Frankie Lo Surdo
About
Q&A
Question: Can you tell us a bit about you, and what you are up to these days?
Answer Since 2011 I have been a proud member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra horn section. Since my AYO days I’ve been lucky enough to tutor at three camps now. I’ve also been busy teaching at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and University of Western Australia.
Question: What was a highlight of your time in AYO programs?
Answer Making connections with musicians from all over Australia who I constantly run into over and over again all these years later!
Question: What skills, musical and otherwise, did you take away from your time at AYO?
Answer Learning for the first time how a concert program can be brought together in such a short time.
Question: What was your favourite piece or performance during your programs?
Answer It would have to be playing 1st Horn in Strauss’ <i>Rosenkavalier</i> suite at a music camp in Adelaide.
Question: Why do you think AYO is important to the Australian cultural landscape?
Answer It brings together the best of the best. It’s so important to have healthy competition amongst other players from around the country and learn from each other’s playing.
Question: How would you describe AYO in three words?
Answer Hard. Fun. Cricket.
Question: What was one of the first pieces of music to inspire you?
Answer Puccini’s <i>Tosca</i>.
Question: What pieces would you share with people who want to discover more about orchestral music?
Answer Strauss’ <i>Alpine Symphony</i>. Such a great piece of music, and if you follow the names of the movements (in English) you can really hear the themes in the music.
Question: Is there a piece of advice you received from a music teacher/mentor that has always stayed with you?
Answer Treat others as you would want to be treated.
Question: How or why did you choose your instrument?
Answer I rented a trumpet in primary school. The school made a mistake and gave my trumpet to another kid in my second year of playing, so I was moved to horn.
Question: What instrument would you play if you couldn’t play your primary instrument?
Answer I’ve always been a closet bass trombone player.
Question: Where in the world would you most like to perform and why?
Answer Bayreuth Festspielhaus. Wagner had the venue designed specifically for his operas.