Welcome to Con Fuoco – CutCommon’s interview series with emerging musicians across Australia.
Melbourne musician Madeleine Jevons holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from the former Victorian College of the Arts in 2010, and graduated with Honours in Music Performance the following year. She is passionate about chamber music and is a founding member of Melbourne’s Penny Quartet. She was part of the winning string quartet (2010) and a finalist (2011) in the University of Melbourne Alumni Chamber Competitions and received the Corinna D’Hage Mayer string scholarship (2011).
In 2013, Madeleine was the recipient of the St. Silas Outstanding Achievement Award at the Australian National Academy of Music, from which she graduated in 2014.
Madeleine has performed extensively in orchestras including Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra and is a casual member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. She is also a guest member of the Australian Octet in 2016. In 2015, Madeleine held an Emerging Artist position with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and is currently a member of the ACO Collective.
See Madeleine perform with the Penny Quartet this month.
Your all time favourite piece of music?
Changes by the hour, really. Like, this morning before rehearsal, I was pretty convinced it was Ariana Grande’s Into You. But basically, it tends to be whatever I’m playing or exploring at the time – so at the moment, Britten 3. We heard the Navarra Quartet perform it in March and I think that particular performance of that particular piece is one of the most affecting things I’ve ever seen. So let’s go with that.
Best piece of musical advice you’ve received?
“You have to have this unbridled passion, this childlike enthusiasm for what you do, like a kid in a toy store…You need to combine a dedication to the nuts and bolts with a willingness to let loose —to realise that you might not make that jump but you’re going to leap anyway” – from Geoff Nuttall of the St Laurence SQ, who we have been lucky enough to study with.
Most memorable concert experience?
A few! Even some Melbourne Youth Orchestra concerts still really stick with me as truly formative experiences. A couple of chamber orchestra performances; Beethoven 5 with Anthony Marwood in my ANAM days may be the most I’ve ever felt like a rockstar playing a second violin part. Touring with Pekka Kuusisto has a similar effect – every performance with Pekka is really special and I grow more and more each show. For quartet, playing Haydn in Bermagui at the Four Winds Festival in March was a surreal blur of concentrated music-making and supportive energy both onstage and from the audience that will stay with me forever. We really pushed ourselves and it was a great landmark for us to be proud of.
Biggest fear when performing?
I mean aside from the obvious (falling, playing horribly out of tune, dropping things…all of which have happened), I think my true fear now would be not performing how I want to/know I can; not committing, I guess? It’s a confidence thing. Quartet is so wonderful because you can build each other up in those scary moments – something about having your mates on stage with you just makes everything feel that little bit less terrifying.
How do you psych yourself up for practice on a lazy day?
Ok, disclaimer: Sometimes if you’ve been working an insane amount, take that lazy day and do it right. Stay in your PJs, put the kettle on, and commit to that couch guilt-free. But if you need to get stuff done and just aren’t feeling the best…YouTube! Inspiration is everywhere. Or else, I call Amy (the other violinist in Penny Quartet) and she’ll be practising, and that will pressure me into action. Sad but true.
Most embarrassing moment on stage or in rehearsal?
For embarrassing moments in our rehearsals, you should ask Jack Anthony and Amy I’m sure they could tell you plenty. But I think the best/worst I’ve got is one time in my youth orchestra days, I had to go to the bathroom so badly I faked a blood nose to run off stage. That was pretty bad. I sheepishly made it back to my seat for the rest of the concert afterwards though, so I thought I did ok.
What’s your favourite thing to do after giving a concert?
Tiny debrief with the quartet as we pack up, hug my friends and family who came, get to the nearest bar.
What are you most proud of in your musical career so far?
I am proud of how hard I worked during my time at ANAM, because without those years of intense study I would not have passed the auditions that have led me to play with the incredible ensembles and musicians I am lucky enough to work with now. At the moment, I think I am most proud of the fact that I am touring with a quartet that we run, fund and program ourselves. We’re having so much fun and learning so much from each other every day, and I kind of can’t believe we get to do this for as long as we want. It’s really intense and sometimes super impractical, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
What do you love most about making music?
I’ve written a few answers and can’t settle. I love a lot of things. The freedom you gain from making music with a group of friends/really intelligent musicians has to be up there, though. Getting to experiment with new ideas and sounds is a true luxury and at the same time a fundamental part of being a musician. It’s just a really lovely thing to spend your days doing. You’re ultimately just trying to put good stuff in to the world. Also, every time we play for someone who’s never seen our kind of music before and they love it, those are some of my happiest concert memories. A shout-out to the kid in Bermagui 2015 with the dreadlocks who was air-drumming to the finale of a Haydn quartet – we love you, dude.
What’s your ultimate goal?
This is a heavy question! I’ll try to answer for the quartet to deflect responsibility. Although I don’t actually know if we have an ‘ultimate goal’ per se, our goal right now is to play lots of great music that we love and keep getting better at it.
Madeleine will perform with the Penny Quartet in Ballarat’s Cathedral Church of Christ the King, 2.30pm July 30; and ANAM (South Melbourne Town Hall), 7pm August 2.
Images supplied. Featured image: Pia Johnson.
