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 new 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 Tetsuya Lawson.
Tetsuya graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium in 2017, has participated in the Australian Youth Orchestra, and has performed with a string of orchestras in Queensland (pun intended) – as well as festivals across the continents. In this interview, Tetsuya tells us about how he graduated from university, obtained some incredible performance experiences, and launched right back into education again. Here’s how his life after uni is uni.
Thanks for taking part in our chat! Tell us all about your musical life and career.
I’m currently completing my Master of Music in Trumpet Performance at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, Texas. I learn from world-renowned trumpet teachers Charlie Geyer and Barbara Butler, and freelance as an orchestral musician, chamber player, solo performer, and educator.
My musical life has led me to perform in some amazing places and with many wonderful people all over the world. A particular highlight has been working with special needs children in Japan and more recently in Melbourne with the students at Peninsula Specialist College.
Before we move forward, let’s talk about how you’ve arrived at these places. What did you first study at university and why did you want to enrol in this area?
I began my formal studies at the Queensland Conservatorium with a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance studying under Sarah Butler, Richard Madden, and Mark Bremner. I graduated from the con in 2017, and then began my current United States studies in early 2018.
I was inspired to study trumpet properly after seeing my former teacher Sarah and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra perform Richard Strauss’ epic tone poem Symphonia Domestica. Being my first ever symphony orchestra concert, I can still to this day hear and remember the glorious sound of the brass section.
It was thanks to Brisbane State High School’s connection with the QSO in making this opportunity to hear the orchestra play, and to also take a lesson from Sarah which started my love for orchestral trumpet playing.
How did you find your initial academic experiences and uni life?
I really enjoyed my three years at the conservatorium where I created long life friends and fantastic musical experiences, too. I was lucky enough to travel interstate and overseas to perform and study often during my studies, which kept me informed and constantly inspired.
These trips included attending and performing at festivals such as the Pacific Music Festival (Japan), Tongyeong International Music Festival (Korea), Lucerne Festival Academy (Switzerland), Britten Pears Orchestral Academy (United Kingdom) and the International Trumpet Guild conference (United States).
What do you remember being your most challenging year, and why did you decide to push through?
I think my third year of studies was definitely the hardest. I was in the midst of deciding where to go to for postgraduate studies and was having some trumpet playing problems that took a while to figure out. It was very stressful. However, I was fortunate enough to have an incredible support from my teachers, friends and family who were always there for me.
What were some of the most important lessons you picked up while you were a student that were not academic?
I think some of the most important lessons that I picked up in undergraduate studies were to treat others how you want to be treated, and always be yourself no matter what; to realise the importance of your interpersonal relationships with your teachers, friends, colleagues, and even strangers and how they could impact your future career as a musician.
Being able to sympathise and empathise with your peers is another valuable lesson that I learnt a lot about, and how supporting your friends is extremely important in such a developing time of your musical and personal life.
How did studying music at uni help increase your confidence as an emerging young artist?
Having various performance and learning opportunities as a performer during my undergraduate studies helped build my confidence over the years. Having many international guest teachers made a huge difference to my learning and really opened my eyes.
Having to make sure that I was training myself to be extremely versatile made taking jazz and other miscellaneous gigs that were not as common less of a shock.
Tell us about how you navigated the world of music after your graduation. Did you have a “big break” or was it a very slow burn?
I was very fortunate throughout my undergraduate studies to have regular casual employment with groups in Brisbane such as the Southern Cross Soloists, Camerata, Queensland Pops Orchestra, and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. This made my transition from Australia to the US very easy, as I was able to work right between graduating and starting school in Houston. I’m very grateful towards my former teachers for their constant support during my undergraduate studies.
How have you used the networks obtained through your degree, and how do you work to maintain these relationships?
Having a strong network has been a tremendous help for me, especially when I have come home for breaks, where I’ve been offered many teaching and performing gigs. Keeping in touch with friends, colleagues, and teachers is an essential way to maintain a healthy social and professional network.
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 think many academic and music history classes that I took during my undergraduate studies has proven very useful, with a lot of knowledge coming in handy at practical moments whilst playing music.
Many trumpet-oriented skills and knowledge that was passed onto me is still being constantly reviewed and applied every day, and has given me better understanding of other pedagogies, especially after moving overseas to a different country.
What words of advice would you offer to young musicians along their academic journey?
Be persistent, smart about your work, and be yourself! Always favour quality over quantity when it comes to practice. We work in a very tough profession, and staying open to new ideas and being very resilient will help you on your journey to becoming who you want to be.
There is much more that I can say, but I’ll leave you one analogy that my teacher, Barbara Butler frequently uses: “Only musical home runs… no bunting!!”
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: Shubshri Kandiah, musical theatre
Images supplied.
