BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
A music degree can be an intense – and intensely rewarding – life experience.
It doesn’t matter how old we are, or what discipline we choose to study. When we make the decision to learn about our art at an academic level, we are stepping toward a future dedicated to our passion. And that’s why it’s important to make the most of it while we can, before we venture into the professional world.
In this series, we learn about what happens to musicians after they graduate from university. Through these interviews, we’ll explore how some of our generation’s leading talent have taken the knowledge they obtained at uni, and applied it into their careers.
You’ll read about the biggest challenges they faced during their studies, their confidence, and their big breaks.
Each one of these artists has graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium, and now reflects on how far they’ve come since their first day of study. In this interview, we get up close and personal with Meg Burstow.
Meg has classical and jazz training as a pianist, bandleader, and educator. She graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University with distinction in her performance degree, and also received a number of awards and scholarships along the way.
As a composer as well as performer, she featured in this year’s Women of Noise concert for International Women’s Day, and she’s also the musical director mentee for Women in Voice.
Thanks for taking part in our chat! Tell us all about your musical life and career.
Thank you for having me! I am a pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and am based in Brisbane.
I work as a session musician in the broader Brisbane area, in many different genres and contexts: jazz, salsa, pop, country/rock, for performances, recordings, and functions/events.
I also love theatre, and am very fortunate to be engaged as the musical director mentee for the 2019 Women in Voice production at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
I teach piano at two local Brisbane schools, and am an accompanist for soloists, ensembles, and choirs.
Before we move forward, let’s talk about how you’ve arrived there. What did you study at university and why did you want to enrol in this area?
Growing up, I always loved playing and learning music, but I was never sure that I wanted to pursue a career in it! Towards the end of my high school studies, I was considering a range of options, including studying medicine. But I ultimately decided to give music a go first — my thinking being that it would be harder to go back to music if I took a break to do another degree first, so I may as well keep at it while I’m on a roll!
How did you find your academic experience?
I began my Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University with a major in Classical Piano, which I studied for two years. I then switched to a Jazz Piano major, which I studied for three more years.
I grew up in rural Queensland, and had to move to Brisbane to attend university, so that in itself was a big learning curve! I really enjoyed my experience at university, and especially the sense of community at QCGU.
What do you remember being your most challenging year, and why did you decide to push through?
At the end of my second year, having completed two-thirds of a classical music degree, I began to realise that a career in classical piano was not for me. While I loved the content that I was studying and the experience of being at a music university, it was not my passion and I started to wonder about pursuing something else.
I decided to give studying jazz a go, despite having no prior jazz experience, other than a high school stage band. At the start of my third year, I transferred to a Jazz Piano major, which meant enrolling in a new set of classes with a different cohort and a completely different focus.
At first, I found the mindset shift in playing and studying jazz very challenging, as it was completely different to anything I had done before. I was lucky to have joined a great cohort of supportive and encouraging people, and having a group of friends like that made all the difference in my learning.
I am so glad I persevered and took a risk with switching courses. It is amazing to see how many doors it has opened for me, both musically and professionally.
What were some of the most important lessons you picked up while you were a student that were not academic?
Leaving home very young to pursue university study meant navigating a bigger city than I’d ever lived in before, and with that came many lessons and challenges — grocery shopping, learning how to use a public transport system, how much not to pay for a gym membership!
My experience at university also taught me the difference between a student and a professional — in presentation, attitude and mindset.
How did studying music at uni help increase your confidence as an emerging young artist?
Studying music at uni involves so many practical learning situations — performing in front of peers, accompanying and rehearsing with friends, talking and writing about music, learning and demonstrating specific skills under assessment conditions. These experiences provided me with the invaluable skills that I now use every day in my career as a young professional, and it has helped my confidence greatly to know that I can rely on these skills in any situation.
I feel very grateful to have received such a thorough music education, especially through my involvement in both the Classical and Jazz streams.
Tell us about how you navigated the world of music after your graduation. Did you have a “big break” or was it a slow burn?
Definitely the slow burn! I found myself working in the industry in various capacities while still in university. as a teacher, accompanist, collaborating with peers in chamber music performances, and gaining jazz gigging experience with friends. This work continued to pick up and evolve throughout my degree, so in a sense I felt that when I graduated, I had already begun my career — the only thing that changed was that I didn’t have to go to classes anymore.
How have you used the networks obtained through your degree, and how do you work to maintain these relationships?
The networks of people that I met and worked with in university have formed the basis of almost every opportunity I have had in my career thus far! Conversely, it is great to have a network of people that I can pass work onto, or recommend to others.
I am fortunate to have had several teachers who have become mentors and have passed on work to me as well, and I try to keep them updated and involved in my career developments wherever possible.
I also try to support my colleagues by sharing and attending their gigs and projects wherever I can, passing on or creating work opportunities, and staying involved and active in the local music scene.
In what ways do you continue to use the knowledge or skills you achieved during your studies, now that you’re well into your career?
I use the skills I learned in university — a thorough grounding in Russian classical piano technique, aural skills and music theory understanding, jazz ensemble experience, accompaniment skills, music history knowledge, business skills — every day, in my teaching, playing, administration, and organisation; sometimes all in the one day!
What words of advice would you offer to young musicians along their academic journey?
My advice would be to take every opportunity that comes your way. Always say yes!
More generally, I would say, just be nice, be on time, and always carry a pencil.
We’re excited to collaborate with Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University to shed light on life after university for those studying music. Stay tuned for our next interview!
READ NEXT: Life after uni with Kareb Jacobsen (who you know as Siri).
Images supplied. Credit Joe Mazza @bravelux Chicago.
