BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
The Australian National Academy of Music finds itself in the middle of a unique COVID-19 situation: not only has it needed to cancel its concerts due to COVID-19 lockdowns, but it’s also closed its doors to musicians who are training at the educational institution.
That is, closed its physical doors.
Musicians, faculty, and arts administrators of the ANAM team are working hard behind the scenes to deliver an online training program — and they show no signs of stopping. That’s why we’ve launched a special interview series about the unstoppable artists of Australia — established and emerging — so we can facilitate an honest discussion about how musicians are continuing to engage in their music education during COVID-19.
In this series, you’ll hear from musicians in training — and musicians who are providing that training! We hope you’ll be inspired to continue your own engagement in music education, whatever form that may take.
Here, we talk with Hamish Jamieson, cello
Hamish is in his first year as an ANAM Musician, having moved to Melbourne after completing his Bachelor of Music at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in 2019. He’s quickly building up his performance credits, having participated in masterclasses with the likes of Howard Penny and Umberto Clerici, and played with Ensemble Q, Australian Youth Orchestra, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
Thank you so much for taking part in our interview series. Aside from answering our questions, what have you been getting up to today?
Not much – as always. Fed the cats; there were no bananas to make a morning smoothie, which was very sad, so I made the effort of French toast. I listened to some Stravinsky, Franck, and Westbound Situation, which is a super cool bluegrass/chamber music group I’ve been listening to heaps since they released their album Pilot last year.
I’ll go for a workout in a little bit, and later today I’ll be going to the blood bank to donate plasma and stock up on the free Nippy’s and biscuits. I’ll probably buy bananas on the way home.
A productive day — though, not in the way I’d expected! Hamish, this pandemic has changed arts workflow in a way our industry hadn’t yet experienced. Where were you in your life, and career, when it all came to a halt due to the lockdowns?
I moved to Melbourne — and out of home for the first time — in late February this year after finishing my Bachelor at the Queensland Conservatorium. I was definitely geared up for a big year of ANAM, but only really got a small taste in the two or three weeks in March before the lockdown.
I’m definitely someone who likes to have a place to work that isn’t home, so it was a really significant adjustment of expectations for what my year was going to be. The loss was the collaborative side of life at ANAM. Learning through playing with all of the incredible musicians at ANAM was one of the big things that really excited me about this year.
Despite the restrictions placed on artists in our community, practitioners like you are still spending their time working hard to keep things afloat. How are you continuing to further your music education during this time — whether it’s online lessons or time spent reading?
As far as my education goes at ANAM, we transitioned to Zoom lessons and classes very quickly. I have been having two lessons a week with my cello teacher, and ANAM Head of Strings Howard Penny, as well as weekly cello class, strings class, and performance class where we have the opportunity to play for our peers and in turn see how everyone is progressing.
ANAM has also been putting on fantastic webinars each week with too many high-flying names to list, and also discussions with professionals about how we are going to come out of this COVID-19 era and what the music industry is going to look like.
Something that has been more difficult to carry over to the online world is chamber music education from home. In spite of this obstacle, ANAM Head of Chamber Music (strings) and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Sophie Rowell has been organising meetings and discussions with each group, and has done a fantastic job in keeping us engaged and learning together as much as is possible in this climate.
I am incredibly grateful to the ANAM Faculty and Howard in particular for this continued support and encouragement. I am very aware that I probably would’ve just frozen and not done anything at all if I was left to my own devices.
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to play some music that I wrote for two paintings on display at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia through their collaboration with ANAM. I really enjoyed creating something that was simultaneously for a specific purpose but was also defined purely by me. It really made me start asking the big questions of what I want out of a career in the arts, and what kind of artist I want to be.
That’s another thing about being in lockdown for so long – after a while, there really isn’t anything to distract or hide behind when it comes to those existential questions.
Music education has shifted to the digital world almost seamlessly, hasn’t it? As a student, what have you found to be some of the best techniques to communicate in this new way, in the absence of physical presence?
Zoom lessons will never be anywhere near the real thing, but once I was used to it, I really surprised myself with how effective they can be.
One of the more annoying things is how one-way the audio mechanism can be. If I’m playing and don’t keep an eye on the virtual Howard on my screen, he has to start waving at the screen until I notice!
So how are you filling your time spent in solitude?
Lots and lots of music. It’s safe to say that my Spotify fees are worth every penny this year. Things on heavy rotation have been Adrianne Lenker, Hiatus Kaiyote (heavy rotation since 2015), Nai Palm, Moses Sumney (his new album grae has been the soundtrack to my lockdown), Father John Misty, Joni Mitchell, A Tribe Called Quest. I also had my guitar sent down from Brisbane a month or two ago, which has kept me happy and busy.
Exercise has also been a big one for me. I’m very fortunate that both of my housemates are keen runners, because I’ve pretty much slotted in with their program. I’m pretty sure I’m the fittest I’ve ever been, and it has also probably accounted for 90 per cent of serotonin produced this lockdown, if I’m honest.
Another thing keeping me busy are the cats! I adopted two black shorthair kittens – Idli and Dosa – back in May, and they have been a really great addition to the house. They each have a harness and leash, so sometimes they get to go out into the garden for little excursions. They are so insane and also complete idiots, but it wouldn’t be the same here without them.
Other than that, we three housemates have been refining our baking and home brewing skills. Lucy is the Sourdough Queen, Bryn is the King of Pies, and I’m pretty handy with an almond syrup cake.
How have you been navigating around the different needs of your housemates during this time?
I live with my two housemates, Bryn and Lucy, in a little place in Brunswick West. Bryn has been one of my best mates since high school in Brisbane, and Lucy and I met through Bryn last year on a trip to Melbourne.
Honestly, I think dirty dishes and the kitty litter box are a bit higher on the list of disturbances than my practising, but I think I’m getting better. Actually, I’m just being told now that my habit of doing scales while playing very loud music has proven to be an intense thing to listen to. Maybe I don’t ask this question often enough.
On the whole, I’m very lucky to live with these two. We bake and cook and look out for each other, and if I was with anyone else, I probably would’ve moved back to Brisbane months ago.
Back in the practice room, how has your routine changed?
To be completely honest, my relationship with practising and routines has been complicated for a long time. Not being able to go into ANAM to work has been a big hurdle. That being said, the extended quarantine has kind of given me nowhere to hide from myself.
I’m in the same practice chair day in, day out, so all of my bad habits that come up really show their face. It has really opened my eyes lately to how much time is wasted at the cello, and how much I can streamline my learning. As a consequence, practice is fresher, zestier, and more fun.
When things feel like they’re getting too hard, due to cancellations or uncertainty, what do you like to do to feel better?
I haven’t fully figured this one out yet, but going for a run usually brings about a change in mood. Now that the weather is warming up, I will sometimes take a snack out to the backyard and just try and feel everything moving around me.
There’s also screaming into the pillow; sometimes at the wall. We have a bit of an unspoken agreement in the house that this kind of thing is okay now and then.
More recently, I was accepted into the Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy for a December season in Germany [as part of ANAM’s International Academy Program]. It was an audition that I thought I botched, and had honestly written it off and forgotten about it by the time the results came out.
What should’ve been a really exciting point in my life very quickly became a bit of a non-event as we all realised that nobody was going to get any kind of permission to leave Australia for a two week program – let alone the $3000 hotel quarantine upon returning. However frustrating or depressing it was, I am grateful for the result, and also the experience of preparing that kind of audition.
What are you most looking forward to doing when it’s all over?
Okay — so let’s visualise:
- Jumbo ramen
- Extra noodles
- Extra egg
- Sesame seeds
- Seaweed
- Gyoza on the side
- Edamame
- A really big jug of Kirin
And playing music with people, of course.
WATCH: Hamish Jamieson performs as part of the ANAM and Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia collaboration.
Catch up on our UNSTOPPABLE ARTISTS interview series with Dasha Auer, viola.
Images supplied, captured by Pia Johnson.
