In conversation with Theonie Wang, superstar violinist in the making

BY CUTCOMMON

Richard Tognetti is known as a “superstar violinist” of Australia. He’s the artistic director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and has six ARIA awards to his name.

But have you heard of violinist Theonie Wang and fellow members of the ANAM Orchestra? They’re also superstar musicians in the making, and they’re going to share the stage with Richard across two June concerts featuring old and new masterpieces of the repertoire.

Theonie has played violin since she was 3, won the ANAM Concerto Competition, and is now an emerging artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (watch out, Richard!). She has played as concertmaster with ANAM and the Australian Youth Orchestra, and has performed as soloist and fellow with major Australian orchestras.

Theonie sits down for a chat about what it’s like to play among colleagues at the tops of their game.

Hi Theonie (pictured throughout)! Last time we touched base, you were going to perform as concertmaster of Brahms 2 in ANAM’s huge gala concert. It’s been a year since — how have things been travelling for you?

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s already been over a year! Performing as concertmaster for Brahms 2 under Asher Fisch was such an incredible opportunity and definitely a highlight of my time at ANAM. Since then, things have been pretty full on in the best way.

ANAM has continued to present such exciting programs and bring in world-class guest artists, so there’s always something inspiring to work towards. It’s been a busy year, but also a really rewarding one, with so many opportunities to learn, perform, and grow as a musician.

Your major performance credits continue, and this year you’re set to play with the ANAM Orchestra alongside “superstar violinist” Richard Tognetti. What do you find most valuable about having access to world-class performers — and importantly, their knowledge and experience — as part of your training?

What I find most valuable about working with world-class performers is seeing the many different ways musicians can communicate and bring meaning to music. Every artist has their own perspective, and being exposed to those different approaches really broadens your understanding as a performer. I’m especially excited to work with Richard Tognetti and learn from the immense knowledge and experience he brings.

It’s also incredibly refreshing and inspiring to collaborate with different guest musicians throughout the year, because no two artists approach music in exactly the same way, and there’s always something new to discover and learn.

ANAM concerts are never presented as student performances but instead as paying respect to the high calibre of ANAM players as equals alongside a soloist like Richard Tognetti, which is something that distinguishes this institution from other training academies. How do you feel these performance experiences help prepare you, or give you the confidence, for playing with other “superstars” once you finish your training?

It’s a fascinating experience performing alongside artists you’ve spent years looking up to. Growing up, you spend so much time admiring and looking up to them, but opportunities like this remind you that we all share the same goal — to connect with audiences through music. Realising that gives me the confidence to perform alongside musicians like Richard Tognetti, and helps break down some of the barriers around these ‘superstar’ musicians.

When working with the many professional and established artists who you’ve encountered through ANAM — whether via residencies, performances, or your lessons — what are some of the most valuable insights you like to hear?

One of the most valuable things I gain at ANAM is hearing the different perspectives that the musicians bring. Because each musician offers a different perspective, the feedback is always varied and often opens up new ideas about interpretation and performance. It reminds me that there is never just one answer in music.

I’m also fascinated by the different career paths these artists have taken. Hearing about their experiences shows that there is no single road to becoming a musician, which I find both inspiring and exciting.

How have your personal career goals changed — or been reaffirmed — since you have gone through your years at ANAM?

My time at ANAM hasn’t necessarily changed my goals as a musician, but it has reinforced how much I love every aspect of classical music — whether that’s orchestral playing, chamber music, teaching, or performing as a soloist.

Recently, I performed in my first ACO Collective tour as an Emerging Artist, which deepened my love for chamber orchestra playing. I love the balance between collaboration and individuality.

More than anything, ANAM has shown me that a fulfilling musical career can take many forms. I’m excited to see where my path leads, and hope it includes a bit of everything.

Tell us a bit about your favourite works on the programs in the upcoming Tognetti concerts!

It’s hard to choose, but if I had to pick, I’d say Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Both works are incredibly rich, emotionally charged, and full of complexity, so I’m excited to explore them in depth with the orchestra. And of course, Mahler. As a violinist, I absolutely love playing his music, and I’m especially excited to tick Symphony No. 4 off my list, as it’s one I haven’t had the chance to perform before.

What do you hope audiences will get out of this experience of hearing you and the ANAM Orchestra play alongside the soloist?

I hope the audience enjoys the incredible range and contrast of music across the two concerts and experience the unique energy. Opportunities to perform as a full orchestra at ANAM aren’t frequent, so there’s always a special excitement from the very first rehearsal.

I’m also really looking forward to performing alongside my colleagues, and I hope audiences can feel the strong sense of connection and friendship that we share at ANAM. It’s something that makes these performances truly special.