That’s a wrap! This year’s Hatched Home Academy was a wholesome success, yet again providing some much needed creative stimulation and support to musicians around the country during this tough time. Launched in 2020, Hatched Home Academy offers one-on-one mentoring sessions with our fabulous core musicians, who share their advice and experience in instrumental or composition lessons, and offer professional guidance, grant writing support and more. 2021 saw thirteen dedicated young musicians from a wide range of backgrounds, locations and musical disciplines take up this free opportunity to build industry relationships and develop their creative practice.
Participants and mentors alike benefited from this experience during Sydney’s extended lockdown, with positive feedback flooding in!
Participant Feedback
• Wesley Stormer – composer: “I haven’t had many one-on-one mentorships since university so it was fantastic to deep-dive into specifics on composition. Ben was great and really took the time to answer my questions and give his general philosophy on the composer/performer dynamic.”
• Sophia Mackson – viola: “I loved being able to chat to Veronique about contemporary music in Australia as well as about my own compositions. She has such a wealth of knowledge and passion which was so amazing to hear about. She was so kind and supportive of all my ideas and gave the best feedback. I am forever a fan and supporter of her! Such an amazing musician, belonging to such a cool ensemble.”
• Michael Grebla – composer: “Being an Australian overseas and remaining engaged with Australia artistically is difficult, particularly in a pandemic. It was really helpful talking with Blair about many aspects of the profession and the Australian music scene with regards to how I can remain engaged and build a presence while not currently based in the country.”
• Bianca Gannon – composer: “My favourite part of Hatched Home was testing my compositional ideas with a performer, having both casual chats and deep conversations about the music industry, networking, and meeting a performer I hadn’t yet met.”
• Matthew Kneale – bassoon: “During a lockdown, how refreshing to feel that artists care about each other and want to be creative in a time when one can feel down and uninspired. Such an appropriate time to connect, share ideas and work out what to program for future years with hopeful and eventual collaborations.”
• Kayla Ludlow – flute: “It was a really helpful and fun experience. What I enjoyed the most was getting to talk to an industry professional who could share advice and insights with me. I am surrounded by a lot of young musicians who could really benefit from an opportunity such as this one.”
• Ben Perche – conductor: “It was fantastic talking to Jason about his experiences in new music ensembles, and to hear his advice about starting new groups to perform modern music. Preparing for the session was helpful in forcing me to zoom out and think big picture about my future career in music, and Jason was able to comprehensively answer all my questions. Jason gave me a lot of new ideas for potential future projects, as well as suggesting ways to navigate around potential pitfalls.”
• Mikaela Thompson – percussion: “I got to explore new composers which led me to find new and exciting repertoire. Claire helped with my upcoming AYO audition, breaking down each excerpt to find the best way to play it. We also talked about marimba technique and how to approach more chorale-style pieces. Lastly we talked about local and international opportunities that are available after I graduate from university.”
• Sean Quinn – composer: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Lamorna, especially looking through the lens of a performer rather than just another composer. I had many doubts settled and questions confirmed. I feel a lot more prepared as an artist to tackle the industry ahead of me.”
• Ceridwen McCooey – cello: “Blair really helped me with a composition I was working on and was very informative about opportunities available to me as a cellist. I really enjoyed being able to talk to Blair about the cello from the position of being a composer. It was a really interesting perspective that I hadn’t been exposed to before, and a real highlight was being able to hear my own piece played by a wonderful musician and receiving his feedback as a professional performer.”
• Chloe Chung – flute: “Claire and Bree were generous with their time, expertise, and support in my mentoring sessions. I really appreciated having the opportunity to learn more about their work from a personal perspective – particularly during lockdown!”
Mentor Feedback
• Jason Noble – clarinet: “I most enjoyed the optimism, open mindedness and intrigue demonstrated by the mentees. It also came at a perfect time when lockdown began, so it was a reminder of why we do what we do. The Academy was an important vehicle for those seeking information about music as a career, or making the next step in their musical journey.”
• Lamorna Nightingale – flute: “Hearing the thoughts and dreams of the next generation of artists was a ray of sunshine in these challenging times. I love the idea that my experience might help them to find the right pathway and find the energy that comes from the sharing of ideas so positive.”
• Benjamin Kopp – piano: “The vibrancy and positivity of the mentees was really heartening. I felt like they were really engaged in absorbing as many ideas as possible. It was a very rewarding experience.”
• Blair Harris – cello: “The connection with young artists and sharing our expertise with them was highly enjoyable. To see new work being created despite adversity was heartwarming, and as a mentor, having a sense of purpose was a lovely feeling. The Hatched Home Academy is an invaluable resource to keep our community creating and connected in today’s environment.”
Our Hatched Academy streams are supported by Musica Viva Australia.