Early bird or night owl?
By constitution, I’m no early bird – sleep is God’s medicine, and I make sure I get enough of it. On concert and rehearsal nights it’s hard to sleep before midnight, but otherwise I have quite a disciplined bedtime routine and aim to be in bed by 10 p.m. I find that a vat of excellent coffee in the morning does wonders for my mental clarity.
One routine you swear by?
In the chaotic life of a jobbing musician operating across multiple time zones, which conspires to disrupt any semblance of consistent routine, rituals become vital. I eat only one meal a day and begin every morning with a generous amount of coffee.
Can’t travel without…?
Aside from the obvious essentials – chargers and adaptors included – a good book in case technology fails and my embroidery.
Who or what has influenced you most in your career?
There are too many to mention, and I’m grateful to all of them. Two Hungarians stand out above the rest: Zoltán Kodály, the great music pedagogue, for his influence on my approach to music education, and Péter Erdei of the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, for shaping me as a choral conductor.
Favourite city to perform in and why?
For performing, London or Berlin – the quality of the venues and the level of informed appreciation from audiences is second to none. Beyond that, Hong Kong, my home for many years. Nowhere has more vitality or a greater sense of can-do spirit.
Guilty pleasure/indulgence?
Chocolate and a good TV series!
Suzi Digby OBE is an internationally renowned choral conductor and music educator. She is the Founder and Director of the award-winning ORA Singers and founder of several UK music education foundations, including London Youth Choirs.
