BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
One does not simply re-invent a Prokofiev symphony.
Unless one is a member of Inventi Ensemble, of course.
Co-artistic directors Melissa Doecke and Ben Opie have taken on the challenge of reworking the composer’s Classical symphony for this month’s concert at the Melbourne Recital Centre on 23 May.
Taking on Prokofiev sounds pretty ambitious, right?
“Yes!” Melissa agrees. “I think it’s mostly like putting together a puzzle. The question is how to keep the essence of the original when you’re reduced to five players. The result is that we’re all a lot busier!”
Ben took the lead in the arrangement of the composer’s first symphony, and he certainly hasn’t made it a simple one. Melissa’s flute part alone consists of the original score’s flute, violin, clarinet, oboe, and French horn parts.
“The result is fascinating and also gives all of us as players a unique extra insight into the original work,” Melissa says.
This new arrangement is delivered with an enticing sort of irony; here, Inventi pays tribute to a work in which the composer himself honoured the classical style. Pieces by Britten and Mozart will accompany the Prokofiev on this program, which Melissa says is the perfect fit for “our Inventi philosophy of re-invention”.
“We wanted to feature well-known composers in this concert, who forged their own paths in composition and were at the forefront of music creation at their time.
“Inventi Ensemble strives for that in all our musical performances and we wanted to use this concert to pay tribute to those trailblazers in the past!”
The concert Homage to the Classics is the ensemble’s first of two at the Melbourne Recital Centre this year. The musicians will return 15 August for East Meets West – a contrasting event which will see them play works written in the past 45 years.
“This series as a whole connects Inventi’s passion for re-inventing classics alongside performing the new,” Melissa says.
But this “re-invention” of works isn’t the only defining characteristic of the ensemble –the group also strives to break traditional barriers between musicians and concert-goers. It’s a philosophy that sees the ensemble striking meaningful and lasting connections with its audiences. In the past, Inventi has enjoyed morning tea with its listeners, presented music to children in libraries, and run a weekly music program at the Maribyrnong Detention Centre. It’s an ensemble adept at innovation.
Connecting with listeners outside the realms of music is an important element of the Inventi experience. When asked why, Melissa recalls a piece of advice from a past teacher: ‘The best performance is one that you give away’.
“Music is a gift to be shared and enjoyed as an experience by both the performers and the musicians,” Melissa explains. “We enjoy discussing the music both on and off-stage – introducing our pieces, explaining why we’ve weaved certain programs together, and also gaining feedback from our audiences.”
The pair uses the feedback to plan for future concerts, but Melissa reflects with warmth that they just enjoy talking with others about their passions – and “making new friends!”.
Inventi is appealing to its growing base of loyal supporters and lovers of local, boundary-pushing ensembles alike via the Australian Cultural Fund in an effort to raise funds for its concert series. It comes after the group’s first crowdfunding experience late last year, which helped raise funds for its debut album.
Melissa says any new campaign has its challenges, but also presents a valuable opportunity to connect with the public and showcase what Inventi is all about.
“Talking to our audiences after each concert, we hear how important these concerts are to them: elderly people making new friends, people finding new interests after the death of a spouse, people with disabilities engaging with the community, music lovers being able to feed their passion for music regularly, the list goes on!
“Just last week, we had an audience member say: ‘You really don’t realise how much this means to me – I really, really look forward to your concerts each month’, and another said: ‘I love coming each month – I had no idea I could learn and experience so much!’.”
Support the Inventi Ensemble by donating to its Australian Cultural Fund campaign. You can see Melissa and Ben in action at 6pm, 23 May at the Melbourne Recital Centre. More info here.
Image supplied.
