Welcome to Con Fuoco, our interview series with emerging artists in Australia.
Victoria Bihun grew up in Benalla, Victoria and started playing violin when she was five. From nine years old, she was making the 400km round trip to Melbourne every Saturday morning to participate in Melbourne Youth Music programs. She continued to do this for the next 11 years.
Victoria completed her Bachelor of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and was concertmaster of the Melbourne Youth Orchestra and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Symphony Orchestra, as well as appearing as guest concertmaster with the Victorian Opera. She won the Margaret Sutherland Bursary Scholarship, Corinna D’Hage Mayer String Scholarship, W Bardsley Award, and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Chamber Music Competition with her quartet, the PMCA Quartet.
In 2012, Victoria was awarded the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra String Scholarship, becoming a regular guest musician with the orchestra. In the same year, she won the D&MV McDonald Travelling Scholarship. Victoria has won the Hobart Eisteddfod Chamber Music Competition and the Nelle Ashdown and Jan Sedivka Memorial Awards. She has appeared as soloist with the Hobart Chamber Orchestra and performed in various chamber ensembles with Virtuosi Tasmania. At the end of Victoria’s time in Hobart, she was concertmaster of the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute for their performance of Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben.
In 2015, Victoria moved to Sydney after being awarded a Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellowship. She recently passed a trial period with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and is now a permanent member of the second violin section. She has performed with The Orchestra Project since she was 18 and will star in its upcoming 1 April performance.
Biggest fear when performing?
I’m usually pretty chilled when I’m performing. But if I do find myself getting stressed, it’ll usually be over something I can’t control anyway, like someone else’s difficult solo. The most fearful I’ve ever been in a performance was in MYO when I was leading John Adams’ Harmonielehre. We hadn’t played anything quite like it, and it was the first time I thought to myself: ‘Something could go very wrong and I won’t be able to fix it’. But, we nailed it.
Most memorable concert experience?
I really can’t go past leading a performance of Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben. It is such a fun piece to play, but then to be able to indulge in the solo line as well…heaven.
How do you psych yourself up for practice on a lazy day?
I’m all for lazy days! It took me a while, but I’ve finally realised just how important days off are – not only physically but mentally as well. And what better motivation to practice than after I’ve taken a day off, with a looming deadline?
I think it’s also important to remember that everyone works differently. A practice schedule that works for one person won’t necessarily work for me, so I try not to compare my method to others.
Most embarrassing moment on stage?
It wasn’t that it was particularly embarrassing, but I did feel horrible during and after a concert of Petrushka with MYO. I broke an E string early on, and swapped my violin with my desky. During a stunning and very quiet flute solo, there was a Mexican wave of violins going on, as mine was passed to the poor person at the back of the section who then played the rest of the concert with no E string. So not only did I ruin the moment for the flute player, but half the first violins had to play most of the concert on someone else’s violin. Whoops.
Best piece of musical advice you’ve received?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received was from Richard Gill, who told me to never ever switch off while playing. Seems obvious, but it is so easy to switch onto autopilot, especially during a part of a piece where there doesn’t seem like there’s much for you to do. I would find myself getting bored and not really appreciating the piece, but after he told me this I’m so much more engaged and getting more and more out of every piece.
Post-gig ritual?
You can’t beat a nice glass of wine with the colleagues you’ve just shared the experience with.
What do you love most about making music?
Looking into the audience and seeing that I’ve made someone feel the way I do playing this incredible music.
Watch Victoria Bihun perform in The Orchestra Project on 1 April under the direction of Fabian Russell.
Image supplied. Credit: Ken Butti.
