Nearly a year elapsed since you have been the Goodwill Ambassador of Semmelweis University's András Pető Faculty as of 30th November 2017. How did you get in touch with the Faculty and the Institute?

A few years ago I was already approached by the Institute, so when I now contacted them saying that I would be ready and pleased to promote the Institute's efforts, it was not really the first occasion that we met. I have always been interested in the method of conductive development and I have often been wondering about the best ways to popularise and promote this extremely efficient and unique Hungarian method to the greatest possible audiences. As a rule, artists are very often approached with requests asking their help to support and promote various charitable causes. I was aware that I will not have the time to promote all the programmes I was approached by, so I needed to find one I was ready to support wholeheartedly offering my full assistance. This is the way I have decided in favour of Semmelweis University's András Pető Faculty and the special method of conductive development.

What exactly does your undertaking consist in and how can you support the Institute?

The faculty offers diverse talent nurturing programmes and I have agreed to participate in the Institute's professional life in my capacity as a supporter of the musical talent nurturing programme. My aim is to ensure that children have the possibility to undergo the experience of music every single day. There is no doubt that music actually heals. If I, in my capacity as an artist, can call attention to the Pető Method, then this Method is likely to be better-known to the general public and will be even more markedly visible to the public eye than before. The new task that I have undertaken is to ensure that these children will have the opportunity to communicate through music as befits their talents. I am very determined and dedicated to support this cause, and I will do my best not only to draw the public's attention to this programme but also to find partners for my activities. I believe that in a situation where these children need a lot of willpower to keep doing the necessary activities on a daily basis, music will provide them with strength thereby supporting children's endurance and determination. The healing that takes place with the assistance of the Method also requires willpower, and this healing process eventually enables these children to live full lives in our society. And as this is also a spiritual process, music will inevitable assume its own role in it. I am glad to have undertaken the job of the Goodwill Ambassador, and I feel it extremely vital to offer my assistance through the basic tenet of the Kodály Method: the experience of music. And if, on top of all this, I can also help by raising funds through staging this charity gala concert, then this makes me even happier.

What about last year's achievements? What programmes were realised in the scope this initiative?

We organised a wonderful and touching singing contest: 8 to 15-year-old contestants sang folk songs. As usual, some of the participants gave exceptional performances and, in recognition of this, they received really prestigious prizes. After the contest, as a reward, we all went to see a concert in the Budapest-based Palace of Arts as my duties also entail supporting outstanding talents while I must also ensure that all children enrolled in the Pető programme benefit from high-quality musical experience. In the scope of the talent-nurturing programme – in addition to music –, fine arts also assume a special role: in the spring, a very successful auction from the children's works was organised in Pintér Gallery. These children produced miraculous artworks... I actually bought one of the images whose creation was inspired by music: this painting was basically and fundamentally inspired by listening to Orff's Carmina Burana for the first time. I liked the idea that the fine artist dealing with the children engaged their interest and imagination through music. As a result, the above-mentioned artwork displays charming colours and an equally captivating style of brush strokes.

Last October you established an arts foundation called ‘Andrea Rost Foundation', which supports Hungarian and international programmes in the fields of culture, arts and music. What prompted the establishment of the Foundation?

This is related to my holding a position as Goodwill Ambassador, but the coincidence is not only temporal in nature: I feel my life is becoming increasingly complete. What I was not able to do for a very long time – because I worked like a robot: I went abroad to give a concert, then came back home for a week and then left again to give another concert – has by now become a possibility for me. I can look into other directions and I can open up to them. Now I do not have so many commitments abroad, I do not have to travel abroad so often and I like this very much. Pursuing one's career and doing one's job are wonderfully uplifting, but travelling so much was against my real nature: now I can spend more time in Hungary and so I can see some of the things happen that were so far out of reach for me because I was always short of time. After formulating my wishes and ideas and drawing up my plans, now I have been given the opportunity to realise those dreams that I have been cherishing for such a long time. And actually all this is already happening! My big dream is singing, but a creative person has other wishes as well: with the help of the Foundation, I can now produce films, which activity has always piqued my interest, even if so far I have managed to produce only one movie, the film version of the Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel's opera Bank Ban. Who knows what is next? I am open to everything!

At the end of this year, Pesti Vigadó is hosting your charity gala concert to be staged on 19th December. What about the programme? What musical pieces are you going to stage?

Perfectly timed right before Christmas, the first concert of our Foundation is to draw the general public's attention to the fact that the Foundation wishes to do ever more than this for children. The Hungarian Radio Children's Choir and a Chamber Orchestra formed from the Hungarian National Radio's Choirs and Orchestra will perform in the company of several renowned artists. And as far as I am concerned, I will be performing my favourite arias by Mozart with accompaniment by a chamber orchestra.

What is the ‘tangible' goal you wish to achieve through organising the previously mentioned auction and by staging the other programmes including the gala concert? How will the donated funds be used?

In the scope of the talent nurturing programme, my aim is to set up a music room where children can experience listening to music on a daily basis through pedagogy-purpose activities. rMy next dream is to play musical instruments that have been specifically designed and manufactured for these children. As a follow-up to this, it would be great if contemporary composers created music to cater for the talents of these children. This is in fact my next aim and dream.

Your in performance in December will be staged in Pesti Vigadó. What does Pesti Vigadó's building mean to you? What are your first memories of the venue?

My first memories of Pesti Vigadó date back to a long time ago: I performed here before the building was closed down in 2004 for renovation works. Actually, I did not perform here so many times... Unfortunately, I still remember that the acoustics of the building at that time was not too good. But it is fantastic that now this is no longer the case. If not for anything else, then even for this it was worth restoring the building: eventually a new concert hall opened where singing is a real experience. In addition, the building is magnificently beautiful and imposing, with colours, halls and spaces I simply love. It gives me pleasure to be in Pesti Vigadó at any time and I think many people feel the same way.