BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Have you ever wondered what life is really like in the orchestra? Welcome to EXPOSED!
Throughout 2017, we’re teaming up with musicians and arts administrators from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra to take you behind the scenes, and show you want it means to pursue a career in a challenging and fulfilling industry.
Our first guest in EXPOSED! is the orchestra’s resident tuba player Tim Jones. Tim picked up the instrument in primary school, and joined the Melbourne Youth Orchestra before studying at the Victorian College of the Arts. He quickly gained casual work with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the Australian Art Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, and a wealth of jazz and contemporary ensembles. He moved to Tasmania in ’95 and joined the TSO, two years later becoming a finalist in the ABC Young Performer’s Awards.
How did you make your way into a position with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra?
From the age of 13, I decided that I was going to make my living from playing music. The tuba fell into my lap at the age of 8 and I practised and rehearsed and performed more and more as the years progressed. I freelanced in Melbourne for 10 years until I received a call from the TSO for a week’s work – and 22 years later, I’m still here. One of the best decisions I think I have made.
What did you imagine life would be like with the orchestra – and how have you found the experience in reality?
I started with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra at the age of 11, so orchestras have been part of my life for nearly as long as I can remember. The thrill of the chase to land a job is very exciting/anxious. For me, the ecstasy of attaining the goal was quite a moment – there are only eight orchestral tuba positions in Australia. Then came the phase when I realised I have no other skills and finally admitted to myself that it is my ‘job’. It was a difficult period. Finally, I came to realise what a blessed situation I am in and that I am fortunate to be able to pursue other music goals while having steady employment – a rarity as a performing musician.
How would you describe your typical day backstage and in the rehearsal room?
I spend many hours practising my instrument alone so that I have ‘chops’ (sound technique). The rehearsals for a concert run at an intense pace as everybody adapts what they have practised to the general consensus. The tuba involves a huge amount of waiting (I have spent months of my life waiting), followed by the adrenaline burst of wielding a powerful and sometimes inaccurate instrument. I am always inspired by my fellow musicians; there are always people on fire at any given moment, and the quality is always better than you remember it to be. Add to that internationally renowned conductors and soloists who inspire with their insight and magic…there is more than you can absorb every day. The TSO is a centre of musical excellence.
What do you feel are the strongest expectations placed on you in the orchestra?
Don’t screw up! (While being supremely musical.) The tuba can do immense damage to an orchestra. I feel like I am driving a large truck at speed through suburban streets, or holding a smoking blunderbuss (the kind that kills the shooter, on occasion).
Was there ever a time you thought the challenge of your role inside the orchestra would be too great?
Early on, I did a casual gig at the last moment with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. We played Schnitke’s Concerto Grosso, which had the lowest notes I’ve seen, and then the unsettling moment when I realised we had reached a high, soft, extended tuba solo. When we got to the show, suddenly there was no room next to the trombones and I physically found myself one tier higher with only a timpanist about 10 metres to my right. When the solo arrived, I was shaking uncontrollably and I recall going into a kind of auto-pilot for a while. I ‘lived to play another day’, which gave me the courage to continue.
How do you cope with live performance pressure?
I draw on my performance history. As advised by my first teacher, I try to make my nerves ‘work for you rather than against you’.
How would you describe the chemistry in your instrumental section, and how do you work to support each other in your small team?
The brass section is the only section that understands what you are going through and the true nature of the technical difficulties presented. Brass relies on form and confidence as well as practise. It is like a team sport, but your adversary is imaginary. We work together in and out of the orchestra, and there is always someone on hand to discuss any issues you may be experiencing. There is also a comradery through our unique shared experience.
What is the thing you love most about life in the orchestra?
Recreating great works of art. Rather than being on a canvas, the art is notated as music. I like the real-time nature of music. It only exists in the moment.
What is one piece of advice you can offer young musicians looking to commence their orchestral career?
Don’t do it unless you know you absolutely must.
See Tim Jones perform with musicians of the orchestra in the Red Square as part of TSO Live Sessions. Grab a craft beer, chill on a beanbag and listen to music ranging from tango to classical. Kicks off 6pm February 4, and goes til late with an after-party featuring Mexican-inspired band Chupacabra. Tickets start $15 online.
