Instantly recognized by her "arrestingly beautiful tone" (Strad), cellist Denise Djokic’s upcoming concerts take her across North America. This fall she releases a new disc of Chopin and Rachmaninoff sonatas with pianist David Jalbert.
- What are we interrupting (i.e. what music-related activity are we taking you away from to write this)?
I'm listening to the Grieg String Quartet while watering the plants and doing laundry (can you tell I'm in pre-travel cramming mode?)
2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member (not work-related) between now and September 7?
I'm excited to go to my cousin's wedding back home in Illinois, and also to spend time in my new house! I'm trying to learn how to take care of our garden. But I'll have to wait until August before I'll have a chance to do that, since I'll be on the road for the next six weeks.
3. How about work-related events/activities?
I always enjoy the summer festival craziness, especially this July when I'll be playing with my family in Ottawa at Music and Beyond. If we're not rehearsing, we're usually sitting on a patio somewhere during happy hour. I'm also excited to have the chance to see and play with one of my closest friends, pianist David Jalbert.
4. What are you already preparing for musically beyond the summer? And (how) do your summer plans tie in with these longer term plans?
For some reason, the Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations seems to be the piece I'm performing most this year, and two of these performances will be part of all-Tchaikovsky programs. I'm glad to have the chance to perform it in Wisconsin this summer at the Peninsula Music Festival and I'll be playing it again this October with the Winnipeg Symphony. I'm also starting to learn a concerto by Friedrich Gulda which I'm performing for the first time this January. But I'm mainly trying to stay sane with my repertoire load this summer and catch a little down time when I can!
