It should be easy to admit when you’re out of your depth.
When it comes to classical music, I am.
Can and have interviewed musicians from that realm, but always feel like a fraud at worst, unqualified at best,
That said, sitting down with new Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra conductor and music director Rune Bergmann was an unbelievably relaxed and entertaining afternoon of conversation about everything — his family, career, classical music, philosophy, experiences and more.
That is, in actuality, part of the charm of the “huge, sweaty Viking” who leads Calgary’s “house band.” He really is an engaging and generous human being, who not only wants to take the CPO to the next level, but wants to take the music to a larger audience.
He was a delight.
We talked about his upbringing in a small Norwegian town, how he came to classical music, what set him down the path of being a conductor, his thoughts on the city he now lives in part time, whether or not his family will join him here, what guides him as both a conductor and music director, and what’s ahead.
The Podcask was recorded live at the Wild Rose Taproom on Sunday, May 13, 2018, and produced by Lorrie Matheson at his Arch Audio Studio in Inglewood.
Thanks very much to the gregarious and infinitely likeable Rune Bergmann for his time, to the folks at the CPO for facilitating the conversation, Mr. Matheson for working the magic that he does, and Wild Rose, for not only letting us record in their Taproom, but for supporting what we here at theYYSCENE and the Podcask are trying to do — support Alberta culture.
Please listen or download below, and if you enjoy what you heard, please look for past and previous Podcasks on this site or head to iTunes, subscribe and download for free.
Cheers.
Mike Bell has been covering the Calgary music scene for the past 25 years with publications such as VOX, Fast Forward, the Calgary Sun and, most recently, the Calgary Herald. He is currently the music writer and content editor for theYYSCENE.com. Follow him on Twitter/@mrbell_23 or email him at mike@theyyscene.com. He likes beer. Buy him one.
