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.
We’ve teamed 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 chat with flautist Laura Cliff.
Laura may just be one of the most dedicated AYO players yet: she’s hit up the past three AYO National Music Camps in a row, and has also scored places among many AYO programs – not to mention the Australian Youth Orchestra itself.
At the time of writing, this flautist was in Brisbane — finishing up her third year of university.
Tell us how you got to be in this city.
Brisbane isn’t actually where I started out. I am originally from Sydney, and moved up to Brisbane to study at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.
I started out my music journey playing piano when I was 7, and really found enjoyment in performing. To my parents’ surprise, my piano teacher encouraged me to perform within my first couple of lessons and I absolutely loved it!
I continued with piano throughout my schooling. However, a year after starting piano, I picked up a flute for the first time and haven’t looked back since!
In my final year of high school, my flute teacher suggested I take a look at Queensland Conservatorium as a place to pursue my music. When I visited for my audition and looked around, I knew that it was the place where I should be studying.
Since then, I have been very grateful to have had so many opportunities to perform with various professional flutists and musicians in orchestras. This includes the collaboration between our university and Opera Australia as a part of the opera series Opera by the Beach, and recently completing an internship with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
The more I practice and perform, for the enjoyment of others, I find my love for music grows.
How have you found the experience of working to build your career in Australia?
Building my career in Australia has been a really great experience for me so far.
I have been able to have a wide range of experiences through solo, chamber, and orchestral; in performance and competition settings. These have allowed me to travel to many states and gain exposure to a variety of different performance venues.
Each one of these experiences has allowed me to build my network with musicians that will one day be my future colleagues, as well as experienced musicians already in the music industry.
I am really looking forward to continuing to build my career through the many experiences I will have coming up with AYO in 2020.
Talk us through your daily life.
My days start quite early, as I am more of a morning person. Living by the river, I travel by ferry to the conservatorium and arrive to start practising by 7:30am. My practice time consists of warm up, practising pieces, listening to pieces for inspiration or recent performances, and reflecting on my practice and what I can do better through a practice diary.
Before 9am lectures or morning rehearsals start, depending on the day, I like to do some stretching and cool-down exercises, which is an important part of the end of practice sessions for me to help maintain my optimal performance.
Workshops, rehearsals and lessons are generally in the afternoon. I try to squeeze in some extra practice time in the early afternoon between commitments. The amount of practice I do in a day varies, as some days are very rehearsal-heavy and others I don’t have any. On average, I try to do about four hours a day.
After the day is done, I like to do some exercise by either bicycling or walking home, and then it’s time to cook dinner and do other household chores!
How has studying, training and working in Australia contributed to or helped shape your identity as a musician?
Australia has had a significant impact on shaping my identity as a musician in multiple ways.
I feel the multicultural nature of Australia has given me a unique opportunity to gain a very broad exposure to various types of musical traditions and genres whilst growing up in a single country. Learning the flute in Australia has also meant that I have developed a love for performing pieces by Australian composers and a deep appreciation of the composing and performing talent in our country. I hope to continue to collaborate with and promote Australian composers as my career develops.
Australia also has many great music teachers that cover the whole range of music traditions in their teaching styles. It has allowed me to understand that there are many different playing styles — for example, French-trained musicians may sound different to American musicians. They are both equally important and sound great in their own ways, but some people prefer one way and others prefer the other. This has enabled me to find the right teachers to specifically help me create and develop my own personal sound, and learn the concepts that suit my preferences.
There’s a perception that Australian artists need to go overseas to ‘make it’. But what are some of the benefits you think Australia has to offer you as an emerging artist?
As a musician who has so far barely been exposed to overseas, I feel like this has not affected my music education and experience so far. Australia is filled with many amazing teachers, and offers great chances to develop performance skills. In Australia, there are many different experiences a young musician can have, including participating in a youth orchestra such as the Australian Youth Orchestra, or in internship or fellowship programs with professional orchestras.
From my personal experience, there are also many opportunities to participate in masterclasses or private lessons with visiting musicians from overseas through festivals in Australia or one-off events. These opportunities allow Australian musicians to have experience of overseas teachers and world-class performers without having to necessarily travel.
How has your local community supported you as a young musician, and what are your biggest needs from this community?
I have always been very lucky to be surrounded by a community that supported me to become a young emerging musician.
Starting off in Sydney, I had many music teachers who always were enthusiastic about music, and encouraged and pushed me to become the best I could be.
Moving to Brisbane has been no different; being surrounded by a great community of fellow musicians and teachers at the conservatorium that have given me support and opportunities to learn and grow.
One thing that I have really appreciated, looking back, is the honest feedback on my performances, which has been challenging but also fuelled my growth. Not only this, but the audiences that I have been exposed to have always been supportive and enthusiastic towards young, emerging musicians’ performances.
You trained with the AYO to build your professional experiences as you enter the industry. What was the key message from your training that remains with you now, and that you’ll take with you anywhere in the world?
Always be confident with what you are playing, no matter who you are playing with or how preparation prior to the rehearsal or performance has gone.
As a person who is more of an introvert, this was a real challenge for me when I went to my first AYO National Music Camp. But through the experience, I have realised the more you are confident about something, the more likely it will sound better as well!
This is just one of the many valuable things I have learnt from participating in AYO that has helped me develop as a flutist, and that I will take with me throughout my future musical journey.
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?
As a musician who is in the early stages of building my career, I find I am always learning new things every day.
I think the main advice I would give would be to make the most of every opportunity you are given, and make opportunities for yourself. Audition for things even though you may not think you are ready for it. Because, even if you don’t get in, the experience of auditioning is a very important learning experience for a musician. But if you do get in, you’ll have a new adventure ahead of you!
And finally, where are you off to next?
I have a lot of exciting things in store for 2020. It is my final year of university. I will be performing with the Australian Youth Orchestra in a variety of its programs including the National Music Camp, Autumn and Winter Seasons, and Chamber Players.
I am also hoping to go overseas in the middle of the year to participate in some international summer schools, to experience what it is like in the wider music world.
We’ve teamed 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.
