BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Each year, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra invites young musicians to apply to be the next TSO Rising Star.
Last year, 13-year-old pianist Sheng-Yuan Lynch was given the honour. And while he won the competition, there were many young players who also tried their hardest in the audition.
One of these was Tasman Compton. And even though he didn’t win last year, he still decided to give it another shot. It paid off.
Tasman, a bassoonist who studies grade 12 at Elizabeth College, has just been named the TSO Rising Star of 2019. In May, he’ll take to the stage to perform the Danzi Bassoon Concerto live with the TSO itself.
Tasman brings to the TSO Rising Star program his experiences with the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra, and Victorian Opera. And he tells us what this win means for him at this stage in his burgeoning musical career.
Congratulations on your win, Tasman! Tell us why you wanted to enter the TSO Rising Star Competition.
I entered the TSO Rising Star Competition because I really wanted to play a solo with the TSO. This is an incredible opportunity.
How did you prepare for the competition with your teacher and through your own practice?
Practice! Lots of practice! First of all, I worked towards making sure the technical passages were secure. Then, in the weeks before the audition, I focused on memorisation and interpretation.
My teacher John Panckridge recommended that I run through the piece as many times as possible in front of an audience in the weeks leading up to the audition. This was great advice.
So, you filled out your application, and then were selected to audition. What went through your mind while you were facing your audition panel?
I was happy and eager to play. I love every opportunity that I get to play with pianist Karen Smithies, and the Danzi Bassoon Concerto is a fun piece to perform.
What were some of the things you reflected on after?
During my audition, I got water in a key, which was unexpected, and I could feel the gurgle on certain notes. I forged ahead and decided the best thing I could do was to enjoy the music.
After the audition, I was disappointed about the water in the key, and I was concerned that I had let myself be distracted by this and this may have affected my performance. It was upsetting to realise that random things out of my control can happen, even when I thought I had prepared really well. To say that winning came as a surprise is a huge understatement!
Now that you’ve achieved the wonderful role of TSO Rising Star, what are your plans?
I find it difficult to think about my role as TSO Rising Star just now, as I have several concerts coming up in the next few weeks, including a Vivaldi Concerto with Derwent Symphony Orchestra.
In the middle of April, I will be attending the Australian Youth Orchestra Young Symphonists in Victoria for a week, and I have lots of music to prepare.
I think that after Young Symphonists, TSO Rising Star will feel more real to me, especially as I prepare for the concert. I hope that I can set an inspiring example to the young kids who will be in the audience.
Why are opportunities like this one important and useful in the early careers of musicians in Australian?
Aside from the opportunity of getting to play with the TSO if you win, preparing for the audition makes you practice more strategically, which pushes your playing to a higher level.
The competition also provides really great auditioning experience, which is valuable for anyone preparing for a career in classical music, as you need to be able to audition well.
For me, the TSO Rising Star Competition has helped me understand that I shouldn’t worry about what other people are doing, I just need to prepare the best I can and focus on my own playing.
Auditions like this are a good way to learn that it’s okay not to win, as you still learn so much from the process. I entered last year and didn’t win, but I loved doing the audition and I learnt what I had to work on. This was really helpful.
You’re also a student at Elizabeth College and have engaged in several youth orchestra experiences. How can emerging musicians work to support each other through competitive environments like these?
Both years that I have auditioned, I have had close friends auditioning as well. Friends should always support each other. It’s important to be happy for the person who wins, and to remember that even if you don’t win you still come out ahead. By putting yourself in a situation where you have to complete a goal, you achieve a lot more.
What’s your big goal for the future?
My dream is to play in a professional orchestra like the TSO one day.
We partnered up with the TSO to take you behind the scenes with this young Tasmanian composer. Stay tuned as we team up again to bring you more stories shedding light on Tasmanian music and education throughout the year!
Images supplied. Credit: Tasmanian Youth Orchestra/Mike Morffew.
