Ian Cleworth
About
Q&A
Question: Can you tell us a bit about you, and what you are up to these days?
Answer I'm now in the ‘upper end’ phase of my career (i.e. I've been around a bit), but still keeping very creatively active. Since leaving the Sydney Symphony Orchestra percussion section some 15 years ago, I have been doing a lot of playing, touring and composing with my own group Taikoz. <br> <br> This also entails being heavily involved in running our small Sydney-based arts organisation to support both Synergy and Taikoz – Percussion Australia. We launched PA last year, which sees us bringing together a larger and broader number of incredible artists from a wide range of percussion and drumming disciplines with the aim of creating many wonderful artistic and educational projects. This also amplifies out to composers and other creative people like choreographers, theatre-makers, lighting designers, stage designers and so on. It's a real artistic ecosystem that is very exciting to be a part of!
Question: What was a highlight of your time in AYO programs?
Answer What it still is today – getting together with like-minded, committed and adventurous people to make music.
Question: What skills, musical and otherwise, did you take away from your time at AYO?
Answer Having the opportunity to learn how to work as a team had a really big effect on me. Naturally, developing ensemble skills was extremely important and useful for my future professional career, but also learning skills in how to get along with other people and how to get the best out of each other has proven to be equally profound and far reaching.
Question: Why do you think AYO is important to the Australian cultural landscape?
Answer Since Day 1, AYO has been a vital part of the Australian cultural landscape. One of its natural functions is to help equip young musicians for the profession, but it also has a wider, humanistic role in deepening friendships and collegiality, as well as expanding knowledge and love for music in general. There are many wonderful young AYO musicians who choose other professions, but I feel sure that their experiences in the AYO have helped them on their way, too.
Question: Is there a piece of advice you received from a music teacher/mentor that has always stayed with you?
Answer From my wonderful AYO/NMC mentor Colin Piper who later became my colleague when I joined the SSO – in relation to my propensity to become down if I felt I didn't play well... ‘Remember to look up to the stars...’
Question: What instrument would you play if you couldn’t play your primary instrument?
Answer I have always loved the double bass – both in jazz and the orchestra. What a great role it has – all those great bass lines, but also fundamental to the harmony and rhythm. They even get a great tune from time to time, too!
Question: Which composer would you invite to a dinner party and why?
Answer I once had the pleasure of meeting Toru Takemitsu at an international music festival. He actually ‘floated’ into the breakfast room of the hotel and after a nervous hello from me, we had a short conversation that was mostly, shall I say, enigmatic (from him). At a dinner party, I reckon Takemitsu would give out a totally serene, peaceful aura – just the kind of get-together I like (not too noisy... haha!)
Question: If there is anything else you would like to include?
Answer 75 years? You're just getting going!