BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Natalya Aynsley never graduated from a conservatorium of music. In fact, she stopped studying piano at just 17 years old.
It might sound like an unconventional way to launch an international career as a solo pianist — but that’s exactly what she did. And her motivation to develop skills in her own way, and create her own career path, has seen her reach a level of success that any graduate of music would surely be thrilled to achieve. From recording with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to performing corporate functions, featuring in Netflix soundtracks, and clocking up over a million hits on her YouTube channel Natalya Plays Piano, this self-made soloist has built the colourful full-time career of her dreams.
This March, Natalya will return to Adelaide Fringe to perform solo piano renditions of the world’s most popular video game and anime soundtracks, having previously received a five-star review for her show. In Video Games ‘n’ Chill, Natalya will play arrangements from The Last of Us, Final Fantasy, and The Legend of Zelda; in her companion concert Anime ‘n’ Chill, the pianist presents Studio Ghibli, Cowboy Bebop, and Pokémon arrangements.
We catch up with this Sydney pianist to chat about her upcoming shows, and her thriving career dedicated to pop culture music.
Natalya, you’re a classically trained musician, and you’re working almost exclusively in the area of screen music — particularly anime and video games. For our readers who are about to jump on the Natalya bandwagon (which is loaded up with a piano), tell us a little about yourself! Why are you dedicating your career to pop culture music?
I started learning classical piano at the age of five, and I really didn’t enjoy it at first. My teachers, however, saw the potential in me and encouraged me to keep going.
Pretty early on, I figured out I could play by ear — and I would switch the NES console on so I could play along with the theme music to all the different games. I was fascinated with how different and innovative the video game music was compared to all the other genres I was aware of at the time.
I started watching anime around the same age and again, I thought the theme songs and the instrumental music within the shows were so interesting that it opened up a whole new world of music genres for me.
I think pop culture music is such a vast spectrum. It’s constantly changing and evolving, and I find that exciting. I love to be able to perform music from my favourite films, TV shows, and video games. I think it adds a personal emotional element that classical music just does not for me.
A lot of the scores in those genres are symphonic or electronic in nature, but you play piano arrangements, such as those you’ll be presenting in Adelaide Fringe. Why do you think these pieces of music sound so magical when shared through this solo instrument?
There are plenty of scores out there that don’t work as well on piano as they do when played by a full orchestra; or an electronic piece of music might rely heavily on percussive detail or a synth soundscape, which just doesn’t translate to solo piano all that well. I like to choose pieces that already feature piano in them, or something of a similar melodic nature such as a harp, for example.
I think hearing a piece of music on just piano allows you to hear the same composition in a new way. You can really focus and hone in on its essence. The piano showcases its clever structure, the emotional melody, and the supporting harmony — and it does that in a simplified, stripped-back way without all the bells and whistles.
That must resonate with your audiences: your previous Adelaide Fringe show scored rave reviews. Yet, you’ve also found an enormous amount of success through your YouTube videos. There may be some crossover in these audiences, but they’re not necessarily the same demographic. Why have you found it important to tailor your work so carefully to each medium?
There has been a growing demand for live performances of pop culture music over the past few years. What used to be the pastime of an older generation, who would typically go to live classical music recitals and symphony orchestra concerts, has now become a very popular thing to do for the younger generation.
The demographic that typically watches anime and plays video games wouldn’t necessarily be interested in seeing a more traditional live music event in a concert hall. However, pop culture concerts present these audiences with an opportunity to do something different, and venture out with their friends and family to listen to some of their favourite music.
Pop culture is filled with icons that have cult followings, from Totoro to Link! What characters or franchises are you obsessed with — and how do you think your live music helps nurture that sense of community among others with shared pop culture interests?
I’ve been a big Harry Potter fan from the beginning, and I’m currently making my way through Hogwarts Legacy; I know I’m late to the party! I do love the Kingdom Hearts franchise, though, no matter how convoluted the plot gets!
When I’ve produced my own concerts in the past, I would encourage people to come dressed up as their favourite characters. This creates an opportunity for the cosplay community to get together with like-minded peers, and it also gives permission to the concertgoers to have a bit of fun with it.
I love creating a vibrant and safe environment for my audience to express themselves in.
Often, concerts that contain screen music will include a mixture of film and game — but you have curated an event for each at Adelaide Fringe. Why did you want to separate anime and game, and how does this speak to the nuances of your audiences?
Fringe festivals typically tend to have a shorter performance format, so where I’d normally put on a two-hour concert in the past, my Fringe concerts are only one hour long, which allows the festivalgoers an opportunity to catch a few different shows throughout the evening.
The fan base for anime and video games is different. However, there is a lot of crossover — so of course I’ve taken that into account by running both concerts on the same evening, one after the other. If the audience does want to stay for both, that’s their two hours of live music sorted for the night!
I think both anime and video games sectors have so much incredible music to offer that I would be doing their fans a disservice by lumping it all into one short concert. It’s challenging enough to tailor a one-hour program for them separately, as there is just too much iconic music I want to include, so I couldn’t even imagine trying to put together a combined program!
Taking a step back to look at how you got to this point in your pop culture career, what has it felt like to carve out your own space as a soloist — going it alone, and without a standard pathway to guide you?
When I first decided to freelance as a pianist full time, I didn’t really have a concrete idea of what my career will look like in the long term. But I knew I wanted to work in all different realms of the music industry. That includes working as a solo artist, recording music for TV and film, working in musical theatre both as a musician and musical director, and taking on a variety of eclectic projects.
Seven years since taking that leap of faith, I’m happy to say I regularly work in all of the above and more, as well as collaborating on different projects as an orchestrator and arranger.
My journey to become a musician was probably a bit more unconventional, since I stopped studying piano when I was 17 and I didn’t go on to study at a conservatorium, choosing to take a different career path and study fashion design instead. Over the years, I’ve tried out a few different careers, but I kept coming back to the idea of doing music for a living. Each time I felt myself getting bored and stagnant in my current job, I was convinced more and more that I simply must play music as my full-time career, and anything less just simply wouldn’t do.
It’s been an interesting journey so far, and definitely one filled with self-doubt and feeling like an impostor amongst all the ‘real’ musicians who knew what they were doing. The fact that I have had and continue to have regular work as a freelance pianist, surviving the pandemic and finding success in what I do speaks to the fact that it is possible to make a career for yourself without travelling the path you’re dictated to follow.
As an example, I have recently recorded a soundtrack for a TV series with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, which is something I wouldn’t have even dreamed of a few years ago, as working with the SSO is an opportunity usually reserved for a ‘serious’ classical pianist. The fact that I was able to do something like this is testament to my experience, my work ethic, and my passion for what I do.
What would you say is the most rewarding thing about establishing your career as a freelancer, concert curator, and soloist following your own passions?
The most rewarding thing is probably going to sound a bit boring and generic, but it truly is rewarding to do what I love for a living. It does not mean that it’s easy and that I want to do it all the time. It’s important to highlight that even those who are lucky to have the job they’ve always dreamed of still have to think of it as a job. It pays my bills and allows me to have a comfortable life, but I still have to show up for it, be consistent and also business savvy, which is not something people often talk about.
At the end of the day, though, I absolutely love sharing my passion for music with people, and I love to educate and inspire the younger generation through my musical knowledge and experience.
I love the flexibility my work allows me, and of course I love being my own boss.
Thanks for the chat, Natalya! Parting words before Adelaide Fringe?
I can’t wait to come back and perform at Adelaide Fringe! I’m only doing two performances of each concert on 6-7 March, and if anyone has any reservations about coming along because stuffy concert halls and piano recitals are just not their vibe, I’d love to change their mind!
Nexus Arts is a wonderful, intimate venue with a bar, and it truly provides such a nice relaxed atmosphere for both the audience and myself. I love to have little chats and joke around during my shows so the audience doesn’t feel like they have to sit quietly and clap politely the whole time.
I’m excited to bring some amazing music to the Adelaide crowds once more!
Natalya plays Video Games ‘n’ Chill – a Piano Concert and Anime ‘n’ Chill – a Piano Concert on 6 and 7 March via Adelaide Fringe.
