Interview: Marina Roznitovsky

For our second interview, we decided to feature our one native Israeli. Marina , 26 years old, was actually born in the Ukraine to a Russian-speaking family and moved to Israel when she was 6 years old. She began harp lessons at the age of 12 with Olga Moitlis originally of Moscow, who has become like her second mother. (Whose harp teacher is not like a second mother?)  When she finished high school, she was lucky to escape the mandatory Israeli army duty because they had too many women that year; it would have really put her career on hold for several years, even keeping her from leaving the country. So, she happily went to study with Susann McDonald at Indiana University. Six years later, she had accumulated a Bachelor’s Degree, a Master’s Degree, and a Performance Diploma. After graduation, she moved to Reno, Nevada, where she teaches at the University of Nevada, and plays in various area orchestras.

Can you tell us a bit about how you prepared for the competition?

The competition was basically something to do once I graduated. Just as I was graduating, the repertoire came out and I thought, “Gosh, I’m not going to have lessons every week to prepare for. I have to have a goal in front of me.” I think this is so valuable to people like me. I think I would have degraded if I weren’t preparing for something. It really kept me going. Every semester I did a recital with the music I was preparing for this. And because there was a chamber music round, I was able to play with the other faculty members of my school more than I had before.

Is there anything you would like to share about your experience here at the competition?

I’m really glad the competition is getting this exposure. I think it has moved a couple of steps up. I was not at the previous ones, so I don’t have the direct experience to compare to, but I’ve heard from other people who have been. I know that the harps we have right now are just phenomenal, and the living arrangements are very comfortable, it’s just the ultimate thing you can have. It’s not in this really fancy kind of hotel that would almost distract us from what we’re doing, so I think they are very ultimate conditions. Also, the opening concert was very impressive. It’s something that’s a high accomplishment for a concert in Israel. The competition is getting a lot of media attention – it’s been on the radio, on the news… it’s just the first stage of the competition, not even the final! But even simple things like that make me happy.

Since you ‘re the only Israeli that is doing this competition, do you have a network of local friends and family who are directly participating in it?

Of course, yes, this is big! I know that Sivan [Sivan Magen – 1^st prize 2006] won it last time. But like me, he’s not directly from here. We are both studying or living somewhere else, so you’re not a local anymore. But still, I have family here and friends and neighbors, and they are all very proud. Just the simple fact of being here and doing this, making harp appear one more time for just regular people, they become like a little fan club.