An interview with Miguel Borrego, concertmaster of Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE

Violinist Miguel Borrego

For almost six years now, I always tune into Los conciertos de La 2, a Spanish program broadcast by Radio Televisión Española and watch videos of concerts mostly by the network’s own Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Televisión Española (RTVE). With new videos of concerts, recitals, chamber music, and choral music uploaded weekly, this has been one of my go to sites especially when it’s the off season for classical music performances here in the Philippines.

One of the orchestra’s concertmasters (they call the position concertino over there in Spain) is Miguel Borrego. Born in Madrid in 1971, Miguel began studying the violin at the age of six at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid under the direction of Wladimiro Martín where he received the highest marks as well as being awarded the Premio Fin de Carrera in 1988.

He is the concertmaster of the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE since 1997 and a member of Trío Arbós from 1996-2014. He has recorded under the Col legno and Naxos music labels. And he plays on a 1710 Carlo Tononi, Bologna violin.

Miguel really caught my attention during the 2009 edition of Un juguete, una illusion, a fundraising concert. I was very impressed with his violin solo, especially the ricochet bowing parts, during the orchestra’s performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34. And I am extremely pleased that he agreed to have a few words with me for this blog.

You’ve shown interest in contemporary works and have already premiered several new works like Jesús Torres’ Violin Concerto. How can people who are probably more interested in hearing music from centuries ago be convinced to listen and to watch more contemporary music?

The time in which we live in has nothing in common with how they lived 100 years ago. And of course, neither was the art the same in general too. Those who like music should understand that to listen to music from 300 or 100 years ago or from now is the same, but the language is different. One has to listen to music with good disposition and with open ears to allow all the sensations to come.

I’ve been watching videos of the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE for some years now and it was your solo for Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol back in 2009 that made an impression on me. That concert, along with the Trio Arbos concert for ‘Día Mundial del Sida’, are among my favorites. What are your most memorable performances?

It is always difficult to choose a concert as your favorite, but I think mine can be Jesús Torres’ Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.

How do you think the internet has changed the classical music scene worldwide? Has it surprised you to find out that someone from the Philippines has seen your orchestra’s concerts?

The internet is a powerful tool and a great way of communicating. And for musicians, it is incredible to have access to a large amount of information without leaving the house. One can have everything just by pressing a button. It is surprising that nowadays, one can listen from anywhere in the world.

Finally, what can we look forward from you, Miguel Borrego and the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE?

I’ll be out of Madrid for all of this week with rehearsals and concerts. Next week, the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE and I will be playing Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss. I’ll also have a violin and piano recital next week in Córdoba. These are the ones happening immediately. By the end of May, there will be a special concert celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the orchestra.

Concierto ORTVE A-19

Thank you once again to Miguel Borrego for granting this interview despite his extremely busy schedule. The orchestra’s 50^th anniversary concert this May is indeed something to look out for. But it’s still a few months away. So while waiting for that time, over six hundred videos (and counting) are still there for me to watch over and over again.