BY CUTCOMMON
Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto is not an uncommon work. But owing to the relative scarcity of this orchestral instrument, you’re unlikely to hear it programmed as commonly as a violin or piano concerto. This month, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is bringing its principal bassoon Jack Schiller into the spotlight, and he will perform this “youthful, joyous, and sincere work” for audiences in Melbourne, Geelong, and Bendigo. The concert also features Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5 — one of Jack’s favourites — led by conductor Han-Na Chang.
Jack tells CutCommon what it’s like to prepare for the solo role in a concerto, playing in front of strangers (and your colleagues), and enjoying the sound of this double reed instrument.
So you’ll be playing the solo part in Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto — exciting?!
It’s always a great privilege to play a concerto with orchestra, and I’m so happy and excited that I’m playing Mozart with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. It’s going to be a special week of concerts.
You’re the principal bassoon in this orchestra; how come you took the chance to step out from your section and take on this solo role?
I’ve always loved playing solo with orchestra. To be honest, if someone shows a glimmer of interest in hearing a bassoon concerto, I’m keen.
It’s a huge deal to be standing in front of an audience and performing for a bunch of strangers who are going to keep their ears out for your every note — but you are also playing in front of your colleagues. You must have some serious strategies in place for keeping cool under pressure.
Concertos are quite a curious thing. On the one hand, you have so much more focus on you than within the orchestra. But you also require so much focus from within yourself — so sometimes, it is easier nerves-wise to play a whole concerto than to play a big solo within the orchestra.
As far as strategies, it comes down to the clichéd things of staying in the moment, focusing on the music, and relying on the work I’ve done in the practice room.
As far as my colleagues go, I’m so fortunate to have the most brilliant and supportive people to work with. Sometimes, it feels as though classical music and orchestral musicians are so exacting and precise. But in the end, we all just want to play good music together. So, actually playing with the people I play with week in and week out provides the extra support for managing the higher pressure.
So tell us a little about the music! What’s satisfying — or satisfyingly challenging — about Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto?
Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto definitely falls into the category of a youthful, joyous, and sincere work. As with pretty much all of Mozart’s works, the concerto requires a clarity of phrasing, which can at times be the simplest thing in the world and at other times be maddeningly just out of grasp.
How long have you been preparing for the event?
As [this] Mozart is a piece that bassoonists play throughout their lives, it is kind of a constant presence in our lives. Whether it’s preparing it for a concert, an audition, or hearing a student bring it to a lesson, the concerto is there one way or another.
In terms of physicality, I’ve found playing a concerto does require a higher degree of stamina. So the amount of practice I try to do in the months leading up to the concerto does tend to increase. Obviously, you can’t hide in any way throughout a concerto. So having the stamina to maintain your technique and sound is pretty important. It also means that you are more flexible to change how you play when inspiration strikes during the performance if you have those extra hours under your belt.
Audiences don’t commonly hear a bassoon concerto on a program, and the scarcity surely makes this concert special. To people hearing a bassoon concerto for the first time, what do you hope they’ll take away?
To be honest, I hope they just hear the bassoon as another musical voice. And if they haven’t heard the bassoon before that, they enjoy the mellow and characterful nature of its sound.
Parting words before this huge event for the bassoon and general music lovers of Australia?
Well, if you come to this concert by MSO, you’re also going to hear one of my favorite symphonies. Tchaikovsky’s Fifth is absolutely stunning, and the lyrical wind writing is truly beautiful.
Jack Schiller performs solo with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Han-Na Chang in Mozart and Tchaikovsky, 23-25 May. Bookings and locations on the MSO website.
Images supplied. Credit Laura Pemberton.
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