“My whole life is to play the cello and share music - The cello is the purpose of my life.”
Camille Thomas will briefly share with us the three turning points in her life: receiving the Feuermann Stradivarius cello for performance, having Fazil Say dedicating a cello concerto “Never Give Up” to her, and signing a contract with the Deutsche Grammophon for producing recordings. She will also reveal her journey in bringing music and its beauty and that music can bring hope to people around the world, while she never gives up in overcoming different challenges in her life.
Clara: Hello Camille. Thank you for your time to make this interview happen. I've heard that you've started playing the cello at 4 and have never stopped your musical journey with your cello since then. As you set out to bring your passion in classical music and inspire people with your cello all over the world, it seems that you could hardly stay in any place for a long time. How do you strike a balance between your personal life and your demanding career as a cellist?
Camille: This is a very good question and I've asked myself too. It's a challenge, of course, because my whole life which I've dedicated to playing and sharing music is about the cello. I believe this is the purpose of my life. But it is also very important to have a balance with my private life. So it's especially a challenge for me because I can never stop thinking about music. So I need to work on it.
Clara: If you could choose again, would you still prefer touring around?
Camille: Yes. I think it's a wonderful life. It's not a common life because I don't have things like office hours and weekends. But I think it's a big life because I have the chance to share the wonderful message of music, its beauty, and the message of hope that music carries to people all over the world. I am always touched to see that the listeners are touched by the music I play. Music doesn't need words to be understood and it speaks directly to their hearts. I think It's absolutely wonderful to play music all over the world.
Clara: Indeed, I agree. You have a very busy touring schedule and you came to Hong Kong because of Premiere Performances Hong Kong's invitation. We are really glad that you can share your music with us on 1 April. Is this your first time working with Premiere? How did they find you? Was there a story behind the collaboration?
Camille: Actually, it is a premiere performance literally because I have never performed in Hong Kong. So it's really my premiere performance and my first time visiting Hong Kong. I'm so excited to get to know this amazing city and to play for the people here. In fact, the concert should have happened two years ago. But it was postponed twice because of the pandemic. Now that it's finally confirmed, I'm even happier to see it happen.
Clara: When Premiere contacted you, did they send you a request for what pieces to play or were you able to choose your own programme for the recital?
Camille: Of course, I was able to choose the repertoire. I think it is very important to choose pieces you deeply love and those you feel will be a good combination with the pianist. I've only heard from others about the pianist Rachel Cheung because I didn't know her before. We've only met two days ago. But Emily from Premiere highly recommended her because she was a great pianist.
Clara: I've just heard about your rehearsal and it was beautiful.
Camille: That's why I thought I should choose some pieces in which the piano has an amazing part. This is going to be lovely with our pianist. Then I picked out Chopin's “Introduction and Polonaise Brillante” which is very virtuoso, and also pieces from Grieg and Franck. So the whole programme is really a duo for co-partners and I'm so happy that we can do that with Rachel.
Clara: When was your first time visiting Asia, both as a cellist and as a tourist? Do you think there is a big difference between the audience in Asian countries and those in European and American countries?
Camille: I think there is. In fact, I'd say every country is different and even more so for different continents. My first time coming to Asia as a cellist but not to play was when I had to pick up the Stradivarius in Tokyo from the Nippon Music Foundation. They sent me an email saying that they were happy to loan me the ‘Feuermann’ Stradivarius. It was in 2019. So I went to Tokyo just to pick up the cello and then I came back. I stayed only a few hours. That was my first trip to Asia which was very very intense and short.
Actually, I later had many concerts that were cancelled due to Covid but my first performance in Asia was in Korea for the Tongyeong Music Festival two years ago. I played Fazil Say's Concerto for Cello called “Never Give Up”. It was such a beautiful and meaningful piece to play during the pandemic. Then I visited Japan, and now it's my first time in Hong Kong and I'll be in Korea again. There are many plans for performing in Asia. I love to play in Asia because the public is very appreciative and thankful for the music and for the fact that you come from Europe to play. I am much impressed by their big love and big respect for music, and the big knowledge that the community know about music. It's always quite extraordinary to come.
Clara: When did you come? Which seasons?
Camille: I'm okay with coming to Asia during all seasons. It was spring when I was in Tongyeong in Korea and I could see the cherry blossom trees. This time I had a chance to see them in Tokyo again. I was also in Japan last summer. It's always, always beautiful.
Clara: I think it is more so especially when there are the cherry blossoms. You're very lucky. Apart from the performance, you also do recordings. The Deutsche Grammophon (DG) is a German classical music recording label and the oldest surviving established recording company. It has been associated with a huge catalogue of notable recordings from classical to contemporary pieces performed by prestigious musicians. I'd like to say congratulations because you were the first female cellist to sign a contract with DG in 40 years. How do you feel about your collaboration with DG? What do you think was the reason for them to collaborate with you?
Camille: Thank you so much. First, my feeling about my collaboration with DG is that it was a big honour and a big responsibility because I feel I have to be as good as possible. I really need to give my best to deserve this huge honour. I'd say it changed my life. It was 2017 and everything happened too fast. When I was invited to play in a TV show hosted by Rolando Villazón called “Stars of Tomorrow,” the people from DG heard the performance. Then they came to listen to me when I was playing in Berlin. They actually called the venue. However, about two weeks later, I suddenly received their proposal for signing a contract with me.
I couldn't help but think, “Wow, what's happening?” I felt so happy and also so scared because I felt the responsibility. Then things went on very quickly and I recorded my first album for Saint Sean and Offenbach and also held mini-concerts. What I could say about this experience is that I learned a lot by doing. I was not ready for everything. For example, I didn't have a lot of experience in playing with orchestras before. So there were many first-times. But I went for everything because I have such a great desire to play and to make the most beautiful music possible. I believe this is a great chance. As I Iooked back and it's been 6 years, I can feel that I've become a much better cellist. Now that I've learned so much, I'd like to give you an advice - just go for it and you'll learn. You'll also learn from all your mistakes and your crises on stage. You learn to play music by playing it. So I'm very happy that I took this challenge and went for it.
Clara: Great! You are so humble.
Camille: Being humble is important.
Clara: Speaking of your work with DG, I'm particularly interested in your 2020 album “Voice of Hope”. One of the pieces “Never Give Up” was composed by Fazil Say who responded to the terrorist attacks in Paris and Istanbul in 2015 with music and dedicated this cello concerto to you. In fact, you are also passionate about helping others through music so the album was recorded in partnership with UNICEF. Can you tell us more about the story?
Camille: This cello concerto is also one of the events that changed my life. I would say performing this concerto, receiving the ‘Feuermann’ Stradivarius for performance, and signing DG are three turning points in my life.
I met the acclaimed Turkish composer Fazil Say in 2015 and we stayed in touch afterwards. He said he'd love to compose a cello concerto for me. One week after the terrorist attack in Bataclan, Paris, he told me, “Yes, I've started to compose because I felt so much pain. I had to find a way to express it and overcome it through music.” That's why the cello piece is called “Never Give Up.” The idea behind the music and the concerto is that we should never give up on mankind, on beauty and on hope.
So I premiered the piece in Paris in 2016 with the Orchestre de Paris and Fazil was with me. It was really amazing to have him next to me all the way because it was the first time in my life that I could witness the birth of a concerto and work with the composer. I went to Istanbul and we played together. He was on the piano and played for the premier too. The audience were literally crying because this piece spoke about today and our world which was extremely actual. I felt that this was an extremely important message. So I decided immediately to record this piece with several pieces related to peace, which can make me feel very stringent and help the listeners to find the power to grow and to be hopeful from the music.
Clara: Thank you for the message. We should never give up. Unlike classical cello pieces which have been played by so many musicians and have different interpretations you may take reference to for your playing, “Never Give Up” is freshly written and tailored for you. Was it easier or more difficult to practise and perform new pieces like this? How long did it take for you to practise before you got ready for the recording?
Camille: It’s different at the beginning and of course it’s a bit more difficult because you don’t have it in your mind. You have to listen to it with your ears. But other than that, it was not so challenging. My difficulty was that I had to learn it with little time.
I remember Fazil kept on writing to me on WhatsApp, “Did you start?” “Did you look at my score?” To tell you the truth, I didn't because I had no time. I wasn't even sure what was happening at the time. Perhaps I was too busy with many upcoming concerts and different repertoires. I'm the kind of person that always needs to practise the pieces before I perform. Since there was already a series of performances scheduled, I really didn't have much time to learn new things - not to mention that I had to be extra focused and concentrated in order to learn something completely new. That's why at the beginning of practice, it'll need some time. I believe I only had 3 days to spare at the time so these three days must be fully focused and devoted to the piece. Fazil started to get repertory because I was too busy to answer him. Then I talked him to peace, saying that though it was a little bit late, I could be very fast because I would be completely focused on the piece.
So not as a reference, I'm always too late to start and every time I always find that I should have started even earlier. This is really difficult for me.
Clara: We all struggle to do well but we never seem to get away from failing. I can totally understand. So keep it up!
Camille: Yes I will.
Clara: Comparing new compositions like “Never Give Up” to the traditional cello repertoire, do you have a preference for performing them?
Camille: I love to play pieces when it has and speaks about emotions with lots of musical expressions, and when it has a story. So my choice can be anything as long as it has something to say. Then I can make lots of music.
Clara: Time is running out. Let me ask my last question. It is undeniable that your cello techniques are outstanding and your performance is also well-praised and recognized. But to become the Camille Thomas we see today, you must have encountered and overcome many challenges. I'm sure many cello students would like to hear how you motivate or help yourself to continue playing the cello. Cello lovers would love to know how you succeed too. Can you share your insights and advice with us?
Camille: Of course. I believe the most important thing would be the love for music. Love and desire to share this love. That’s my motivation for every day.
The journey is very difficult. It was not easy for me as well. But I think for everybody, we all have to face our own challenges and I’m very lucky to still be able to play today. Looking back, I’ve always loved music so much and I listened to music all the time. It gave me all my energy and saved my life. It is because I could feel different emotions when I listen to music. I may think that life is worse, such as feeling more sad when I listen to sad music. But when I’m in love, I’ll love even more. Music has made me want to investigate what makes me feel that way. It helps me reflect on the past - that’s the power of music and my motivation.
Another more practical advice from me is that knowing everybody has a difficult life, we should never give up. I remember when I was much younger and went to see someone performing a concerto, I was absolutely in awe, thinking “Is that even possible to perform? It’s so difficult!” Now I’m the one doing the same thing, I believe this is a result of so much work, so much dedication and also lots of failures. You have to accept that failure is part of the journey. So the key to success is to always be reborn from failure because we all play the wrong notes; we all miss entrance exams; and we all don’t pass competitions from the first round.
I’d really like to share a secret, my past experience, with you. When I was 16, I was not accepted to the Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire de Paris). I felt so desperate that I thought my life was over and I’d never be a cellist. Then my mom saw me so depressed and applied for Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, Germany for me. She encouraged me that, “Just try and you can always try Paris afterwards”. So I went to try that school and I was accepted. Though I took the offer to study in Berlin, I was still thinking, “I just want to go to Paris.” Had I known little that I never left Berlin after that. It was the biggest change in my life. I never thought that it would start my journey. So sometimes failure can open you another door.
The last advice I have from my dear teacher Frans Helmerson is that the key in learning is to become your own master and is to learn how to practise. It is because everything you do on stage is a result of your practice. It’s not about the allowance of the time you spend on the cello.
It also took me a lot of time to understand how to practise well. I think it’s about giving your brain and your body all the good information, gestures and decisions in playing. Also during the practice, you need to make your little plan, a little cooking for your music. It’s a bit like sports which is not really intangible like art to practise. It’s very much to do with the brain so that when you perform, you can just let go of your body and your muscles will know what to do. Then it’s really not much about your body anymore. You can just open your heart and be in the music and play. But this can only happen if your goals for practices are very clear and your practices are strong. What’s difficult is to learn how to practise that well and to become your own master in terms of hearing yourself and knowing what you want to hear while still being yourself.
One thing I like about Frans Helmerson is that he didn’t try to make every cellist sound like how he plays. Everybody is an individual and everybody is unique. Also, Coco Chanel said, “There is no one like you. You are the only one you.” So you should just need to know that and give your own playing because this is what will touch people, the sincerity of your playing.
Clara: So the way is to learn how to practise to become your own master.
Camille: Exactly!
Clara: Thank you very much for your time today for the interview. I’m very much looking forward to your performance on 1 April. I hope to see you again in Hong Kong soon. Please enjoy the rest of the days in Hong Kong.