David Hill: Welcome Sofi! Can you tell us about your past?

Sofi Jeannin: I was born in Sweden in Stockholm, to a French father and Swedish mother. In my early years we lived in Stockholm, and at a later stage we moved to a more rural surrounding west of Stockholm, very close to the mining community. Growing up in Sweden was like being in a bath of choral music from the cradle. It is a country where people still sing on every occasion. In my time, every classroom in every school had an upright piano.

DH: What a thought!

SJ: Yes! We would start the day singing and we would sing during breaks, before, and after lunch – all the time! It was normal for the regular class teachers to be able to accompany the children on the piano.

DH: Really? Is that still happening?

SJ: No, it doesn’t happen anymore. I think that pop music is so important in Sweden, not least as an export, that other forms of singing have disappeared. When you listen to young (Swedish) choirs, their vocal production is reminiscent of a pop culture. In my childhood that was not the case. Pop music was around, but there was much more of a balance in the singing culture. Teachers from the local music school would come to our primary school to teach us. It was only when we went to secondary school that we had to travel to the music school for lessons. It was a great system to get the children involved in music – there was a whole structure to provide music education. I sang all the time and became increasingly interested in music, but I was never sure I was going to become a musician. It was after taking my A levels that I decided to study musicology in more depth along with music history and analysis. This all led me towards ethnomusicology and studying folk singing in different countries. I trained mainly as a singer and played the piano.

DH: Where were you training at this point?

SJ: Some of it was in France, and then I went back to the Royal Academy in Stockholm where I did a Masters in Musicology.

DH: When did you start conducting?

SJ: I've always conducted groups since being a teenager. I gathered my friends in school to make music together in choirs. We even went to a hospital, and once to a women's prison to sing: wed organise events around Christmas, which were such fun. I've always enjoyed bringing people together to make music. When I was at the French conservatoire, I took conducting as a second study. As soon as I started that, it was where I felt most at home.

DH: Where did you study in France?

SJ: It was in Nice and after that I went to London, studying at the Royal College of Music for a choral conducting degree with Paul Spicer.

DH: You had clearly done so much studying; at which point did you decide to become a full-time conductor?

SJ: When I really started to study it properly, taking classes, I was completely bitten by it. I thought it was just the best part of my music studies to this point: the ways you would study and conquer a score and then communicate it to the singers and audience. And although you spend a lot of time on your own working at the scores, it's also a very social activity and I really like people. Being able to draw music from people is a very attractive thing to me.

DH: A fascinating perspective, Sofi. Do you think the environment has changed for women conductors since you started out?

SJ: Yes. Firstly, when I started training, it felt like I was the only woman in front of groups and it's great to see so much has changed in recent years. It's not such an event now when it's a woman in front of a group on the rostrum. I must say that when I was at the Royal College, I never felt I was being singled out in any way: it wasn't important as we focused on other things. That was very refreshing after the French experience, where I think things were a little bit more old-fashioned. For instance, when I had an exam in conducting, the panel would call me ‘Mademoiselle’ or whatever – it was another world. But it really has changed everywhere, and for the better, particularly when women are appointed to groups of a really high standard and with an international profile. Mirga's appointment to the CBSO proved to be a big moment.

DH: It's so good, isn't it? I'm also delighted to be working with many talented women conductors in Yale, the Royal Northern in Manchester and the Royal Academy in London. So, do you know about the new appointment at Danish Radio?

SJ: Yes! Martina [Batič] was my successor at the French Radio Chorus. I introduced her to the group and she was appointed following my appointment to the BBC Singers. One of the things I enjoy doing is helping other women conductors – actually anyone! – who is talented and deserves a chance.

DH: I'm looking forward to talking with Martina for this column very soon.

SJ: I also like to recommend people for the BBC Singers, but it's difficult to bring them here from abroad with the limited budgets available. Returning, briefly, to changing possibilities for women conductors: another thing that has changed is to do with the role of authority. Academia has possibly been more advanced than music generally in promoting women, particularly when you see them as principals of colleges, heads of departments or project leaders in business; things have definitely changed and are becoming more and more even: we're fast moving away from the stereotypes of even a few years ago.

DH: How long were you with the French Radio Choir?

SJ: I was with them for three years, strictly four if you count the one year I did before being appointed. When it came to renew the contract, I had already agreed to come to the BBC Singers. You can't turn that down!

© PATRICK ALLEN

‘There's no other group in the world that works with the BBC Singers' stamina, ability to work at such a pace, and with such standards’

DH: Indeed not! We know that anyone who takes on the role of chief conductor of the Singers needs to be able to tackle almost any repertoire demanded. If you could choose an area of music, or composers you would like to do more of, what are your thoughts?

SJ: I think I would want to concentrate on the music of our time. I really like doing music of today and that’s an aspect of the job at the BBC which I really love. As to an area, I do love the composers of my homeland and Scandinavia, and anything from the Baltic States really resonates with me. It’s the use of the voice in different ways which is fascinating and a model of creativity: I do love that aesthetic, I must say

DH: What about other music?

SJ: Well, there’s no better feeling than when you do a piece by Bach or Schütz, or venture into German Romanticism. A full-on programme of Brahms and Schumann is wonderful: there’s just so much and you have to be something of a chameleon to sink into the repertoire you’re doing. Also, mixing works from different genres in the same programme can be really interesting, which I know you enjoy too!

DH: I do, and I agree it's something we should all be doing more of, as it's so clearly fascinating for audiences when they experience it. My final question is about that remarkable group, the BBC Singers. I've enjoyed seeing them again in the past year and on such good form. How important do you think they are in our national choral scene?

SJ: This is a main question, generally, for today when many bastions of public service are being challenged. As for the Singers, they have changed and developed through the years: they’ve been extremely avant-garde, they’ve broadened their repertoire for audiences, broadcast Evensong live. There are just so many different aspects of choral singing they have achieved, and to have a group of that calibre in the UK is completely unique. There’s no other group in the world that works with their stamina, their ability to work at such a pace and with such standards. They do so many broadcasts and work so very hard – it helps to fuel a future of extremely capable singers. For me, it’s really a treasure. Of course, there are amazing choral ensembles all over the UK, but there is no guarantee as to the longevity of those groups.

DH: I totally agree, they are a truly remarkable group of singers and musicians.

SJ: Absolutely. Providing new content for the radio is so important – we should not be relying on playing CDs all the time! This is something we mustn’t lose sight of. The Singers’ commitment to the overall choral scene is phenomenal.

DH: There seems no doubt in both our minds that the BBC Singers are essential for the future of Radio 3 and the world of choral music. Thanks, Sofi, for being so interesting and candid!