BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Welcome to Con Fuoco – CutCommon’s interview series with emerging musicians across Australia.
In 2014, Jacob Lawrence completed a Bachelor of Music with Honours at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. The same year, he was a semifinalist in the Mietta Song Competition, and runner-up in the Australian National Liederfest. He was also awarded the Desma Woolcock and Muriel Cheek scholarships.
Jacob has performed with Pinchgut Opera, and appeared in the Brisbane Baroque Festival and Auckland Arts Festival, having sung in a range of groups including Gloriana Chamber Choir, Victorian Opera, Canberra Choral Society, and the Australian Chamber Choir.
Jacob is moving to Switzerland next month to undertake studies in Historically Informed Performance at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. So make sure you catch him before he leaves and attend the Australian Chamber Choir’s Bach in the Castle of Heaven this month.
Your all time favourite piece of music, and why?
Wow, that’s a hard one to answer. Usually when I’m asked this, I try to think of what piece I’m always in the mood to listen to. At the moment, it’s the Monteverdi Vespers, Dardanus by Rameau, and Strauss’ Four Last Songs. If you asked me next week, though, I’m sure my answers would be different!
Most memorable concert experience?
Probably the first time I performed as Evangelist in the St. John Passion.
Biggest fear when performing?
If you’re prepared enough, there certainly shouldn’t be any fear involved! In opera, though, the thought often crosses one’s mind that it’d be very easy to forget a word or two. Like I said, though, that doesn’t happen if you’re prepared!
Best piece of musical advice you’ve received?
I can’t remember the exact wording, but it was when I was at the Dartington Summer School speaking with one of the tutors about what kind of degree I should do. I’d just completed my Bachelor of Music in Melbourne. At Dartington, they said something along the lines of: ‘You’re young. Do what you know you’ll love, not what you think you should do. There’s plenty of time for that.’ So it’s ended up that I’m moving to Switzerland in September to study with Gerd Türk at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.
How do you psych yourself up for practice on a lazy day?
Treat it like medicine. Most of the time if I’m not feeling into it, I don’t look at music I’m working on for performance. Instead, I use old exercises that I’ve had for years, and just try to concentrate on the technique part. Luckily, I love nearly all the music I have to perform, so making myself practice it isn’t much of a struggle.
Most embarrassing moment on stage or in rehearsal?
Singing Tallis’ Spem in Alium with some particularly impressive names in the room and I was ‘that guy’ who sang in the pause that goes across all 40 parts. It was only a rehearsal, but still mortifyingly embarrassing! Oops.
Favourite post-gig activity?
Relax. There’s no better feeling than having pulled off a really good concert. After a concert is pretty much the only time when I don’t feel guilty that I’m not practising or studying, so I make sure I capitalise on that feeling by chilling out.
What are you most proud of in your musical career so far?
I wouldn’t say that it’s pride, exactly, but I’m very happy to have established myself as a singer of the music I really love that is pretty much anything written before 1800ish. I’ve always wanted to specialise in that particular field of music, and it’s going pretty well so far.
What do you love most about making music?
It’s very hard to pin down what I love most about making music, but it’s something about how easy it is to really become lost in a piece of music. It’s the only thing that really occupies my mind 100 per cent, though that may be more to do with my terrible concentration than anything else! People often say, ‘You need to get a hobby’, and I feel incredibly lucky that I can confidently disagree with them, in saying that my passion is my job as well as my hobby.
What’s your ultimate goal?
I consider it an immense privilege to be paid to do what I love, as I imagine anyone really passionate about their profession does. I hope to be able to continue on my current trajectory, and make a good living performing the music I really love with people who are as passionate about it as I am.
Jacob Lawrence will perform Bach in the Castle of Heaven in the Australian Chamber Choir events across Bowral (August 20), Sydney (21), Macedon (27), and Geelong (28). For tickets and more information visit the ACC website here.
Image supplied.
