BY MICHELLE FORBES AND STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Welcome to Con Fuoco, CutCommon’s interview series with emerging musicians in Australia.
Monty Wain likes a little classical and a little jazz – and his skills have seen him win a great number of awards and eisteddfods across Tasmania. On double bass, he achieved his LMus in 2015, the same year that he took out the Hobart Open Eisteddfod Concerto and a role as soloist with the Derwent Symphony Orchestra. Last year, he won the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Rising Star Competition, through which he performed the Koussevitsky Double Bass Concerto. He also won the City of Hobart Eisteddfod Open Instrument Recital and the Nelle Ashdown Memorial Award.
This year, Monty’s sights are set on track after playing with the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp, and continuing in his position of principal double bass at the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra.
Your all time favourite piece of music?
I think the answer to that question really depends on what mood I’m in. If I’m in a good mood, I’ll listen to something very deep and intense such as Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, but if I’m feeling mad about something I’ll put on something light-hearted like Strauss’ Fledermaus Overture, or Malambo from Alberto Ginastera’s Estancia Suite. I’ve also had the pleasure to play all three of these examples, and of them I think I had the most fun playing Ginastera’s Malambo. It’s the sort of piece where you wish you could continue to perform it on loop for hours on end, because it’s so relentlessly lively and fun to play.
Best piece of musical advice you’ve received?
I have been given so much advice from so many teachers and mentors over the years, but a standout for me came from cello virtuoso Li-Wei Qin in an interview he gave at National Music Camp 2017. He said that it’s okay to not enjoy practising because practising is just playing over the bits that you can’t play!
Most memorable concert experience?
There are so many to choose from! A highlight for me would definitely be playing Astor Piazzolla’s Bandoneon Concerto with virtuoso soloist James Crabb. It was truly mesmerising sitting back in the cadenzas and listening to him improvise with such ease, and create such beautiful music.
Biggest fear when performing?
Whether it be music, dancing or singing, I have been performing from as early as six years of age, so being on stage is quite a familiar environment for me. Because of this, I rarely get nervous when performing, although I suppose I’m not too fond of the possibility of having a memory lapse when performing a solo piece from memory. Luckily this hasn’t happened to me (yet).
How do you psych yourself up for practice on a lazy day?
If I’m having a lazy day and don’t really feel like practising I generally just don’t practice. However, the imminent roasting I’ll get from my piano or double bass teacher for not practising is usually enough to motivate me to buck up and do some work.
Most embarrassing moment on stage?
When I was performing the very fast and difficult last page of Koussevitzky’s Double Bass Concerto with the TSO, my hand literally slipped off the fingerboard and I missed about half a bar of music just trying to work out where I was and find a way back in. Luckily, not many people in the audience noticed this blunder (or maybe they were just being polite when I asked them).
Favourite post-gig ritual?
What my family usually does after a concert is go out to a restaurant and celebrate. Whether this be going to a fancy Italian restaurant or just picking up some fish and chips on the way home, it’s a nice tradition. However, seeing as I [just turned] 18, I can think of a much preferable post-performance ritual that I’ll take up soon…
What are you most proud of in your musical career so far?
A moment I’m proud of is winning the Nelle Ashdown Memorial Prize in the City of Hobart Eisteddfod at the age of 17, which is a final playoff between the winners of the Open Instrumental Recital, Open Pianoforte Recital, and Open Operatic Aria sections.
What do you love most about making music?
I’ve thought about this one a lot, and the main reason I can think of is the people one is surrounded by in a music-making environment. I always look forward to participating in AYO programs, mostly just to spend time with other musicians. The music world is great to be a part of because everybody is nice and shares similar interests, so it’s easy to get along with everybody.
What’s your ultimate goal?
In music, a definite goal for me is to one day be principal double bass in the Australian Youth Orchestra, although with the standard of youth bass playing in Australia these days being so high, who knows how feasible that is. Outside of music, a goal I’ve been working on for a few years now is breaking the world record for solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, which currently sits at just over 18 seconds.
See Monty perform in the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra as part of the TSO RACT Symphony Under the Stars, 18 February in Tolosa Park. Details online.
Image supplied. Credit: Michelle Kilpatrick.
