Found: an exclusive interview with Kirill Petrenko (in English)

The inexhaustible Basia Jaworski has unearthed a video interview with the incoming chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, recorded five years ago in Israel. Petrenko speaks impressive, idiomatic English.

He reveals that both of his grandmothers were living in Israel, in the seaside town of Bat-Yam, and that they peacefully shared the same apartment.  Fast forward to 5:00 to begin his part of the interview.

In the next segment (below) he shares childhood reminiscences.

For a musician who became ferociously private, these are the most revealing we have yet seen of the new maestro. He talks of conducting as ‘manual therapy to make music’. The interviewer is Peter Marck, bass player in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.