Welcome to Ferran Garcerà Perelló, our new Principal Bass Clarinet

1. At what age did you start playing your instrument, and what made you choose it? Were there any memorable early experiences that made you realise you wanted to do this as a career?

I started playing the clarinet when I was seven because of my grand-father, who was an amateur clarinetist. I come from a region (València) where Wind Bands are deeply-rooted in society and have a very strong cultural relevance, so a lot of families have plenty of members who are wind musicians. I remember doing great concerts, trips and experiences with friends during my studies at early age that made me consider music as a beautiful path for my life and I am really thankful for my parents who always encouraged me and showed me support during every decision I made.

2. Do you have any heroes on your instrument?

I have many clarinet heroes, and each one of them has things that have inspired me in many ways, but I should say that the ones that have influenced me the most are my teachers José Vicente Mañes, David Martínez, Emilio Ferrando, Franck Amet and Nicolas Baldeyrou, who always believed in me and gave me many tools to develop myself as a musician and as a person, and made me stay curious and in constant research.

3. What are you most looking forward to in the rest of this LSO season? Any conductors, soloists or repertoire that catch your eye? Any stand-out tour destinations?

I am really looking forward to every concert with the LSO, the energy and passion of the musicians are really inspiring and conductors and soloists are amazing, but I am very excited about touring to America (first time in my life) and Spain, playing in cities like Barcelona, where I have lived and have many memories.

4. If you could go back, what advice would you give your younger self as an aspiring musician?

I would tell myself to stay curious and be confident, and always try to give opportunities to yourself, it is a very competitive world so it is very important to work hard and be humble enough to accept when something did not work well, and also to manage all this with living a complete and happy life not being too worried about the future.

5. Are there any other interesting things about you we should know? Do you play any other instruments? Do you have any hidden talents?

When I was studying music in València I was also studying Catalan Language and Literature at University at the same time, it was too difficult to combine both but I think it was very important to me to be more open-minded and have more interests like books and cinema. I also love sports and I enjoy playing football, basketball and tennis.

6. If you had to pick, what is your favourite piece of orchestral music, and why?

I would say that the one that brings me more memories is the Mozart Requiem, but I also love Shostakovich symphonies and La Valse by Ravel.

7. What piece of orchestral music would you recommend to someone who has never heard an orchestra before, and why?

I would suggest Mahler’s First Symphony Titan, it is a whole world in a piece and makes you feel a lot of emotions in an hour of music, every movement brings you different feelings, from being epic to sadness or joy.

8. Does your instrument have an interesting story or history behind it?

It was a nice experience to find the bass clarinet I still use, because I went alone in an early age to Paris, and chose it all by myself without the help of any teacher, it felt like a really exciting adventure.