BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Anna McMichael is co-artistic director of the Tyalgum Music Festival.
And a violinist in Ironwood Chamber Ensemble.
Not to mention that, when she had a stint living in Europe, she held leadership roles in about a million groups including ASKO Ensemble, Nieuw Ensemble, Zephyr String Quartet, Amsterdam Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra, Schoenberg Ensemble, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and many more.
Closer to home, she’s been assistant concertmaster with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, associate concertmaster with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, guest concertmaster with Orchestra Victoria. The list goes on.
We want to know how she does it all. How she balances so many different commitments at once; how she works her way up to lead every ensemble she can get her talented violinist hands on. We interview this power woman about her career and get to her to tell us all of her secrets, ahead of Tyalgum which runs from September 9-11 and Ironwood’s performance on September 5.
Hi Anna, wonderful to learn about your musical life. Tell us how it all started – when did you get into violin?
I began playing Suzuki violin in the USA as a small child when my family moved to North Carolina for a few years before coming back to Adelaide. I was about 4-and-a-half and saw a group of kids playing in the local shopping mall and asked if I could do that, too. On moving back to Adelaide, I began studying with Marie Roberts who had a wonderful music school set up. At that time there was a very strong violin teaching tradition in Adelaide so I was lucky to be part of that growing up in Adelaide.
At what point did you decide performing music wasn’t necessarily enough, but that you wanted to get involved in the behind-the-scenes activity (such as being the co-artistic director of Tyalgum Music Festival, along with leader and associate concertmaster in other groups)?
I moved to Holland in my early 20s to study and was quickly caught up in the variety of music-making and ensemble culture that was taking place there. I always enjoyed playing different types of music – string quartets and chamber music – and had been active in Adelaide performing new music and in different groups, so was able to expand on that in Holland. For me, a rich musical life involves ensemble playing, chamber music, orchestral, chamber orchestra, solo work, and I’ve also been involved in experimental improvising, multimedia, theatre and dance and early music along the way. I’ve tried to keep growing as a musician and artistically – to realise some of those things. And with my own groups I’ve had to learn how to manage and promote them and as a freelance musician. Having to organise my own career has been part of that. That has quite naturally led to programming other groups and gaining a sense of responsibility within the music scene and wanting to contribute to maintaining that. I believe very strongly in a healthy arts community with a lot of activity going on at all levels and try to be very supportive of all the musical groups trying to exist.
You perform in a number of groups. Talk us through the dynamic of this – each group has its own independent mission and style, though the arts scene is very small and filled with competition.
I love variety and being busy with something different every couple of weeks. I really value all the different musical personalities and aesthetics being expressed, and that different groups have room to exist and have different experiences to contribute to the musical scene. As an audience member, it is important to be able to have this range and selection and also as a society. I guess I come into a program or group and become steeped in that project and how to try and help it to reach its potential. I also grow myself through this process and hope to learn something all the time. Obviously, some projects have a steeper learning curve than others for me depending on the project but there is always something to enjoy and be inspired by. Luckily, there are so many amazing musicians around bringing their own special contributions, and each group is trying to explore a particular area with each project. Musicians and artists in general are very driven and love the thrill of developing an area and realising a particular project together into something special.
How do you balance a tight schedule filled with rehearsals, organising the festival, concert dates, and more?
I work very hard and have had to learn to live with uncertainty as a freelance musician and sudden crazy times when everything overlaps. I have a very supportive partner and kids that I’m able to spend lots of time with and then have to travel away from. I try to make decisions fast and juggle a lot of things at once. My husband always freaks out when he sees how many windows are open on my computer at once! I text about my kid’s soccer matches five minutes before a concert. I’ve learnt to prepare for projects in time and lay practice groundwork so I’m not overwhelmed and can pace for what is coming up. The festival takes a lot of work as we are a very small team and I certainly know a lot more about grant writing than I did a few years ago!
Is it no longer enough for a musician to do one thing – and one thing well? Considering the current landscape, is it necessary for young musicians to take on as many projects as possible in order to be self-sustainable and successful?
I think there is such a variety of music-making around these days and audience expectations about vibrant concert presentation, so it does help to develop musical personality and your own aesthetic. It is also good to be aware of shifting ideas on style and how to approach different types of music. This knowledge only adds to what you are doing and carries into other areas of music-making. Approach also changes at different times of your life and where your interests and passions lie at the time. Also, where you are at personally, and the opportunities that come along. I hope there is room for both specialisation for those who enjoy that and people who like a broad approach. I’ve enjoyed building on areas I’ve put lots of time into and to sustain a long life of music-making and interests.
Why have you worked your way into so many leadership roles? Do you feel the need to take each opportunity to the highest level possible? What have you learnt being in these positions for so many groups? Tell us everything!
I do have a sense of responsibility and involvement in the musical community. Taking on leadership also happens naturally over the years as experience grows and I learnt to trust my own opinions (mostly!). I’ve learnt from plenty of amazing musicians and continue to do so. Running a festival is really exciting and watching it take shape is very rewarding. I’m happy leading but I also like supporting and enjoying the situation without as much responsibility and being in the middle of it. A balance is nice. I moved back to Australia from Holland in 2010 and as part of that move I was also looking for new ways to challenge myself and running a festival was one of them.
What’s your advice for young musicians who want to work their way up into leadership roles?
Throw yourself into challenging situations. Learn as you go and from other musicians and try to bring out the best in those around you and keep loving what you are doing. Think of yourself as part of an arts community and how to keep that vital and healthy.
Anna will also perform at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival with Daniel de Borah on October 8.
Image supplied. Credit: Sophie Raymond.
