Musings – Interviewing UOW Music Students

A couple weeks ago we had a chat with UOW third year music students Tom Price, Ella Grace, Jess Anderson and Daniel Munro about their music, their time at uni and the Music GradFest held earlier this month. Get to know the musicians below and commit their names to memory because you’ll discover, just as we did, there is some epic talent being cultivated in our own backyard.

Lisa: What challenges have you faced when creating music this year?

Tom: I definitely struggle with time management, kind of stretching myself a little bit too thin. I haven’t come from a classically trained background, I pretty much self-taught most of the things that I do. So, what I’ve been learning, especially this year, is to learn lessons from other people and how they work and see how I can put it into my own practices. When working with others, I wanted to make sure when writing and making music, producing music, I want people to be as comfortable as possible and feel that they can have some control in it. But I think the biggest challenge is that we are in third year. This is the last one, this is our last ride, right? So, the inner perfectionist in me is like ‘you have to do it right.’ It has hit me now that it’s coming to an end. Every single one of us is kind of sad about that ending. Like, you see all these people every single day, right? You grow with them from that first year. I’m sad that it’s over but I’m happy that it happened.

Lisa: Did you compose music for your major project?

Tom: Our major project was making an EP, an extended play, a three-song album, some people did four. But it’s original music. You make it from scratch. No covers – compose it, produce it as well.

Lisa: So, what’s the plan after uni?

Tom: I really want to teach music. That’s why I am doing my masters in Western Sydney because they offer music teaching as a course.

Lisa: Planning on furthering your live music experience afterwards?

Tom: I haven’t really thought of it. I would like to; it’d be pretty cool if I could.

Lisa: Do you think you’d like to play solo?

Tom: Oh no, I would love to get some like-minded people involved.

Lisa: So, what skills have you learned that you are most excited to showcase?

Tom: What I have learnt here has been really good because it has accompanied different methods to teaching because, as a drummer, you learn things rhythmically. You don’t learn things melodically or harmonically, you know, like singers do, but I learnt to sing through the great tutelage and work of Karen Cummings. She’s an absolute visionary. Honestly, she’s such a good singing teacher. I learnt how to sing in three years. I cannot give enough praise to her work. She’s a superstar. She really gets them involved and makes them feel immersed and it’s really something that I would want to put in my own teaching methods further down the track, make sure everyone’s included, you know. I mean, all the teachers are fantastic. Like Alex, Terumi, Tim, Kelvin. They teach you so much. I taught myself piano through Kelvin’s classes throughout my course. All the work that all the other teachers have put in as well, they’ve really driven me to keep my head down and keep working.

Lisa: Were you confident singing or did you have stage fright?

Tom: I would like to think that I am a confident person when I’m on stage. There’s a stage me. Yeah, it’s like a private and public personality. After being on stage and doing the same thing over and over, you kind of get conditioned to what you have to do and how you’re doing it. Which is really cool. Like the actors do it, right. Like the same lines over and over. It’s like that. Play the same thing over and over and over, you remember it. I would like to think I’m a confident performer.

Lisa: So, how has studying at UOW nurtured your creative processes when making music?

Tom: I feel like writing music is very therapeutic. Writing music and writing about why you may feel in certain period of your life, really helps getting it out. I tend to write music that means something to me, you know? For me, I want to make sure that it comes across. It’s nice to express yourself that way and seeing how other people write their own music is just so interesting to watch. Yeah, I think creatively from the beginning of my journey, there to now, I think it’s just completely expanded.

Lisa: Did you write music before?

Tom: No, I never wrote. I was too shy to do it. It’s brought me out of my shell a little bit more. Doing it and performing outside. So, from the kid who started to now, I think he would be like, ‘well, I wouldn’t believe that.’

Lisa: What would you say is the theme for the EP?

Tom: Sad, haha. Some people have said to me, ‘listened to your EP. It’s fucking sad, man.’ But my original idea for the EP was having three different songs for three different genres. But I think it just ended up turning into like an alternative EP because of time. The song I wrote about my dad is like folk rock. And most of it is pretty much alternative. Yeah, I would say that.

Lisa: Are you performing by yourself?

Tom: I’m not. No, I want to definitely give credit and shout out to the people that I’ve worked with over this period of time. They’ve been absolute troopers. You know, just other students like Gerty Balboa, Matt McNoughton, Ryley Robinson-Condon, Daniel Monroe, Ella Grace and Jess Anderson. They’ve been a really big influence because [of] how I was writing the song and performing ‘Moxie’.  I said to them, ‘hey, I want you to feel comfortable enough to improvise. It’s not just my song, It’s your song too. I want to show you guys off as well. Yeah, this is your last performance too. I want you to have a great performance.’

Lisa: Are you in a band or performing solo this week?

Ella: I’m opening, my piece is called ‘Peek’. It’s the opening to the musical that I’m writing. So, it’s kind of fitting that it’s opening the concert as well. And I get to test if that opening vibe is there. I think it is. I’m also part of a band where I play piano and sing and then I sing and play piano in another band for an all-girls group.

Lisa: What challenges have you faced when creating music this year?

Ella My musical is being co-written but my co-writer is a writer and I’m the musician. So, I guess some struggles have been having certain deadlines for uni when she’s not in this uni course. Just making sure that, you know, still work collaborating with that writer and still getting things done on time. And to be honest, I had issues with recording. I wanted to add in some orchestral musical theatre percussion type instruments, so like vibraphone, and stuff like that. So, when I was recording that I was just finding it hard to get the levels of it right.

Lisa: Did you end up overcoming it?

Ella: Yeah, I did. And then for the performance, we’re not doing a vibraphone, we are using a marimba, which is an acoustic instrument instead. But I wanted to use that instrument, because it’s like, kind of paying homage to musical theatres, where it’s come from in the Western world, whereas I’m trying to still take the Western understanding of a musical and what that sounds like, but trying to find some kind of Australian voice for it – finding some Australian context for musical theatre to exist in. Since that hasn’t really been paved yet, successfully. And so, it’s a kind of a rock ensemble.

Lisa: Are you performing this musical live soon?

Ella: We’ve got a few songs for it and we’re still writing it. So, it’ll be a little while, but I’ll be looking into working with some theatres and getting some grants in the next year to progress it more.

Lisa: So, have you been able to perform live locally?

Ella: No, I’m not really a performer. I don’t seek performing. I more love just writing everything. So, I’ve got heaps of stuff I’ve been writing and producing that will be released soon. Nothing’s really out yet, though. Yeah, that’s all the work in progress.

Lisa: What skills have you learnt that you’re most excited to showcase this year during your performance this week?

Ella: My storytelling capabilities that have developed over the course of my degree and understanding how you can fuse creative fields to create some kind of creative hybrid. So, theatre is very storytelling, characters, plot, emotions and then you’re pairing that with music. I want to find a way to emulsify them and I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that. And I’m still developing those skills but I guess when you’ve got a passion for something, it’s just easier to do. It’s easier to delve into and sit in and find new ways to go about it. So, keen to showcase those kind of skills that I’ve been working on.

Lisa: How has studying at UOW nurtured your creative processes when creating music?

Ella: UOW has been great because of how the creative arts course is here. Even though I majored in music, I still got to collaborate with other people like in visual art, acting, creative writing and that’s where I met my co-writer. She’s a creative writer. So, they’ve got they’ve got classes which all the creative students have to take as core subjects. Yeah, so you’re forced to collaborate. But I think it’s great, because then you can find these ways to work together and create this fortified art, rather than just stick with your own thing. I honestly don’t think that my passion and my understanding, where I’m at now in musical theatre, would be where it is today without those kinds of collaborations that I was introduced to. So, I think UOW does really well to nurture that idea of collaboration in creative industries. Because once you’re in the field, once you’re in the industry, you’re never not going to be collaborating.

Lisa: Did you enter UOW solely for musical performances?

Ella: Yeah, I entered because I like music and I pick up on music and instruments pretty quickly and I wanted to get away from the city side of things. Yeah, and it’s just so beautiful, it’s such a nice environment to be in here.

Lisa: So, how’s your final year? And did you feel a sense of community when performing with UOW?

Ella: Absolutely. Lots of community. By the end of the concert week, production week, everyone’s pretty close – it’s very encouraging. Lots of camaraderie. So, I started with majority of these guys in last year’s concert with the same group, and it’s nice to do the second concert with the same group. We’ve really gotten to know each other and our abilities and get to a point where you can kind of also refine each other.

Lisa: So, are you a third-year student?

Jess: I’m doing a double degree of comms and media and music, so I’m in my 4^th year of study.

Lisa: What do you plan on doing after uni?

Jess: I want to get into music marketing, whether it be through, like, a record label or an artist specifically.

Lisa: Are you performing in a band this week?

Jess: I have an EP, which is marketing based. So, it’s marketing a charity. I have a full song, an instrumental version and then three testimonies, which is shared on Instagram. I’m not performing any, but it’s found through the website, and then the listening station on the performance days.

Lisa: What challenges have you faced when creating music?

Jess:  It has been very hard because I wouldn’t have considered myself a musician before. I understand all the theory and I know how to write music, but I don’t play anything, besides singing. So, it’s been hard to get my message across with artists and instruct them. It is tedious, but I do get there eventually.

Lisa: Have you been able to use your skills locally or with any other live events?

Jess: I’ve worked for a food and wine festival to find acts within that. So that’s sort of incorporated the two majors – so music management I’d say.

Lisa: Do you plan on working in this industry outside of uni?

Jess: Yeah, I’m hoping so!

Lisa: What skills have you learnt that you’re most excited to showcase during this?

Jess: I quite like the recording studio, which would be useful within work for a record label. I enjoy mixing a lot too. So, working more with pre-recorded things and getting all the levels right.

Lisa: So, how’s that integrated into the performance for you?

Jess: Within the EP, my individual works. Within the actual production, I’m working within the marketing team. Also, with video as a camera operator.

Lisa: How has studying at UOW nurtured your creative process?

Jess: It had developed a whole lot, so many areas, especially with the two degrees. It has become this niche category of what I want to do.

Lisa: Is it a tough market to get into?

Jess: Tough in the way that there’s not many roles out there. So, it’s very competitive in the music industry and marketing alone, but the two together is even more competitive.

Lisa: Did you feel a sense of community when forming this production?

Jess: Absolutely. It’s very helpful having so many different musicians. It’s like a little family.

Lisa: Are you in your third year at your UOW?

Daniel: Well, technically my fourth year, but it’s my last subject.

Lisa: What kind of degree are you doing?

Daniel: A Bachelor of Creative Arts – music major.

Lisa: What challenges have you faced when creating music this year?

Daniel: Finding the motivation and not procrastinating was the main thing. But I guess my motivation came from this project to push myself to actually write music. I’ve done previous assessments doing instrumental music but this is my first time actually writing lyrics to my songs. I don’t think I would have done that if I wasn’t doing this assessment.

Lisa: So were you always into music growing up?

Daniel: Oh yeah, as a kid my favourite games were Guitar Hero and Singstar. None of my family’s musical, so it’s always weird how it happened with me. But I always very much wanted to be in music. Then in high school there was actually a music subject and I just took that every time.

Lisa: What kind of genre are you into?

Daniel: All of them.

Lisa: Have you played locally? Or would you like to?

Daniel: I mean, I would like to I just haven’t done it before. Apart from, like, open mics. But I’d like to do gigs and get paid for that.

Lisa: Does UOW offer live performances apart from the final assessment? Are there connections to be made?

Daniel: Absolutely. The only performances I’ve really done have been at the Unibar and that’s the open mic nights that’s run by Illawarra Music Foundry. So, I’m not sure if they’re specifically connected to the uni but yeah, I wouldn’t have done those if I wasn’t here.

Lisa: Did you have to overcome stage fright to do those?

Daniel: I still have to overcome the stage fright, but I think I had more stage fright before. The first performance I did on my own earlier this year was nerve-wracking, but I had the experience. Finally, I felt a bit more comfortable. But now I’m feeling a little bit more nervous because of this performance I have coming up, because it’s a song that I’ve actually written. I’m not just covering someone else’s words.

Lisa: What’s the title of the song you’ll be performing and what kind of genre should we expect?

Daniel: It’s called ‘Silence in Space’. I don’t know how to describe the genre, but I play acoustic guitar and sing and it’s just it’s a chill vibe. It’s the first song I’ve ever written with lyrics.

Lisa: What inspired it?

Daniel: The whole EP for my project was all just thoughts swirling around. So, for ‘Silence in Space’ I wanted to start with what I know. And I know I really liked the night sky and astronomy. So, I started writing about that and it turned into a song that was more about not being able to find the words, feeling a bit lost and finding self-expression.

Lisa: What skills have you learned that you’re most excited to showcase during this performance?

Daniel: My singing because I was in choirs, little solo lines here and there in the past, but I never felt good about how I sounded. I still have my moments now, of course, but with every performance and every practice I feel more confident with my singing voice and not just hiding behind playing guitar and nothing else.

Lisa: Did you work with Karen Cummings?

Daniel: I did a lot, yes. Not outside of class but every chance I got in class, it was it was really helpful. She’s actually who introduced me to the incredible singer named Ivana. She introduced me to her in class because we both wanted to do an open mic at the bar. Yeah, and we did the open mic and that worked. Everything was awesome.

Lisa: How has studying at UOW nurtured your creative process when making music?

Daniel: It gave me a place to do it and actually learn it. Because I feel like I’ve learned a lot of skills over the years of uni by just Googling and watching YouTube videos, but it has been a space to get direct feedback and practice it and have time limits. I would have explored music if I hadn’t come to UOW for music, but I wouldn’t nearly be at the level of passion I have now. I think being surrounded by other people who are also into music inspires you.

Lisa: Do you have any plans outside of uni? No, yeah.

Daniel: I finish this year and then I’ll take a gap year and I’ll figure it out. But I’ve got all these little hobbies that I can hopefully turn into something and if I don’t then there’s other easy jobs to go do.

Lisa: How’s the sense of community at this uni?

Daniel: Let’s say it’s pretty accepting. For me, it’s felt weird. This is like the first year that has been fully in person, I think, for my fourth year. And also, what was weird for me was that I dropped a couple subjects. So, I was with one group for half the time and then I dropped it down with a different group for the rest of the time. But I had no trouble feeling integrated with the with the group.

 

P.S note from Tom: as concert liaison, my job was made much easier with the help of Jess Anderson, Ella Grace and Emily Whisson. Also, shoutout to the photographers, stage crew, all teachers, especially Terumi Narushima & Congrats to ALL students!

 

Read the review of Music GradFest!

 

Feature Image: Provided

Image Credits: Lisa Reupana