BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Welcome to our series, What the Fact?!
Throughout 2018, we’re teaming up with talent at the Australian National Academy of Music to bring you informed answers to real questions and topics about your music career.
Ever wondered why you feel performance anxiety? What the deal is with tuning to 440Hz – or not? How to lead an orchestra? We’re here to tell you all about it.
This week, we discuss whether or not it’s worth relocating for study.
Tasmanian musician Maraika Smit this year moved to Melbourne to study at ANAM. She’d completed a Bachelor of Music at the University of Tasmania in 2017 when she decided to make the move to further her career.
The horn player has performed with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and won last year’s TSO Rising Star competition; and she also has credits to her name with the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute, Australian Youth Orchestra, Discovery Orchestra and Hobart Chamber Orchestra. (And we’ve been keeping our eye on her along the way.)
Hacking the study move.
Maraika, you’re a graduate of UTAS and have recently moved interstate to pursue further study at ANAM. Tell us all about your dream: What was the defining moment where you realised Melbourne was where you had to be?
I guess whilst studying at UTAS, ANAM was a dream I wasn’t sure I could ever realise. ANAM always seemed like this Valhalla for musicians. So when I got in, it was quite exciting but also quite scary. Now that I am there, it’s amazing to experience what ANAM is actually like.
How did you feel when you finally decided to make the move across to Melbourne? I’m from Tassie, too, and this particular move seems a common career progression for many from this island.
I felt excited but also slightly sad. It is a very common progression as it is often believed that the ‘mainland’ has more opportunities for young people. I’ve always been quite a passionate Tasmanian, so I found it particularly difficult to leave the place that I love.
However, I think the decision was right for me as I also love music and felt that ANAM would help me become the best musician I could be. Hopefully I will live in Tasmania again soon!
For a musician, moving city is a particularly big change, not only because you are packing up your life in a practical sense, but you’re also leaving behind contacts and networks in the industry. What’s this been like for you?
This is true, but I guess moving city can also be exciting because it gives you the opportunity to meet new people and hopefully make new contacts with other musicians.
ANAM is particularly good at introducing us to many of the best musicians, not only in Australia but the world. I do, however, have a special love for the musicians in Tassie and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. They are a constant source of inspiration, and I am fortunate enough to travel back regularly to catch up with many of them.
How have you found the experience of breaking into the Melbourne music industry so far?
ANAM keeps us quite busy, so I haven’t had a chance to do much within the Melbourne music scene. However, I would love to in the future.
So what are the biggest benefits of moving city to study?
For me, meeting other passionate musicians my age, and being able to immerse myself in an environment exposed to some of the best musicians in the world, has been truly inspirational. It is something I would not have experienced to the same extent if I had stayed in Tasmania.
On the other hand, I am also a firm believer that it is your responsibility to make the best of every experience, and you can’t rely on others to create them for you. Bloom where you are planted!
What are some of the differences you’ve observed in the music scene between Hobart and Melbourne?
The music scene is much more diverse. I’ve really enjoyed being able to hear larger orchestral works such as Mahler symphonies and Strauss tone poems, as works like these are rarely played in Tasmania; especially now that programs like AISOI no longer exist. It is interesting to hear different styles of playing, and different attitudes towards music.
However, I miss the small community and passion of the music scene in Tasmania. I now realise it’s something really special.
What advice would you give to other young musicians making the move to another city for study?
It’s great to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things. No matter how daunting everything feels, just make the best of every new opportunity given to you and remember why you love music! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and audition for places like ANAM. You never know what will happen.
If you’re thinking about making a move for study, we’d recommend doing your research. ANAM applications are open for the 2019 Professional Performance Program, and you can visit the website to find out if this study path is right for you.
Check back in soon for our next What the Fact?! with professionals in the music industry.
