LEONA KONIG The champion of young musicians at her stunning apartment in Paris
TELLS HOW HELPING YOUNG MUSICIANS BECOME CLASSICAL STARS FILLS HER WITH JOIE DE VIVRE
‘ The views are amazing, especially at night, when you can see the Tour Eiffel and the boats on the Seine’
‘It’s classical in style and the apartment is typically Parisian. I bought it just as it was, furniture and all, because it was perfect’
It was hearing her young daughter’s music that inspired Leona König to change her life, swapping her social whirl for a stunning solo act as a philanthropist. She was watching her little daughter Jana playing the piano and giving concerts when she realised she wanted similarly talented children to have the chance to shine.
So, putting her training as an economist to good use, five years ago she founded her very own IMF, or International Music Foundation, devoted to helping gifted youngsters from any background become top classical performers.
Coming from Austria – and having been married to Austrian tycoon Peter König – Leona knew Vienna was a classical music paradise and the perfect spot for her venture.
It’s there she holds the annual Golden Note prize gala, which showcases her protégés’ skills by letting them perform alongside great musicians. The annual TV show Golden Note by Leona König and her TV show Stars and Talents, which follows the same winning formula, last year scooped her an Austrian of the Year cultural award.
Determined, intelligent and refined, Leona never misses a beat as she pursues her philanthropic aims. While she is based in Austria, she has a beautiful home in Paris, too. As she shows us around her magnificent apartment in the French capital, just a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower, she tells us how helping others has brought harmony to her own life…
Tell us about your home, Leona…
“The building dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. It’s classical in style and the apartment is typically Parisian. I bought it just as it was, furniture and all, because it was perfect. The only room we redecorated was the bedroom.
“The interior is the work of François-Joseph Graf, who’s designed prestigious hotels and restaurants throughout France. He mixes colours and patterns you’d never think of putting together, as with the wallpaper, curtains and leopard-print carpet in the library. It works marvellously.”
Some of the decor is original 18th century, isn’t it?
“There are leather-lined walls dating from then, as well as furniture. And there’s a beautiful collection of mirrors from the 18th and 19th centuries that create an intimate, welcoming ambience.”
The views are amazing…
“Yes, especially at night, when you can see the Tour Eiffel and the boats on the Seine. That’s
guaranteed to make you happy. For me, Paris is romantic and fascinating, while Vienna is the city of music. In Vienna, with my ex-husband, I had a very intense social life, but these days when I’m there I devote myself to the children. It turned out it was my destiny to do something for others.”
What can you tell us about your background?
“I grew up in a family where half my relatives were talented musicians, playing in orchestras, and the other half were economists. I planned to become a doctor of economics, keeping music as a hobby. I used to play with my uncle and my grandfather.
“I was never the typical model student, staying indoors studying, but more the sporty type. I attended secondary school in the Czech Republic and decided afterwards to go to university in Prague, studying economics with languages.
“After completing my degree, I met my now ex-husband and decided to devote myself to him and to our daughter. We spent our time between Monaco, Vienna, Prague and Paris. The marriage didn’t work out though.”
How did becoming a mother affect you?
“I wanted to share with my child my love of classical music and I listened to it throughout my pregnancy. My daughter had her first trip to the opera when she was just six, to see Carmen, and she adored it.
“She started piano lessons when she was three and a half. We’d given her a piano for Christmas and she used to play it for her dolls. Soon she started to take part in concerts and competitions.
“Thanks to her passion for music, I realised I wanted to do something for other children. I knew there are lots who have talent, but don’t have the support they need. So I came up with the idea for the foundation. I wanted other kids to have what Jana and I had together, to give them the benefit of my experience.
“I realised that for me, life is about more than my social calendar; that it’s more important to help those in need and to share your interests and passions.”
So you set up the IMF, or International Music Foundation for Highly Gifted Children…
“Yes, I launched it in April 2016, from headquarters in Vienna. Its aim is to help children aged five to 18 to develop their talent and to make classical music more accessible, especially for the young. The kids are
‘ For me, Paris is romantic and fascinating, while Vienna is the city of music’
selected through auditions with judges from prestigious music organisations, and those who reach the finals of the Golden Note awards receive both financial support and masterclasses with professionals, in customised programmes designed to suit their individual needs.”
What has the experience taught you?
“I’ve learnt what you can achieve with work. I never thought I’d be able to set up something as important as Golden Note. It was like a dream come true. Then, two years ago, I had the idea of bringing together young musicians and big stars and that proved a key moment for the foundation. Now, I’ve got a national Austrian TV channel on board.”
TV must have seemed like a natural step…
“Yes. I thought: ‘Why don’t we follow the little musicians throughout the whole year?’ So since December 2020, the foundation has been involved in a monthly show called Stars and Talents, which features the winners of Golden Note alongside an international performer.”
Do you have any more challenges lined up?
“The foundation’s aim is to motivate and inspire the children in their musical career. Thanks to the support of the stars, they get lots of visibility. But the goal is not just to give
‘ I never thought I’d be able to set up something as important as Golden Note. It was like a dream come true’
them a boost, it’s to support them long-term, including financially.
“We need to keep working hard to establish the scheme and to reach more countries, like Germany and Switzerland, by streaming the show. That’s my next goal. And my great dream is to create a children’s orchestra. If we believe in it and keep working, it can become reality.”
Do you have any life lessons to share?
“You must be open to trying different things. You can’t just focus on one, you need to see the full range of possibilities because that way, you may discover something that makes you truly happy, as I did.
“You must believe in yourself, put in the effort and be strong. Depend on yourself, not on any man or friend. That’s the key to happiness.”
‘ My life lessons? You must believe in yourself, put in
the effort and be strong’
INTERVIEW & PRODUCTION: NANA BOTTAZZI HOUSE PHOTOS: GIORGIO BARONI POSED PHOTOS: MATTIA BETTINELLI