A natural on stage

In his mid-twenties, he has already achieved a great deal in the world of singing. Now the up-and-coming baritone from Lower Bavaria is coming to Beethovenfest – as the winner of the coveted German Business Music Prize. In this interview, Jonas Müller reveals how one becomes a singer, how one remains one, and what matters when choosing a piano accompanist.

How did you discover your voice?

I have a background in boys’ choirs. I attended a grammar school with music focus in Niederalteich (Lower Bavaria), which is part of a monastery with a boys’ choir. My musical journey began even earlier, though: I started playing the piano when I was about five. It became clear relatively quickly that I had a talent for music. We had a very good music teacher at primary school. She put on a children’s musical with us, in which I sang my first major role: the witch Lisbeth. It was marvellous. My mum told me she was absolutely flabbergasted because even back then – to put it bluntly – I was a real show-off, in Year 2 or Year 3. I actually realised for the first time that I wanted to be a singer when I was 15, during an experience with the school big band. I was given the chance to sing as a soloist for the first time in front of 1,000 people at a big concert organised by the four arts-focused grammar schools in the Deggendorf district: Michael Bublé’s It’s a Beautiful Day. I’ve never been that nervous in my life again. But then I had that classic ›aha‹ moment: I sang the first note and knew that this was my stage. That’s when I thought: this could be something for me.

Did your family support you on your journey into music?

I’m the only professional musician in the family. But I come from a family with an interest in music. My father is a very passionate saxophone player, and my mother used to enjoy singing in a choir. My older sister learnt to play the piano. That was also the reason why we had a piano and why I wanted to learn in the first place. And although I grew up in the countryside, my grandparents took me to the opera in Passau – that was about 50 kilometres away.

Did you realise early on that you wanted to pursue this professionally and study it?

It was clear that I wanted to make music. But what exactly? I also considered whether I should study the piano after all. I had singing lessons with my choir director. He encouraged me to try out for the audition at the Würzburg University of Music. I applied as a tenor. The professor then said to me: »Would you rather be a tenor who’s always struggling with the high notes, or a baritone with a great high register?« Thank goodness I chose the path of a baritone. I started when I was 17, because I’d finished my A-levels early thanks to the G8 programme. But I didn’t want to commit myself straight away: I knew, after all, that the music business is a tough world, and I wanted to see if it was right for me. After two years, I realised that I could keep up and that there were prospects for the future.

An important mentor in your career is the experienced lieder accompanist Gerold Huber. How does a young student come to give recitals with such a luminary?

When I was just 18, I was walking down the stairs at the Würzburg University of Music and happened to see a notice on the noticeboard: Gerold Huber. My eyes nearly popped out of my head – what’s he doing here? Then someone told me he was a professor here. The conservatoire porter was also called Gerold – a true Franconian. He took me aside and introduced me to the other Gerold: »I’ve got someone for you, another Lower Bavarian.« Gerold said straight away: »Ah yes, will you pop round sometime?« That’s how my connection with Gerold Huber began, and my affinity for art songs too. I’ve known him for almost nine years now. A few years ago, we performed Schumann’s Dichterliebe together. Of course, I was aware that he’d already recorded the piece five times on CD before playing it with me. He knows exactly what he’s doing and always gets straight to the point if something isn’t quite right. He only has to say one word and you know exactly where you went wrong.

What role does a piano partner play for you as a singer?

At the moment, I really enjoy singing with three pianists. As well as Gerold Huber, I’ve been working with Anna Gebhardt for a very long time and with great pleasure; she’ll also be joining me at the concert in Bonn. I’ve formed a new partnership with Aris Blettenberg, a Munich-based pianist, arranger, composer and conductor – an incredibly talented all-rounder. All three have their own unique qualities, and singing with each of them feels different – without meaning to judge. Piano accompanists play a huge role for every singer. A good accompanist is always a bit of a vocal coach as well. Because, as a singer, I can’t hear myself the way I sound to the outside world. That’s why you rely on this partner. Pianists don’t interfere with the technical aspects of singing, but they do suggest how they might imagine the sound being different. And they point out my mistakes.

How do you manage to achieve this control over such a physical process as singing?

It’s very intuitive, and you often rely heavily on your own subjective feeling. A great deal is influenced by the acoustics, which reflect the sound back to me. There are concerts where I feel as though I’ve got a sock in my mouth. That’s dreadful, because I can only control it to a limited extent. That’s why it’s important to be in tune with your own body and to work a lot with your imagination. How do I colour my sound? Should it sound like mocha, or should it actually be sparkling water?

You’ve devised a new recital programme for Bonn. What was the underlying idea?

As part of my tour as a prize-winner of the Kulturkreis der Deutschen Wirtschaft, I’m giving six concerts. To ensure it doesn’t become too much, I’ve prepared three different programmes. I’ll also be performing the programme for Bonn at the Lucerne Festival. The theme there is »American Dream«, whilst the theme in Bonn is »Home«. So I wanted to create something that would suit both themes. The result is the title »Somewhere in the World«. Part of this involves exploring the American Dream – particularly for emigrants, for whom it represented a promise. This relates directly to Bonn’s theme and the exploration of home (and the loss thereof). Hanns Eisler, who arrived in Los Angeles in 1938, explored this in his Hollywood Elegies, set to poems by fellow émigré Bertolt Brecht. He takes quite a dig at these hopes: »Beneath the green pepper trees, the musicians go out on the street.« The programme is otherwise structured into four parts, each defined by a programmatic Schubert song. Drang in die Ferne, for example, which is about no longer being able to bear it at home – only to be disappointed by one’s experiences in a foreign land. Finally, there is Frühlingsglauben, a song of hope. Schubert is always very central to me.

For you, it’s also often part of the job to present your concerts. How do you go about it?

I think it’s important to host conceptual programmes like this one. I take my cue from cabaret when it comes to the technique. They write it out and learn it by heart – then you’re free. I love being well prepared.

For singers, it’s also always important to plan a sustainable career for the future, so that the voice lasts a long time. What do you focus on, and where do you want to go from here?

For baritones, the anatomical development of the voice as we age is a major issue. I’m in my mid-20s now – so there’s still quite a lot that will change. For me, it’s instructive to work with older colleagues who have a similar vocal quality to mine. That way, I can see what I might be like in 5 or 10 years’ time, and what I might need to watch out for. As a singer, you continue to work with voice coaches even after you’ve finished your studies. I still go to my teacher from my university days for check-ups and further development. It’s particularly important to me to have someone who knows my voice well and whom I trust. Once you’re employed at opera houses later on, you’ll come across many coaches who have very strong opinions and their own ideas. That can clash with your own vision and be problematic. Generally speaking, it’s important to me for the future not to rush into anything. You mustn’t sing too much too soon – things you’re not yet ready for.