Welcome to Con Fuoco – CutCommon’s new interview series with emerging musicians across Australia.
James Gath has played piano since high school and immediately took a liking to the music of Bach, Mozart and especially Chopin – a composer with whom he has a strong affinity. In 2007 he received Sacred Heart College’s Award for Academic Excellence in Classical Music while in grade 10, and continued his studies in music at Guilford Young College while playing for school functions and the college musical ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’.
In 2010, James received the Don Kay Scholarship for piano and composition and was accepted into the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music where he has had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses and have lessons with nationally and internationally renowned concert pianists such as Gerard Willems, Anna Kijanowska, Ewa Kupiec, Howard Shelley and Piers Lane.
James has taught more than 50 piano students since 2011 and today he maintains an active teaching life in his piano studio at Kawai Music School while performing at every opportunity.
Your all time favourite piece of music?
Difficult question! If I had to pick, I would have to choose Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52. The main reason why is because it was the piece that made me want to pursue music professionally and ultimately, it led to Chopin becoming my favourite composer. Of course, I didn’t have the technique to play it when I started learning piano but it was a great goal to aim for and I achieved it by learning the piece last year!
Most memorable concert experience?
The first time that I saw a live concert, Polish pianist Ewa Kupiec performed Chopin’s Andante spianato and grande polonaise brillante, Op. 22 with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Her playing really resonated with me and further fuelled my goal to become a professional musician. Later on whilst studying at the Conservatorium, I had the great opportunity to perform in front of her for a masterclass!
Biggest fear when performing?
Having a memory lapse. Nothing would be worse in my opinion and it does happen, even to professional concert pianists. Thankfully, it’s never happened to me halfway through playing…yet (touch wood).
Best piece of musical advice you’ve been given?
Whilst I was learning from David Bollard who is Adjunct Professor of Piano at the Conservatorium, he always gave me sage advice and it always made perfect sense. His use of metaphors to describe how to play music was supreme. For example, to play legato well, he said to imagine that your fingers are stuck to the keys by ‘sweet and sticky honey’. It worked!
How do you psych yourself up for practice on a lazy day?
Usually I don’t have to try very hard to start a practice session but one way is that I listen to recordings of the great pianists. For me, there isn’t much more that could inspire a productive practice session. But I don’t listen to a recording of a piece after I’ve started learning it – only before. I very much want what I play to be my own interpretation, rather than a ‘carbon copy’ of someone else’s recording.
Most embarrassing thing to happen to you on stage?
A funny story. Most embarrassing moment was on stage in a concert at the Conservatorium. Thankfully, no one in the audience realised this but after I bowed and sat down at the piano, I had completely forgotten how the piece began! Luckily, I was able to keep calm and visualise the score in my head and after I played the first note, muscle memory kicked in and away I went!
Favourite post-gig activity?
Go out to a local watering hole with friends (and other performers if there were any) who came to watch me perform! It’s a great way for me to unwind.
What are you most proud of in your musical career so far?
My own achievements aside, I am intensely proud of my students. Most of them work very hard and it’s always good to see them reap the rewards of their practice, both in exams and whilst performing in a concert.
What do you most love about making music?
For me, it’s making the music my own. Putting a part of myself in the music and also researching the history behind pieces and the composers who wrote them.
What’s your ultimate goal?
To learn as much as I can about my art and all of its aspects. Music is an amazing combination of many different disciplines: science, language, maths, history, culture, philosophy – I could go on. I suppose that my ultimate goal is to be the best musician that I can be, to always be learning something about music and to keep music with me for the rest of my life. A famous quote by Sergei Rachmaninoff springs to mind: “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.”
If you’re an emerging musician and would like to be featured in CutCommon’s new Con Fuoco interview series, give us a shout at editor@cutcommon.com.
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