Sorry to start off this way, but I don’t know if I sensed it right during the press conference… Do you enjoy such promotional events?

No, it’s difficult. I would prefer to keep a lower profile.

But you have to balance that in a way, don’t you? How do you deal with that, being recognisable all over the world?

I pray.

What’s more difficult – to come out on stage to play the music or to face the people at a press conference?

It’s just weird to walk out with all the cameras fixed on you and taking your pictures. [But] I never feel stage fright [before a performance].

Your parents were classical singers. Is it that you are more drawn to classical music because of that?

I’m not more drawn to classical music. I’m drawn to all kinds of music: classical, or jazz, gospel, Polish music, it doesn’t really matter.

Music must have been present in your life from very early stages… Was it your parents ambition for you to become a musician?

Music was definitely present in my home. No, it wasn’t my parents’ ambition, they knew I was going to be a musician by the time I was two. That’s what they said. I didn’t know until I was eighteen, though.

So what was your dream job when you were a little kid?

I kept changing my mind every week (laugh).

You wanted to be a fireman, a doctor…?

(Laugh) Probably. I wanted to be choreographer, and a writer, I wanted to teach English to high school students, I wanted to be a librarian, I wanted to be a priest, I wanted to be a monk, go into monasteries high up in the mountains and just pray all day. 

And when did this epiphany come when you decided to be a musician?  

Nothing like that happened. I was just eighteen and I had a counselling session in my senior year in high school and the counsellor asked me: "What are you going to do with college, what do you want to be?" And I said: "I am a musician so I guess I’ll be a musician". I felt it in my heart. 

Was there anything particularly difficult when working on the project?

Yeah, none of it was written for singers to sing. I had to figure out how to sing it, that’s all. 

How long did it take you to complete the project?

I worked on it just a couple of weeks before the first concert. Maybe three. Not that long. We have done the project maybe three or four times. 

Did you do any research before embarking on this project? Here in Poland, Chopin is perceived by many as a sacred thing, he is very much associated with our nationhood, our patriotism. Was it difficult to tackle for you?

No, I didn’t think about anything except what I was supposed to sing. When I first got the music, there were many notes, many tempos that were very very challenging. 

There is often a lot of discussion whether you should do Chopin this way or that way. The Chopin Piano Competition is approaching in October with very strict rules and very strict approach being applied…

I like being very free with music, taking liberties. I don’t like to stick directly with the notes, I like to venture off, like a little kid in a candy store. 

I hope you will enjoy your stay in Warsaw.

Oh, I will, I always do.

There are those stereotypes about Polish people being rather reserved… 

I don’t believe it (laugh).

Thank you very much indeed.

Interview by Monika Tacikowska (Chopin 2010 Celebrations Office).