individual lessons. But when I work with a group of kids, I’m pumped up for the rest of the day.

IJ: Do you think the theoretical education one receives in music schools is important?

PM: Yes, it’s important for people who want to devote themselves to music, including those who want to teach it. And theory helps me a lot when I’m studying something new, because it cuts down on my preparation time.

IJ: What is your greatest success to date?

PM: The Auschwitz Requiem. I often think back on that performance with fondness, even though rehearsing for it was lengthy and difficult.

IJ: What are you currently working on?

PM: I’m still involved with projects in creative education. And I’m in three musicals, in addition to the Ara Art theatre programme. I like to say that I love singing and that theatre is my love. Musicals are a combination of both, and it’s incredibly beautiful work to become someone else for two or three hours at a time.

Rights held by: Inka Jurková| Licensed by: Inka Jurková| Licensed under: CC-BY-NC 3.0 Germany | Provided by: RomArchive