BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Despite learning both piano and violin from just six years old, Stephanie Dixon grew up with little interest in making a career out of her musical talent.
In high school, she stumbled into the realm of double reeds under the simple logic of “yeah, why not?” and had already reached 14 when she tried her hand at the oboe.
“I thought I’d give it a go and it took off from there,” Stephanie says. But it wasn’t until year 12 that she considered making it a more serious aspect of her life and decided to enrol in a degree at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. “Even then, I was not so sure what I wanted to do. It was more that I played music because I really enjoyed it.”
Today, Stephanie’s love of performance can no longer be restrained. The 24-year-old graduated from her Bachelor’s degree on a scholarship in 2013 and was awarded the Rudolf Pekarek Oboe Prize, the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence, and also the 4MBS Chamber Music Prize. She’s worked as a casual musician for the Queensland and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras and in 2012 travelled the world as principal chair of the Queensland Youth Orchestra.
While she’s undertaking her third year of study at the Australian National Academy of Music, she returns to Queensland to perform as part of the Brisbane Baroque’s 5x5x5@5 series, in an ensemble made up of friends.
“Playing music with people is great – that’s one of the best things about playing chamber music and playing with orchestras,” she says. “Once I started taking it seriously as a career option, performance became more intense and more focused on the nuances and technical aspects – but the underlying enjoyment is still there.”
Her ensemble for the concert is made up of fellow ANAM students/alumni Lawrence Matheson (harpsichord), David Reichelt (oboe), and Christopher Haycroft (bassoon). The latter two also Queensland con graduates, Stephanie says performing with her friends comes with “a mutual level of trust and understanding that’s already there”.
“There’s no need to take time to get to know the group and get to know each others’ playing. We’re comfortable and used to everyone’s idiosyncrasies when we play and the sound and tone that we make.”
The group will present works by Bach, Telemann, and Zelenka. Though some are challenging, it’s hard not to hear the inspiration in her voice as she talks us through the works.
“Telemann’s Trio Sonata has a slightly different style – it plays itself so I thought it’d be a lovely opener to get the audience in the Baroque mood,” she says.
“In the middle, I thought I’d put a more standard sonata by Bach. It’s for oboe and harpsichord, but was originally written for violin and first credited as a JS Bach composition. But it’s since emerged that it’s actually CPE Bach who wrote this sonata.
“Then we’re finishing off with Zelenka’s Trio Sonata in F. The Zelenka is all hands on deck – fast, fun, and frantic. I thought that would be a fantastic way to end the concert.”
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that Stephanie considers Baroque one of her “favourite eras” in music – though she also acknowledges its influence in composers as modern as Stravinsky and Webern.
“Everything comes back to Baroque, really. So many composers draw their inspiration from Bach and his work but especially Telemann, with all the rules and fundamentals of things like counterpoint, harmony, melody and tonality. They’ve all come back from Baroque and even pre-that.
“Baroque is like the fundamentals of a lot of composition, and even modern day composers completely pay homage to Baroque music. So I think it’s extremely relevant. Festivals like the Brisbane Baroque are the ways to keep interest and enthusiasm going.”
See Stephanie Dixon perform as part of the Brisbane Baroque 5x5x5@5 series, 5pm April 12 at Brisbane City Hall. Tickets $5 at the door.
Image supplied. Credit: Forever Yours Photography by Forough Yavar
