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Gregory van der Struik Interview
Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008. © Copyright 2004-2008 David Bruce
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C:T talks to trombonist Gregory van der Struik who runs the Trombonis Australis Project, hoping to encourage new work for the trombone
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Gregory van der Struik
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Tell us something about your background.
While I felt that a great deal of repertoire was available from overseas, programming within Australia lacked any sense of a national identity. This feeling extended back to high school where examination requirements always expressed that an Australian work should be performed wherever possible. Sadly finding suitable, readily available repertoire for brass was not easy to do. In terms of professional repertoire the Lovelock and Hanson concertos were known at least by name and the predominantly Avant Garde work of Simon de Haan was well known. But where were the works that other professionals and students could turn to? In terms of answering these questions I realised that a pro-active stance needed to be taken in order to stimulate interest in and develop new works. One prime example seemed to be that of the Paris Conservatoire which in a relatively short period developed a large body of repertoire by the way it encouraged and commissioned works to be used for examination purposes.
In 1990 I decided to initiate the Trombonis Australis Project. The aim is to work with interested composers to develop repertoire for solo and pedagogical use. As a performer I realise the need to encourage composers of a wide variety of styles to write for brass instruments and help develop a body of works that will become a resource for future generations of performers.
In order to successfully promote new repertoire I aim to regularly perform works in concert along with recordings to reach an even wider audience. I soon realised that without good editions of the music, new works would struggle to be taken up by other performers. I encourage composers to prepare editions and have them available through the Trombonis Australis Project or other organisations such as the Australian Music Centre.
It is also important for other players to know about works so I have written a number of reviews and analyses of the repertoire for the Australian Trombone Association and Australian Trumpet Guild.
To date the project has facilitated the development of over 45 works by more than twenty composers. I have also had composers from England, France and New Zealand contribute works. I have given over 100 performances of many of the solo works in Australia, China and Europe. The Trombonis Australis Project has never received any funding and participation is open to all interested composers.
What inspires you about a piece of new music, what turns you off?
I am always thrilled to think that a composer has taken a great deal of their time to write something for me. Sometimes I am involved throughout the creative process and at other times I receive a finished score which I workshop with the composer. Depending on the experience in writing for trombone, I may or may not need to suggest changes. It is inspiring to feel that a new work will reveal to audiences a new aspect of the trombone's abilities. It is even better when a composition is accepted as an independent piece of music that engages people rather than being just a piece for trombone.
Gratuitous effects and unidiomatic writing often leads to a lack of interest from performers and can be tiresome for audiences.
Interview by David Bruce © Copyright 2004-2008
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