Camerata Artistic Director Brendan Joyce on ΩHM, yoga and the all-encompassing power of classical music
Camerata, Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, will be performing Interludes at this year’s ΩHM Festival of Other Music. Interludes is not your ordinary classical music concert, but then again Camerata is not your ordinary ensemble. Brendan Joyce, Camerata’s artistic director, works hard to keep up the orchestra’s reputation for innovative, adventurous and non-traditional programing. Brendan’s musical career is expansive, as an alumnus of the original version of Camerata (then Camerata of St John’s 1987-1997) who has worked as a soloist, guest leader and concertmaster all around the world. We caught up with Brendan to chat about his work with the orchestra, classical music and King Stingray.
We’d love to start right at the beginning of your love of music – can you tell us about the moment you decided to pursue your love of music as a career?
My lovely but old-fashioned piano teacher said to me in high school, ‘You could do Music but don’t, it’s not for men!’ She was concerned I could not provide for a family. It was far too late, though. From my earliest childhood I followed my mother around at Choral Society productions, in which she often sang the lead role (in Ayr, where I grew up). I would sit next to my big sister at the piano and I used to copy anything and everything, and play by ear at the piano all through my childhood. I had interests in architecture and being a pilot, but basically they had no chance – there was no ‘moment’ in deciding, it was just going to happen because I was consumed by music.
How did you come to be involved in Camerata?
I was involved in the early version of Camerata – an orchestra of emerging artists that played to great acclaim between in the late 80s and early 90s, and was founded by my violin teacher, Elizabeth Morgan AM. Elizabeth’s idea inspired. She created an incredible learning situation for her students, one that grew out of her own idealism, educational integrity and coalface experience – one that would preserve and promote joy and love of music and even capture some of the spiritual qualities of music-making. She invited me to join it, and again in the more recent edition of the group as its leader to embark on a phase of creating the professional trappings that might cement the group’s individual path and longevity.
What does the role of artistic director entail? What does a typical workday look like for you? Do you have a typical work day?
I’m a performing member of the group, so my role is split between the violinist/musician side and the artistic administrator side. A typical day might include three hour’s practice (say 8:00–11:00 am) and then the rest of the day at the office in meetings about grants, donors or upcoming concerts. I mark-up music parts and organise orchestra seating charts, for instance, and writing – writing is a huge part of the job, be it copy for programs, answering questions for interviews or writing sections of grant applications. At other times there are rehearsals, and also I sometimes practice at night – it’s always nice to find a sense of timelessness in practicing to really marinate in the music you are learning.
Camerata will be performing Interludes at Brisbane Powerhouse’s ΩHM Festival of Other Music. What can you tell us about that?
Imagine lying down on a yoga mat, surrounding a small group of musicians in the centre as they play one of the most utterly sublime, intimate and tender playlists you’d ever hear. The obvious composers for this are Arvo Part and Max Richter, but Beethoven’s ‘Cavatina’ is there – a piece of music that is floating around somewhere near the earth’s heliosphere in the Voyager craft to represent the best of Western art music. There’s also a beautiful piece from our Yeshi Dolma album by cellist Katherine Philp.
Interludes is not your typical chamber music concert. Where did this idea come from?
Since I’m pretty into yoga and I know people who are hugely into meditation I’d love to take credit, but in truth it came about after chatting to Rainer Jozeps, who created hugely popular concerts like these for and with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra some years back that continue today. I also remembered things like Camerata’s highly successful ‘5 at 5 with Camerata’ during Covid and how viral some of those live performances went.
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Camerata has a reputation for innovation and interesting and adventurous programming. What drives this ethos and how do you approach upholding it?
I guess I’ve come to think that music is more than an ambition, it is our vocation. Is a concert at Carnegie Hall really any more important than a free concert in the park in Longreach? The orchestra of and for the future is one that shares and makes music with all kinds of people in all kinds of places and in all kinds of ways. So, sure, we can be into things like ‘excellence’ of performance and we are into that, but of equal interest is our work in the community and educational engagement space – and a concert like this one where people can be transported or even just brought to kind of sanctuary of stillness starts to look essential in an embattled world.
As a professional, do you find classical music soothing and serene or are your feelings towards it more passionate?
Classical music is absolutely everything, and contrary to popular stereotypes it’s a living, breathing, continuously evolving artform. It will depend on what specific piece you are listening to, but it does indeed have a beautiful ability to be soothing and serene, yet it can be the music of protest, of passion, of consummate joy and elation. When I was a teenager I wouldn’t eat Japanese food – no way! – but later I tried it and realised it was both amazing and incredibly diverse. Classical music is like that – you have to give it a few goes and recognise its vast diversity and centuries-long output. It’s simply amazing!
Is there anything aside from music you do to relax and unwind?
I can’t live without yoga. It is focusing, healing and stabilising for me. But I guess I’m also partial to a trashy Netflix series!
Are there any other acts at ΩHM Festival of Other Music that you’re looking forward to?
King Stingray caught my attention. I once had the chance to work with some musicians from Arnhem Land and was moved and inspired but equally felt so removed from what they were doing. This band is from up that way so I’m a bit curious about what effect their music might have.
Brendan and Camerata will be performing Interludes at Brisbane Powerhouse on Saturday March 1. Learn more and book your tickets here.