The French-born pianists Marielle and Katia Labeque bring their
musical passion to pieces in nearly every genre. The sisters’
willingness to learn from experts in various fields contributes to
the repertoire that earns them critical acclaim.
“Just to go and discover new music and composers is very
important,” Marielle said. “I don’t want to plan.
Who knows what we’ll be doing in two years? I like to learn
and to discover. My sister is always doing that. She has a lot of
energy for it.”
It’s a good thing they weren’t too set in their
plans for tonight’s performance at Royce Hall. The Cuban
percussionist scheduled to perform alongside the Labeques, Julio
Barreto, was denied his visa to the country, forcing the LaBeques
to make dramatic last minute changes to their concert program. The
sisters were originally going to perform works from Leonard
Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” but opted for a
Mozart piece instead.
“You never know what is going to happen, no matter how
much goes into preparing,” Marielle said.
What turns out to be the high point of a concert is always a
surprise to the sisters. Having two different feelings about the
same piece on concert night is a common challenge they face while
playing in a duet as opposed to being soloists. Marielle’s
interest lies in chamber, classical music while Katia’s style
leans toward a modern edge. Yet, their confidence, and enthusiasm
for playing and creating music helps them to be successful.
“We have different fingers,” Marielle said.
“It’s important that we don’t try to be
completely together. It would be boring. Having two personalities
is more interesting.”
The Labeques look forward to once again making the trip to Royce
Hall. The concert hall’s well-designed acoustics and the
responsive American audience create an environment in which the
sisters’ energy can thrive during a concert.
Although their mother’s repeated attempts at getting the
sisters to play together when they were younger often ended in
frequent quarrels, they ultimately decided to pursue a musical
career when they were teenagers.
They believe their relationship has always been encouraging in
spite of their differences.