Last week we had the opportunity to be part of a special story in Dubrovnik. So, imagine a moment of peaceful dawn, filled with soft colors, the sun rising almost imperceptibly. The air is filled with music, ethereal sounds of cello and piano, rising to a crescendo with as the Sun emerges above mountain, sea, and an almost fairy tale town far below. This is not a fantasy: this is the midsummer dawn on the summit of Mt Srđ above Dubrovnik, with Rucner and Oliver Poole.
“Every day is a new beginning and this beginning was all about the rhythm and a particular and individual tone.” says Ana Rucner, one of the greatest authorities in the world of music. This beautiful and charismatic musician plays the cello with her own unique style perfectly suited to this unusual place and time. This year’s “Ana in the City” was full of surprises. From the audience reaction and comments we would dare to conclude that this 5th concert on Srđ was one of the best so far.
Young and talented Oliver Poole, the pianist from the UK, won the crowd with his performance and gave each guest a part of himself. Another highlight of the concert was the appearance of surprise guests from neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dalal & Deen. “Our collaboration is a fruit of friendship. It is love that leads us through our work!“, said Deen and his college Dalal added “When Ana said we should sing at 6 AM, I wondered to who?! Now it is very obvious! I have never experienced something like this! It is a great honor for us and an opportunity to participate in a cultural event at a completely different level“. We could not have imagined a better Summer Solstice dawn, nor could we have imagined having better company for breakfast!? It was by the far most memorable day ever and for a number of reasons. Oliver Poole, is a pianist who believes in making the world a better place through music, and he is only 24.
His presence is magnifying and electric. His extremely emotional performance invokes all the senses that he transfuses into the notes. It is a combination of charisma and talent together, his mastery of communication and improvisation makes him a unique performer. It may be presumptuous to say that the world expects a lot from him – but it is balanced by the equal truth that he expects a lot from the world! To hear him play is to believe that neither may be disappointed.
His own words are more modest: “I am just enjoying myself …. everyone is full of music and should enjoy trying to feel the elements … to feel the soul! That is the whole point of performing, especially coming to the place like this. It is not about me. It is about everyone trying to make something and to become aware of something!”
What is the music for you?
“Music is the one language that we can all understand. We use it to develop and understand each other. It is an element in itself, like the sun, nature… music. It is about the whole of experience. Everyone wants to feel good. Everyone should allow themselves to be a medium, that is part of what it means to be human!”
Where does your inspiration come from?
“It comes from within, this inspiration. It is inspiration from the divine, or however one may wish to call it; or as you said previously the Light. It is all about the energy.”
During the entire concert Oliver was up there, live, with us, we were part of it all and Oliver was definitely a part of us, the audience. Though he constantly kept saying ‘I’m not awake yet! I have still not woken up.’
As we closed the interview I asked him: “Oliver, are you awake now?” and surprisingly he said “No! Actually I might be dreaming”. Which perhaps we all are in a way. As Calderon de la Barca has said “An illusion, a shadow, a story. And even the greatest good is little enough; for all life is a dream, and dreams themselves are only dreams”.
Nea Krstanović & Marija Gaura
Photos: Marija Gaura, PR, Instagram photo (last one)
