BY JASMINE MIDDLETON
We last spoke to Samuel Parry about the Western Australian Charity Orchestra in our first print edition. Now, with the second edition rolling out across the country, we thought we’d touch base to see what WACO has been up to in the year since (hint: it’s more wholesome than ever!).
What started in 2008 as a summer project for enthusiastic university musicians to put on concerts to raise money for charity – when Sam was himself a student at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts – has since developed into a multi-ensemble organisation at the heart of Perth’s musical community, with Sam regularly directing ensembles and concerts throughout the year.
From 2008-2016, WACO had raised in excess of $100,000 for various charities such as Beyond Blue, CanTeen, Redkite, and Guide Dogs WA.
Within its ensembles – the WA Charity Orchestra, WA Wind Symphony, and WACO Choir – the screened audition process, foreign to most community orchestras, means musicians from all walks of life have an equal opportunity to come together and perform top-standard repertoire. With a recent offering of select tenure positions, WACO has begun to solidify its well-developed sense of comradery and family.
Particularly over the last few years, WACO has started to establish itself as a tour-de-force in bringing joy and changing lives through music by using its concerts to raise money for the charitable work they do in Perth’s community.
While the symphony orchestra branch of WACO usually receives most of the spotlight, Sam is adamant about showing just what the WA Wind Symphony is capable of. Even more so, he wants to put forward his case for the legitimacy and high standard of wind symphony repertoire.
Sam’s passion and enthusiasm for WACO is certainly well-known, and we’re thrilled to catch up with him again to talk about all things concert band. (And as for our second print edition, WACO will offer some to you for free at its upcoming event Firebirds and Dragons!)
Hi Sam, thanks for taking the time to chat! While the WA Charity Orchestra has been around for more than a decade now, the WA Wind Symphony is a more recent formation. How has the ensemble grown since its conception in 2017?
Thanks Jasmine! The ensemble has truly grown from strength to strength. Since forming, our members have grown increasingly passionate about playing the music at a high standard, and over time have developed a deeper understanding of how to play concert band music at this level, and what I expect from them as a music director. It’s really exciting to see the growth!
Can you tell us a little about the community engagement aspect of WACO’s ethos?
Our ethos is changing lives through music, and we know the impact live music can have on those who may be feeling down or lonely. Last year, our musicians gave more than 40 chamber concerts in nursing homes and hospitals, and this year we hope to do even more.
We received a lot of positive feedback from staff that the music had a very real and uplifting impact on the residents and patients. We’re so glad to know that we are making a difference in the community.
What is the inspiration behind the WA Wind Symphony’s upcoming concert Firebirds and Dragons?
My idea was to include a variety of works that showcase the capabilities of the wind symphony as a medium. The key piece on the program is Philip Sparke’s Year of the Dragon, a staple of concert band literature. We’ll be performing the 2017 edition, which Sparke wrote 32 years after the original.
His compositional approach has developed so much in that time that this new edition is almost completely re-voiced, and showcases so many different instruments just beautifully. Ever heard the smooth voice of an alto clarinet solo? You will in this concert!
Why do you believe it’s important to explore concert band repertoire?
The more I listen to, study, and direct this repertoire, the more amazed I am at its scope, colours, and musical depth. The vast majority of high-level repertoire for concert band was written in the past 100 years, featuring composers from many different countries as well as many female composers. This music is diverse. This music is relevant. These composers don’t hold back, but continue to use the rich instrumentation of the concert band in new ways that never cease to delight me.
There are a number of pieces that aren’t just my favourite concert band works, but are in fact some of my favourite classical works,period. Sparke’s Music of the Spheres and Symphony No. 1, Claude T. Smith’s Festival Variations, and Julie Giroux’s Symphony No. 4 (Bookmarks from Japan) are just a few; and these works are full of many breathtakingly beautiful and exhilarating moments.
And, in all honesty, it breaks my heart that so many classical music lovers have never heard this repertoire. There’s a wealth of spectacular music here just waiting to be discovered!
How does your ensemble hope to redefine the way audiences view this genre?
I remember the moment the genre was redefined for me; I was listening to Spotify when, somehow, Sparke’s Symphony No. 1 started playing. The music sparkled and completely drew me in. After it ended, I went back to find out which orchestra had played it only to realise to my complete surprise that it wasn’t an orchestra at all, but a military band. Before I knew it, I’d found an absolute wealth of amazing music, all of which I’d never heard of before. ‘Band’ would never be the same for me again!
I think when many people think of concert bands, they think of school bands, which conjures up memories that perhaps lack intonation and finesse. While I treasured my time in high school bands, not everyone has had positive experiences with the medium. However, when music lovers think of orchestral repertoire, they don’t normally think about their high school orchestra first – but maybe the local professional symphony, or the stunning recording they heard on Classic FM the night before.
I believe the only way to redefine the genre for an audience is to just show them the best of it, and to do it well – which we aim to do in every concert. For our upcoming show we’re showcasing music from Australia, England, Japan, and the United States, written from 1911 to 2017.
There are folk tunes, a tone poem, fanfares, jazz, impressionism, and neoclassicism, and I am confident that people will leave this performance not only having heard works for the first time, but also loving it. That’s what the WA Wind Symphony aims to do.
What would you say to those sitting on the fence about whether to come to a concert of symphonic band music, rather than one of more traditional symphonic orchestra repertoire?
This music is fresh, it’s relevant, and is waiting for you to discover it. You’ll hear a richness and diversity of wind instruments that you don’t find in a symphony orchestra, and brass and percussion sections that don’t sit tacet but play a key role throughout all the music.
Come and see! This music is so much more than medleys and marches.
Jasmine once played as concertmaster in WACO because she’s super multi-talented. She’s not involved in this gig, but we’re lucky she took us behind the scenes with her unique insider’s perspective.
WA Wind Symphony concert Firebirds and Dragons led by Sam Parry will take place at 2pm May 18 in the Churchlands Concert Hall. Keep up to date with WACO and the WA Wind Symphony’s upcoming events on the website and how, as Sam says, they’re focused on “changing lives through music”.
Don’t forget to be quick and grab your FREE copy of CutCommon print issue #2 while you’re at the show!
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