A New Experience

So suddenly, the routine of heading to Perth Concert Hall to watch and observe rehearsals with WASO working at astonishing speeds in terms of change of repertoire and mindset and energy every week for August suddenly ended with a Mock Audition.

Cheerio really. The thought of a mock audition in front of the principles was daunting, even more so, on the divine stage! Hailed as a beautiful stage and I couldnt wait to play on it! the adrenalin from the thought of playing on that stage made me more excited to hear myself and my hard earned and practiced violin on it rather than from fear of the audition!

But first things first.

THe third week with WASO, we had a board meeting with the WASO tops, and they were all inspiring and wonderfully friendly people who were musicians themselves or moreso, understanding and tolerant of the musical persona, which does put a edge to their jobs like no others do! We also had cupcakes, thanks to Prue Ashurst, who was our wonderfully cheery Guide all the way through the introductions and questions through the program.

I was quite fortunate to have lessons with Zac Roundtree my mentor, who was ever so patient and very helpful in the preparation of the audition. Though I must say to have two days to prepare the exerpts, concerto and cadenze, before bringing it to him, sure whipped those exerpts into shape preety fast in order to set a good impression.. The following lessons were just as insightful and I just know his knowledge is going to be very useful next year when I start auditioning for WASO casual work and ANAM. I loved the experience of the stage, fortunately, the principals sat a seat apart, making more of a pattern rather than the usual intimidating row, which was lovely. I wasnt too nervous and it was a great experience to be PREPARED with support and smiles for this audition!

The final week was also the week of Bruckner and Bach. I must say, that Bach I never knew the name of it, other than “the only classical piece of music my non music father listened to when i was a child other than Pachabel’s canon’ and since i grew, i havent heard it at all and it was so refreshing reliving those moments and especially having the visual of seeing the smaller group, with Paul Daniels on .. HARPSICHORD?? (which was spectacular!) and also to watch the new concertmaster at work leading the smaller group, which was definitely alight and more animated than in larger settings. You could see the personalities of the players coming out in their styles. Very beautiful to watch.

The Bruckner was something if it wasnt for my music degree and background of history Western Art Music grinding at UWA, I might not have understood, but it was definitely such artistic music, much more real and on a larger scale than his string quartet which i played earlier this year with FCO. To see it in full force with the different orchestral arrangements and lots of levels and heaps of brass, it was truly stunning. Something I won’t forget! (besides, Simone Young and her beautiful pair of Louboutin Heels)!

I really enjoyed the time spent with my mentor and watching the rehearsals with WASO on this program. It has showed me there are possible, reachable opportunities here at home, Perth to continue performing, learning and enjoying music and my violin. I hope with the year ending so soon, and a graduation recital heading up so fast, that one day I will be able to be part of this professional orchestral culture and lifestyle with the help of patrons and being able to share the music which has inspired me to inspire others.

Thankyou Prue and WASO for this opportunity!

Ellainne

End of the program

Well, it has finally reached the end of our month of the program – the time went by so fast!

Yesterday we had our mock casual audition in front of all of our mentors. This was a bit scary as it was on the concert hall stage, however I found that I was not as nervous as I usually was for auditions because it was after all only a “mock”. There was nothing to lose, so I just tried to have fun and enjoy playing in Australia’s BEST acoustics! I was pleased with how my audition went, and got some good feedback from Fleur afterwards. Having this practise audition will be invaluable for the future when I do a professional orchestral audition.

Overall, the program has been a wonderful experience I will never forget and I wish that it could have gone on for longer. It was great being able to observe a professional orchestra and see how it all works, from everything that Orchestral Managment does right through to performances. But most of all, I will never forget my few lessons with my mentor Fleur – I learnt an incredible amount from her in the short time we had, and everything she said to me will help me with all of my future auditions I am certain. Not only was she very constructive and picky with the sounds I produced on each note of the excerpts for the audition (in a good way!), she was also very encouraging and gave me the confidence to go into my audition feeling proud of what I had achieved.

So, thank you WASO and thank you especially Fleur for a fantastic 4 weeks which has helped me move one step closer to my dream of being a professional orchestral musician!

- Emma

Mentor and Mentee – Lessons Learned

I had my first lesson with my mentor Michael Waye (Principal Piccolo) on Thursday last week, and it was positively  invaluable. Its always interesting having lessons with a teacher that you don’t usually take lessons from (I have been known to see Michael for lessons on occasion) as each teacher has a different approach and method. I try my best to be vigilant with my practice, but Michael immediately picked up on a ‘flaw’ in my support that I had not been aware of. I began playing my first excerpt, from Bach’s ‘St. Matthews Passion’, and before even getting through the first two bars I was pulled up and corrected. While everything was there, I wasn’t making proper use of my support and the potential for its benefit – and this was reflected in my sound, although subtle it was evident. After trying various ‘experiments’ on support, and Michael sharing with me his deep understanding of the body and how we use it to our advantage when playing the flute, we tried the excerpt again. I had to stare myself in the eyes in the mirror, keep my head up and let my arms ‘float’ at my sides and only move in a horizontal fashion twisting from the hips, without dipping forward and if so, only dipping from the knees as to keep the torso in optimal position without restricting the breath support mechanics. There was also a bystander at my lesson (who has been in Europe playing in various orchestras and ensembles) and when I played the excerpt again it was unanimously agreed that it sounded so much better already. I could hear the added layer of support in my sound.

So, we continued the lesson, and as various problems arose Michael demonstrated ways of addressing practice of excerpts, and pieces in general. Michael has a solution to tackling all kinds of flute playing maladies, and an invaluable and keen sense of how the body works in relation to playing the flute and its shrill little compadre, the piccolo. This lesson was exactly the little kick I needed to remind me of my breath support, which can easily be taken for granted when you have lungs the size of mine. I can already sustain a long phrase, but if I work a little more on controlling through my ‘tummy muscles’ then I should be able to double this (if I’m lucky).

So, spurned on by my renewed knowledge of support, posture and power of the controlled breath, I whisked myself off to a practice room at WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) to stare vigilantly at myself in the mirror as I played, making sure to engage all that I had just learned and apply it to my playing. Now comes the task of being very vigilant in maintaing and nurturing this habit until it is second nature.

Being very aware of your body as a musician is a vital part of being a successful, healthy and comfortable performer. Too often we overlook, or are unaware of habits in our playing, but it is very important to be as vigilant as possible otherwise practice becomes marginally less fruitful.

The journey to becoming an elite performer is one of constant education, of constant learning and developing of ones skills – and even when this goal is reached the learning processes continue. Thanks to the opportunity to partake in WASO’s OTP I’m sure all participants agree that we are gaining invaluable insight into the difference between what makes a good performer, and a great performer – the proof is in the detail.

My lesson was, as always with Michael, a heap of fun and also an awesome learning experience. My task is to go to my next lesson and hopefully have integrated what I learnt from the previous into my practices. Bring it on!

- K

OTP Update

It is now approaching the end of week 3 of the Orchestral Training Program. Last week we got to watch rehearsals for the Gala concert “A Night at the Proms”, conducted by Paul Daniels. It was interesting watching these rehearsals which had such different repertoire from the previous week, with works predominantly by British composers. My favourite was hearing pieces from the Royal Wedding, particularly the Coronation March.

This week I had my first lesson with my mentor, Fleur, in preparation for our mock casual audition next Friday. We went through the excerpts in great detail, sorting out fingerings and bowings. I found it very useful having such an experienced orchestral musician help me through the excerpts as she was able to tell me exactly which notes or passages the panel would be listening out for. I will be honest and say I am pretty nervous for all the work I have to do in the week ahead preparing for the audition, but I hope that it will be a valuable experience at the end of it.

Today we also got to have a meeting in the WASO Boardroom, and found out all about jobs in the office such as Orchestral Management and Artistic Planning. I found it really interesting to hear from people behind the scenes who perhaps sometimes go unnoticed to the public. Even more exciting than this was the cupcakes that Prue bought us!!!

Now, I better stop procrastinating and get back to practicing that Don Juan excerpt….

- Emma

Orchestral Dining

As many of us have to say, the time spent with the two so very different conductors Simone Young and Paul Daniel can be synonymous for dining at a fine restaurant and having such different tastes and colours and presentations on our palettes for our eyes and ears.

Having only seen WASO in full concert duty, watching the rehearsals silently and attentively are the OTP kids who are immersed in the scores and trying to capture the full experience there from the choir stalls. A real close up look in the actual orchestra would have been electrifying but it would have been a great distraction as we have so much listening and watching to do to our mentors.

The Mahler concert, which was conducted by Simone Young with an incredible inhumane and powerful energy was truly memorable, seeing the orchestra evolve and work at such a fine pac. At the concert, after the week of listening to Mahler, a intimidating work of huge capacity I was amazed to pick up to myself things the orchestra had fixed up and improved on. Subtle changes that made real differences to the sound and the overall understanding of the work and how the movements fit together to make a incredible artistic whole. It is the first Mahler concert I have been to and it is just so different to listening to recordings of Mahler. I feel the energy pulsating from the orchestra and especially from the soloists in the Messian and Mahler gives it a whole new perspective and taste.

Fortunately, we were allowed to watch a dress rehearsal in the second week, with Paul Daniel, whose brilliant English accent fitted in with the British themed repertoire. The Crown Coronation by Walton was just amazing with the orchestra in full synchronization.  The synchronization of the orcehstra in terms of movement and direction always amazes me in high speed pieces. And also the Lark Ascending was quite capturing, the whole hall was suddenly turned into a field of meadows. The new Concertmaster’s solo was very intricately phrased and with different technique that I would not have picked out as a non musician other than “beautiful” which it was but more than that! Well thought out and highly stylistic. Quite a highlight for us violinists!

Then I had my first lesson with my mentor Zak Rowntree on exerpts the other day. It was a terrific lesson learning from someone who has played all the exerpts so many times and remembers precisely all the fine detail and styles required. Despite the two day notice, for exerpts like the infamous Don Juan, were quite comprehendable after the tuition with Zak.

All thats left now, is to calm the nerves and learn that Mozart concerto and cadenza by next weeks mock audition.

Having a great time and enjoying the culture of the orchestra and lifestyle! How amazing is it to have the PCH as your rehearsal room!?

-Ellainne

Week 2 OTP

It is only two weeks into the WASO Orchestral Training Program and I already feel that I have a much deeper understanding of the inner workings of a professional orchestra. Spending time with Simone Young in the first week while she conducted works by Mahler and Messiaen was incredible. She is so passionate and strong yet totally clear in her directions to the orchestra. Sitting in the audience on the Saturday night and watching the concert, I felt as if I was part of the performance having been with the orchestra as Simone led them through the rehearsals.

Last week, the orchestra had a whole new program with Paul Daniel conducting for the British Proms. It was fantastic to be able to sit on stage with the percussion section, and have a chance to play some of the parts during rehearsal.

I am just off to my first lesson with Alex Timcke on the new WASO timpani… can’t wait!!

- Thea

One Week Down

Well, we’re one week into the OTP and I’m having an absolute ball. From the very first day (when we got to meet Simone Young!) it’s been a huge learning experience as to what life in an orchestra is actually like, as well as a great opportunity to learn from some of the best musicians in the country. A real highlight of the first week for me was on the first day, where Simone Young asked us all to think of a question during the rehearsal and ask her after it was finished. Particularly interesting to me was her analysis of the differences between European and Australian orchestras, and the depth of thought that she put into her direction and musical interpretation. Considering she only had a half an hour break before her next rehearsal, the fact that she would spend most of it answering our questions made me realise just how lucky we are in the music world to have such amazing role models like Simone to look up to.

- Nick S