At age 21, Beatrice Rana will be the first female pianist to ever perform at our annual Rushton Concert, taking place this year on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30PM. In an interview with Rana, she shares some of her thoughts and personal life with us.
Birmingham Museum of Art: As such an accomplished young woman, to what do you attribute your success? Do you have any advice or tips on how to attain success?
Beatrice Rana: I am very grateful for what I have achieved in these years but I think there is still a long way, and I am very happy about it. I always loved music and I couldn’t live without sharing it with people; even though I had some difficult moments with my musical life, even though this career requires a strict discipline and lot of sacrifices, I have never had doubts about what I would like to become. To believe in what you want to do is the best (and the only) way to achieve something, I think.
BMA: Do you have a favorite artist and work of art?
BR: I love Caravaggio, and my favorite is I Bari. Probably because it was the first work of him I saw in a museum.
BMA: What was it like growing up in a family full of musicians?
BR: It is a great thing. Music has been part of my daily life since when I was born, and my parents have always been supporting me. They didn’t want me to become a musician necessarily, and I really appreciated their willingness to make me a serene person, but as the time went by I realized music would have been my life. Needless to say, they were very happy about it!
BMA: Do you get nervous before a big performance? If so, is there anything you like to do to help soothe your nerves?
BR: I get nervous before every performance, not only for the big ones. But probably “nervous” is not the best word … I would say, “excited” instead. And there is no need to soothe the nerves, otherwise concerts would be my daily routine, and that wonderful adrenalin feeling would be lost. I remember someone once said, “Honey, you’re paid for being uncomfortable!”
BMA: At age 21, you are the first female pianist to perform at the Rushton Concert. Is there anything else you have accomplished that you were the first to have done so?
BR: I have been the first female many times, both at the Cliburn and Montreal Competition, where I was the first female medalist from Italy. I am very proud of it.
BMA: What are you looking forward to most about your performance in Birmingham?
BR: I always look for a unique experience, because making music is just about that. I have already been to Alabama and it was a wonderful experience, so I am very positive about my first time in Birmingham!
To learn more about Ms. Rana and the Rushton Concert, please click here. The concert is free and open to the public.