BY LAURA BIEMMI
The Australian Festival of Chamber Music is one of the most significant events in Australia’s concert calendar.
Dedicated to bringing a diverse range of artists to play together in one beautiful, Australian location (the tropical paradise of Townsville, no less), the AFCM facilitates some of Australia’s finest music making – with the help of local and international musicians.
And the best part? There are plenty of opportunities for young players, too.
In the words of artistic director Kathryn Stott, “one of the wonderful aspects of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and indeed other international festivals of this type, is bringing artists of all ages together”.
“It’s so special for our younger musicians to work with those who are very well established but equally, our younger guests can really keep us all on our toes and bring freshness through their new experiences. It’s a win-win scenario.”
You can say that again, Kathryn. One such young musician is British clarinettist Julian Bliss. A graduate of the University of Indiana and former student of Sabine Meyer, Julian has played as a chamber musician and soloist around the world. He established the internationally recognised Julian Bliss Septet, has released several albums to critical acclaim, and has even created an affordable range of Conn-Selmer clarinets.
We speak to Julian about the capabilities of the clarinet in chamber music, the significance of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, and what it will be like to catch up with old friends in Australia.
Congratulations on your involvement in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music! What made you want to be involved in this significant event in Australia’s musical calendar?
I have always loved Australia. It’s one of my favourite countries, so when I was invited to AFCM I said yes straight away!
Other than it being a wonderful place, I know a handful of the other musicians playing in the festival – some of whom I’ve not seen for a number of years – so it will be great to catch up. Playing great music in a fantastic location with amazing musicians; what more could you want?
Tell us about your instrument – how does it lend itself to the intimate nature of chamber music?
The clarinet is a very versatile instrument. I find it blends well with many different instruments and different styles of playing. I really like to try and match my sound to that of whoever I’m playing with, whether that be piano, strings, or other winds. If the audience closes their eyes, I want them to hear the sound as a whole, rather than each instrument individually.
Which piece are you most looking forward to performing at the AFCM, and why is it a powerful one?
I’m looking forward to them all!
However, the Quartet for the End of Time by Messiaen is particularly powerful. It was written whilst Messiaen was in a prisoner of war camp during World War II. It was premiered outside, in the rain, to about 400 other prisoners and guards. The clarinet, violin, and cello all get their own solo movements. The clarinet movement is called the Abyss of Birds. There’s the abyss, which is the sadness; and the birds, which represent the opposite – light and happier songs.
Why is chamber music an important genre for instrumentalists to play?
Chamber music is traditionally about making music with a few friends, for a small intimate audience. It’s a very social experience, and I enjoy creating a new version of the piece in the moment on stage. Since there are only a handful of us performing, you can be much more dynamic and take more chances.
What is the highlight of your chamber music career so far?
I remember the first time I played Schubert’s Octet. It’s an epic piece, and up to that point I’d never played any chamber work with that many musicians. The sound of eight musicians who are all listening and watching each other intently was amazing. It’s one of my favourite pieces of ‘big’ chamber music to play.
In your experience, how does Australia’s approach to chamber music compare with other countries?
I don’t see a huge difference between Australia’s approach and other countries. These days, musicians travel a lot and share ideas from all over the world. This means that the distinct schools of playing we used to hear are much more universal, now.
Historically, there was a French way of playing the clarinet, along with English, American, and German approaches. There are still elements of those schools of playing evident worldwide, but in my opinion, there seems to be much more of a unified approach to music making nowadays.
As a young artist, what do you feel is the importance of festivals such as the AFCM?
Festivals like AFCM give us musicians a fantastic opportunity to make great music in a beautiful setting. Having such strong artistic leadership means very varied programming, and that gives all of us the challenge of playing many different pieces and styles of music.
AFCM brings together people of all ages from around the world to make music together. Who are you most looking forward to working with?
It will be great to work with artistic director Kathy Stott. We’ve known each other for many years, but have never had the chance to play together. Other than that, I’m looking forward to playing with some old friends, such as Guy Johnston and Sasha Sitkovetsky. I’m also looking forward to seeing Karen Gomyo again. We worked together whilst we were both studying at Indiana University about 10 years ago, and we had the chance to do a few concerts together.
Why should young listeners make the trip up to North Queensland to see events with you and the other artists of AFCM? (Aside from the fact that it’s tropical, scenic, luxurious…)
Because, quite simply, there’s a great cross section of music presented and played by some of the greatest young musicians from around the world.
Check out the full festival program to make sure you see Julian in action between 27 July to 5 August! (And don’t forget, if you’re under 30 you’ll get $30 tickets for any of the 30 concerts. How sweet is that?)
