The Willoughby Symphony Orchestra is ready to whisk audiences away on an unforgettable musical journey with 'Odyssey', an exhilarating concert experience landing at The Concourse, Chatswood this June.
'Odyssey' stars violinist Ji Won Kim and violist Caleb Wright.
Ji Won, an ABC Young Performers Awards winner, is renowned for her passionate artistry, while Caleb, Principal Viola of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, brings depth and virtuosity. Together, the duo promises a sublime interplay of sound and spirit.
Here, we speak to them ahead of the performance.
‘Odyssey’ feels like a journey through different landscapes and moods – how do you prepare to match that arc in a performance setting?
Caleb: Depending on the music, one can experience this especially with the more epic works like the ring cycle or Mahler symphonies. To a lesser degree the concertante is a story with being emotions (moods), which you have to hopefully communicate well enough that the audience also feels what is being expressed.
The viola doesn’t always get the solo spotlight – how do you feel stepping forward in a concert like this one?
Caleb: It's definitely a foreign experience and not a comfortable one. It's a mental game as much as a musical one.
Do you think audiences listen differently when they're hearing something that showcases the viola? What would you love them to notice?
Caleb: Yes, I think it is a more novel experience for the audience also because there are the two of us on stage. Noticing or maybe even 'enjoying' I would say the differences between the instruments, and the different qualities each have.
What’s a moment – recent or early on – that reminded you why you love playing music?
Ji Won: Every time I get to play with the TSO [Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra], I am reminded how very blessed I am to be playing music.
What continues to surprise or challenge you when stepping in front of an orchestra?
Ji Won: Well. . . In the earlier part of my career, I was fortunate to have performed as a soloist around the country and overseas. It used to be a lot of pressure and I felt like I cannot make any mistakes. After having been in the orchestra in various roles and overcoming my perfectionist obsession, I feel like one of the members of the orchestra, even as a soloist. We are ultimately making music together and working towards the same aim, to be moved by the music that we perform and hopefully moving audience as a result. It feels different to have this view and more rewarding, personally.
How does collaboration with a conductor like Dr Nicholas Milton AM influence your energy or interpretation on stage?
Caleb: It's very refreshing having a great conductor in the orchestral driver's seat, it makes things a lot more expressive, smooth running and definitely more exciting. So definitely looking forward to working with Dr Nicholas again.
Do you find your approach to live performance has evolved over time, or do certain core things always stay the same for you?
Ji Won: I found out that worrying less about potential mistakes does a whole heap of good for me. This approach got me to actually enjoy so much more and what fascinated me is that I make less mistakes. My mind is free from fear of something going badly, and focused on music itself, connecting with the musicians around me and also the audience.
What does playing live give you that nothing else does?
Caleb: Playing in this setting is hard to compare with anything else. Maybe it's similar to getting up on stage with a mic for the first time singing some karaoke. More generally communicating with others on stage as well as receiving from the audience and allowing that to enhance a performance, is exciting and on rare occasions it can be euphoric.
How do you balance technical precision with emotional storytelling when you're performing for a live audience?
Ji Won: I work on the technical aspect as best as I can, well before a concert date. Then I think of a particular mood in certain points in the piece that might be relevant. After that I try and make sense of the storyline through these various points. Of course mapping out the peak and planning the way up and down is very fun and makes it interesting.
You're sharing the solo spotlight in ‘Odyssey’ – how would you describe your musical connection or chemistry on stage?
Both: Well we're married, so it's a bit different to playing with someone else. I would say we are quite connected and probably know what the other is likely to do even if it is spontaneous, so playing more tightly together is not as difficult.
Nature is a big theme in this concert. If you had to describe your playing style using an element from nature, what would it be – wind, fire, water, earth?
Caleb: My element(s) might be wind and earth with some fire thrown in for good measure. Hard to be restricted to one.
'Odyssey' plays The Concourse, Chatswood 21-22 June.
