BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Should you stay in Australia to build your music career, or travel overseas in search of bigger things? What even are those bigger things?
This new interview series aims to educate you about the best of both worlds. And we’ll give you a hint: there’s no right answer.
Throughout 2019, we’re teaming up with the Australian Youth Orchestra to bring you stories about those who have started to forge their industry path in Australia. But some have remained in the country, while others have stationed themselves across the world.
No matter where you choose to live and work, there is plenty for you to learn. In this interview, we meet Jason Henery.
Jason received this year’s Llewellyn scholarship with the Australian Youth Orchestra. He tells us about the experience it afforded him, and how it led him to the United States where he’s now studying at the Curtis Institute. He’s also achieved his Bachelor of Music at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and participated in Australian Youth Orchestra programs.
Hi Jason! Tell us how you joined AYO.
I first heard about AYO in 2014 when my dad suggested that I apply. After a successful audition, I took part in AYO’s 2015 National Music Camp program, which solidified my love for music making.
I’ve cherished having the opportunity to do this with the AYO at every chance I have had.
How have you found the experience of working to build your career in Australia?
Music is my home, just as much as Australia is. I come from a musical family — my father being a double bassist, and my mother a violinist — so the prospect of a career in that field has always been something quite special to me.
Over the years that I have been in Australia, working in the pre-professional stage has been so incredibly inspiring — making life-long friends, and having the opportunity to experience and work with tutors who are members of orchestras and ensembles worldwide. This has been a rewarding experience for me and many more, which I hope never stops.
Talk us through your daily life: practice, work, study.
I am currently living in Philadelphia, studying at the Curtis Institute of Music. They give a lot of freedom to individuals so they can focus on the elements of their musical knowledge they wish to improve. However, being a first year, there are still some tedious yet necessary fundamental classes that I must take, including Solfège, Music History, and Theory.
A typical day for me could involve up to 2-3 hours of classes, leaving the rest of the time to balance practice and study, assuming the Curtis Symphony Orchestra isn’t rehearsing.
How had first studying, training, and working in Australia contributed to or helped shape your identity as a musician?
From my limited experience outside of the country, what I can say about studying in Australia is that I believe it has helped shape my attitude for working independently in a very positive way.
At the point I am in my life, the ability to self-motivate and drive to improve is extremely important, as I’m no longer being pushed by my family or school teachers. This means it is primarily up to me to make the changes I want.
Although there are ups and downs, I feel like I can attribute that mindset to the lessons I learnt from my teachers and peers that I spent so much time with back home.
So what was the Llewellyn scholarship process like?
The process for the application was very simple, actually. I spent a few weeks prior preparing some pieces of small repertoire and a plan on how I would use the scholarship if I won it.
My family and I had already expressed interest in travelling overseas to look at prospective universities for my undergraduate degree, and eventually settled on the United States. The Llewellyn scholarship allowed me to go to America for a few weeks to have lessons with teachers I’d never thought I’d get to meet, as well as take auditions and receive invaluable experience attending studio classes and masterclasses.
One of, if not the most, inspiring moments of the lesson tour was getting the opportunity to hear the Dover Quartet play some absolutely incredible Schubert and Dvorak. On my way back from that trip, I felt refreshed having experienced a whole new world of music, and was excited about coming home with a changed perspective.
So tell us more about why you wanted to study at Curtis in particular.
Studying at The Curtis Institute has sort of been a dream come true. For the past few years, the idea of studying here has been a silent goal that I believe my parents helped foster. Incidentally, my father was also a double bass student in the States about 30 years ago.
Although I never really believed it was possible, my interest in learning in the USA specifically comes from a couple of fascinations and desires.
Firstly ,I’m very enamoured with the American ‘string sound concept’. Although that is a very generalising statement, after hearing many recordings and live performances of American orchestras — Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. — there is something so unified about their string sections’ sounds that is unique to the continent, and it’s something I wanted to experience being a part of and explore further.
I was excited about the prospect of meeting an entirely new world of students, teachers, and performers that rarely visit Australia — and hopefully learn new ideas from the different pool of experiences.
So far, the minor culture shock has worn off, and I’ve been really stimulated to engage in every opportunity that has come my way.
As you mentioned, you were set up in your training with the AYO to build your professional experiences as you enter the industry. What was the key message from this training that remains with you now – and that you’ll take with you anywhere in the world?
Training with the AYO taught me so many pieces of invaluable information about the world of classical music; whether it be the fundamental differences of playing Mozart versus Beethoven or the more subtle nuances of orchestral etiquette. Gaining these kinds of skills has been so beneficial, and would have been almost impossible to acquire through any other means.
However, the greatest lesson that I took away from my time with the AYO that I will keep with me forever is to remember why I chose music. I love playing, listening, talking, and learning about music — and it’s for these reasons that I want to pursue a life’s career in the field. So, I feel it’s imperative to always remember why I enjoy it. If I can do that, then the ‘work’ aspect of the career ceases to become ‘work’.
What advice would you give to young people who are undertaking this sort of training, or who have recently completed it, and are looking to build their career in Australia?
I don’t think I really have any ‘great wisdom’ to impart, as I’m very much learning as I go. I suppose if there’s anything really important that I wish I knew earlier, it is that myself and many others make their greatest friendships through musical interactions. The bonds I have forged with some of my closest friends have been through our shared experiences in the musical world, whether it be performing a great symphony or discretely amusing ourselves in rehearsals.
And finally…where are you off to next?
For the moment, it’s living in Philly, for me. I’ve still got four years of a Bachelor’s degree to get through — but after that, I have truly no idea!
Although that might seem scary — I know it scares me — there’s something very exciting about the prospect of having the freedom to explore the world in a musical sense. Being a classical double bassist, an orchestral job would be an ideal next step after university, but that is easier said than done.
In more cases than not, you don’t get to pick where you work; you go where the work takes you. All in all, I can’t wait to get out there!
Would you like to apply for the Ernest V. Llewellyn Memorial Fund annual scholarships for string players? Applications are open until 11 November.
READ NEXT: All the world’s a stage | Stephanie Sheridan, bassoon
We’re teaming up with the Australian Youth Orchestra to bring you real-world stories that explore the benefits of a music career in the country or across the globe. Stay tuned for our next interview in All the world’s a stage. In what country would you like to make music?
Images supplied. Stephanie by Stephen Heath.
