BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Earlier this year, we’d teamed up with the Australian National Academy of Music with big plans to put together some exciting articles for you. We were going to interview locally and globally renowned musicians about their live performances. But now, ANAM 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’re launching a new 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.
Our first unstoppable artist is Jared Yapp, violist and composer.
Jared kicked off his ANAM viola training back in 2018, learning with Caroline Henbest. It came two years after his Master of Music (Research) from the University of Western Australia. He’s won academic and performance awards alike, and his music has been performed by the West Australian, Sydney, and Perth symphony orchestras.
Here’s a photo of his studio in lockdown (complete with a necessary serving of chocolate).
Thank you so much for taking part in our Unstoppable artists interview series. Aside from answering our questions, what have you been getting up to lately?
I’m lucky enough to be back in Perth with my family during this time, where it’s perpetually summer.
The pandemic is unlike anything our industry has seen before. Where were you in your life, and career, when it all came to a halt due to the lockdowns?
Well, I guess I was coming to the end of my time at ANAM — and deciding whether this would be the last bit of study I’ll do for a while. I’m sort of lucky that I am in an interim period in my life. I am also in a place where I’ve been feeling a bit stuck creatively, so some time to just be curious is absolutely perfect.
I had a few projects that I am really sad to put on hold for now, but I count myself very lucky in terms of the timing. I know that’s not the case for a lot of people.
Jared, the reason we’ve used the word “unstoppable” is because, 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?
I’ve actually got a few things that I’m interested in musically, at the moment!
I’ve been wanting to get stuck into some jazz piano for a while now, so I’m going through Mark Levine’s The Jazz Piano Book, and getting some pointers from a friend.
Also, before ANAM had to close the building, my teacher and I decided to explore some traditional harmonic work. I never really did this properly during my undergrad, so it’s been awesome to work on my aural skills with her.
Still on the piano front, there are these three pieces by Ginastera, creatively titled Three Pieces, that I’ve been wanting to be able to play properly for ages, so I’m practising them properly every now and then.
I’ve also downloaded Logic Pro X, got a great microphone courtesy of ANAM, set my keyboard up in my room, and I’m going to start exploring recording/writing some more electronic-based music.
Of course, I’m still practising viola and revisiting some technical work, but I’m really happy to be using this special time to do some things out of the ordinary.
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? After all, music is indeed a physical practice!
Actually, I haven’t had a lesson yet — but I’ve done online lessons with [my tutor] Caroline before. Honestly, I’m always just surprised how good her advice still is, even over an absolutely horrendous internet connection. I think some skills just naturally transfer!
I am, however, really, really looking forward to that first ANAM concert back with all those beautiful people. ANAM concerts are often just so heinously fun, and I can only imagine what it’s going to be like coming back after so long.
How connected do you still feel to your community — from your ANAM community through to your friends in the industry? And how are you maintaining or even enriching these connections?
I have been calling people non-stop during the last few weeks. I think the irony that we are simultaneously the most isolated and connected we have ever been has become clear to a lot of people.
The question is, I suppose, what is the quality of that connection, and is it really so bad to be isolated? Is ‘solitude’ perhaps a better word to use? I’m not sure!
Of course, outside community, there is indeed a lot of time spent in solitude. How are you filling it?
I’ve been going for long walks with my family, and the dogs are getting an absolute workout — unlike myself!
I bought some Easter eggs the other day, and repotted some Devil’s Ivy my mum has been neglecting. I started reading Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and fell asleep. It is not an easy read, but I’ll keep giving it a go.
I did, however, finish watching Ozark on Netflix — best show since Breaking Bad, in my opinion. It’s one of those shows that after certain episodes you just sit staring at the credits for a while in absolute silence.
So back to business, how has your practice routine changed?
My practice routine is non-existent at the moment (sorry, Caroline). I need to work on that. But as I said, I’m not doing nothing, I just don’t have anything to prepare for.
As I’m typing this, I’m realising ‘goals’ are something people say are important? Maybe I’ll set some.
Who else is with you in lockdown, and how are you navigating around your different needs — needs of music, silence, space, and everything in between?
I am in isolation with my mum, dad, and one of my two sisters. I am very lucky to be living in a pretty large space — I don’t need to worry about noise.
Last night, I was up until 10pm playing the Seinfeld theme on the keyboard to people over Facebook Messenger, and I don’t think anyone else in the house noticed. In fact, I need to make sure I spend some time with them properly: being present at meal times, watching TV together, going for walks.
A lot of people don’t have families to go to, can’t get to them, or don’t feel comfortable in that space for whatever reason. That fact is always in the back of my mind, even in normal life. I guess now it’s just informing my actions a little bit more.
When things feel like they’re getting too hard, due to gig cancellations or uncertainty, what do you like to do to feel better?
Honestly, I kind of thrive in uncertain situations, or situations that are a little bit different. I love how it casts a different light on ordinary life. I tend to be the most emotionally fragile when life becomes too planned and seems like one irritatingly patient travelator to the abyss. So I need to do things to shake up my life more often than I need to secure it.
I’ve never been in imminent mortal danger, so I don’t know how I would react to that. But perhaps the reason I haven’t minded the types of uncertainty I’ve faced so far is that they remind me that I’m fundamentally OK. That’s a nice feeling to have sometimes.
What are you most looking forward to doing when it’s all over?
I said this before, but I cannot wait to play a concert with my friends again in the viola section, and everyone else, at ANAM. Honestly, sometimes we just absolutely nail it, and it feels so good. I could really go a player-led Haydn symphony right now; that, and hoping that most people continue to wash their hands before they touch their faces! It’s gross at all times, not just during a pandemic.
My ideal outcome would be that intervals at concerts have to be extended because everyone is washing their hands for 20 seconds, absolute minimum.
Images supplied.
