Sydney based viola da gamba player Alice Chance completed her HSC in 2011. She learns from Jennifer Erikson and will perform one of her own compositions with Jenny in this year’s HSC ENCORE performances at the Sydney Opera House in March 2012. Australian Viola da Gamba Society President Victoria Watts asked her a few questions about how she ended up playing the viol for her HSC and what her plans are for the future.
How did your musical life begin and what was the first instrument you played?
My musical life began one morning in kindergarten, when I witnessed a Musica Viva performance, featuring a baroque ensemble with Jenny playing the Viola da Gamba. That afternoon, as Mum and I traveled home in the car, I sat there, wide-eyed and speechless. She cautiously began to ask me if anything interesting had happened that day, but the only response she could get was, “Mum… I want to play the Lopity Gamba…”
Due to the lack of “Lopity Gambas” for sale at the time, I was started on the violin and continued, half-heartedly, for 10 years.
When did you decide to play the viol and what influenced you?
I suppose you could say I made the decision when I was five. However, when the opportunity actually arose, around 4 years ago, it was a very intuitive decision. I was intrigued by the subtle, melancholic tones of the Gamba. and mystified by its historic repertoire. I loved how you could achieve so many different qualities of sound on the one instrument, and I wondered if there were any I didn’t know about yet. I felt so attracted to it, that factors such as the lack of opportunity in an orchestral role, or as a member of a standard ensemble, were not really relevant to me at the time.
Were you supported to play viol at school or was it difficult not playing an orchestral instrument?
I was incredibly lucky to be at MLC School, with the guidance and everlasting support of Karen Carey, who is a viol player herself. Were it not for her, and the entire music staff’s, understanding and enthusiasm for both early music, and the possibility of early instruments in a contemporary context. I would not have had any of the performance opportunities I so fortunately received. There was difficulty, however, in the HSC course. Every Music 2 student was required to perform a ‘core’ piece, written in the last 25 years. Whilst I strongly encourage the performance of new music, it presented difficulties for me, as there really wasn’t much available. We settled on a Stephen Yates piece, “Le Tombeau pour Marin Marais”, written in 2001 for Jenny Eriksson, and Stephen kindly allowed us to make some changes, so it was more “HSC-friendly”.
What ensembles we you part of both at school and as an extracurricular activity?
I’m a very passionate chorister. (Indeed, part of my attraction to the Gamba was its similarity to the human voice), and so I was involved in the School Choir, Chamber Choir, and the Choir for MLC’s tour to Spain in 2010. I’m planning to continue this by joining the Choir at the Sydney Conservatorium, and a separate female A Capella vocal group, “Aurora Australis”,for leisure. I am also really looking forward to being a part of the Con’s renowned Early Music Ensemble. It will be an honour to play with such talented and passionate musicians, and it will be my first time playing the Gamba in a regular ensemble. I am looking forward to joining (or even starting!) more ensembles with the Gamba, in the near future, should the opportunity arise.
What difference do you think it has made to specialize in viol so early in your career?
This question is best answered with a metaphor! I suppose parallels can be drawn with human friendship. Whilst we’re able to form incredibly strong bonds with other people at any stage of our lives, nothing is more special than a friendship formed from childhood. There is something about having grown and developed together, whilst always finding new ways to connect, which I think is very powerful. I guess the Gamba has grown up with me, and I feel that I know the instrument more intimately because of that. However, in the hope I’m not contradicting myself, I also feel that you can start something at any stage of life and still become an expert. Starting from a young age is no advantage if you’re not disciplined and willing to work hard. So if you are disciplined and willing to work hard, age is irrelevant.
What repertoire did you play for your HSC and why did you compose a new work to perform?
I chose to specialise in composition, and so I only had to perform one piece for the HSC. As I said, it was a miracle we found, and had permission to alter the Yates piece, and I have no idea what we would have done otherwise. After the painstaking process of searching for contemporary Gamba repertoire, and the disappointing results, I felt inspired to create some of my own. But I wanted to respect the instrument and its origins. When chatting to an elderly relative, there should be a balance of topics which are relevant to you, and to them – the conversation can’t be entirely about the joys of social networking, nor can it be entirely about how licorice used to cost a penny, ‘back in my day’. In the same way, an instrument as historic as the Gamba doesn’t sound comfortable in a contemporary context, without some links to its past. That’s why I based my piece, ‘O Pastor Animarum’, on a 12th century plain chant (of the same name) by Hildegard of Bingen.
When has, and will, your new work be performed?
I’ve been very lucky to have my work performed by two viol virtuosi, Jenny Eriksson and Daniel Yeadon, at the Marais Project’s “Ossenbrunner Twins” concert in October last year. I also feel honoured to have been selected for the HSC ENCORE performances in March this year, where Jenny and I will perform my piece in the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House.
Where to now? What are your plans for the future?
My ambition is to be a composer, and I would consider it huge privilege to make a living out of doing something I love so much. I’m about the start a Composition degree at the Sydney Conservatorium, whilst also doing an Arts degree at the University of Sydney, majoring in Linguistics. My long-term goal with the Gamba is to enlighten others about the beautiful sound world it has, the majestic repertoire that already exists for it, and the endless possibilities of its use in contemporary music. When the next Gambist sits the HSC, and begins to search for a ‘core’ piece, it’s a lovely thought that he or she might be utterly overwhelmed by all the choice.
Australian Viola da Gamba Society Newsletter, Issue 46-47, Spring 2011 & Summer 2012. Used with Permission