Meet MSO’s Benjamin Northey

Friday 1 October 2010, 4:18 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events and People

When they say Melbourne Music is for all music-loving Melburnians, they aren’t kidding. The MSO Baby Proms puts Australia’s finest orchestra in the same room as a bunch of small children. And together, they will make beautiful music. One of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s beloved conductors, Benjamin Northey, will be there on the day, sharing his wisdom, his skills and his passion with our next generation of music lovers.

A grounding in the classics is always a good way to start one’s musical career, we say! Here’s Benjamin Northey’s take on Melbourne and music.

Melbourne has city lanes named for AC/DC and Dame Edna Everage. Who should be next?

I know it’s a scary thought but perhaps Meldrum Avenue?  Or perhaps Mackerras Street, after the late great conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, one of our greatest.

Which Melbourne Music acts – besides the MSO’s events –  should we all check out?

Cinemix looks very interesting, also Street Change and Class Acts could unearth a star of the future!

The Melbourne Town Hall Grand Organ is pretty big, even by grown-up standards. How do you make sure your young audience doesn’t dive under the chairs?

Well it’s an amazing instrument that’s for sure. We won’t be using it in this concert so no need to panic! Sometimes the very little ones get spooked by sudden loud noises so we try to avoid those…

When you are conducting, what is your right hand doing and what is your left hand doing?

The right hand holds the baton and is responsible for the tempo or speed of the music. You can also convey other things with the right hand within that, such as the quality of the attack you want and the shape of the phrase.

The left hand is free to shape the music. Dynamics and sound colour can be shown with the left hand as well as cueing instruments so they are sure to play in the right place.

Which city music stores know you by name?

Thomas’ Music in Bourke Street has an amazing range of classical music. Allans Music of course…and Discurio. I love Readings in Carlton also. So many!

MSO Baby Proms is on Wednesday 6 October at the Melbourne Town Hall. Two shows, noon and 2pm. To book, email babyproms@melbourne.vic.gov.au. A Melbourne Music www.melbmusic.com event.

More MSO Melbourne Music events

Turn up the music and win!

Wednesday 29 September 2010, 10:56 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events

Melbourne Music is here – and we’re all rather excited about it. Our music scene is marvellous and well-deserving of a special celebration. We won’t preach too much to the converted though – if you live here, you already know this much!

The full Melbourne Music program is available on the Melbourne Music website but we thought we’d highlight a couple of our favourite events for your particular attention.

Melbourne Music Opening Concert

Rock up to Federation Square this Saturday from 5pm and you’ll be treated to some of our city’s greatest live bands – free. We’re loving the idea of a barbecue with friends followed by a free gig.

See Dan Sultan before your kid sister starts wearing his t-shirts. This guy is seriously good and is about to be seriously discovered – so get in first is our advice. Be enlivened by the merry pop-rock of British India and give it all up for Parades, a Sydney art-rock act with a fine electro-pop thing going on.

The always entertaining Dan Kelly, plus newcomers Eagle and the Worm and the dance-tastic Purple Sneakers DJs complete what makes for a rather brilliant line-up. And did we mention it’s free?

For those who remember Thank God It’s Over – clearly, it’s not!

Musicwerks

Want a job in the music industry? Already working in music and want to get better at what you do? Step this way! Musicwerks is a bunch of free workshops for anyone interested in a career on music, whether on the stage or behind it. With industry experts and performers such as Skipping Girl Vinegar, Mantra, Wendy Stapleton and Ron Tudor dispensing advice, you could do a lot worse than to book yourself into one or more of these sessions.

We especially like the sounds of:

• Legal Chambers – Kookaburra Sings Down Under: musician and lawyer Paul O’Gorman gives an insider’s view on Men At Work’s famous ‘Down Under’ copyright battle.
• Hip Hop Songwriting: Mantra, frontman of Melbourne hip hop group Illzilla, shares his songwriting tips and techniques.
• iPhone – The New Music Maker: Dr Barry Hill shows how to make serious tunes on your smartphone in this fun community music-making event.

And they’re just for starters!

Je t’aime: the filmic lives of Gainsbourg and Birkin

A final, special mention goes to this fabulous program of films at ACMI. Why? It’s Serge Gainsbourg. No other explanation is surely required.

Melbourne Music: on until Sunday 10 October.

WIN! WIN! WIN!

We have two double passes up for grabs to the Jagermeister Independent Music Awards on this Friday 1 October at the Forum!

This is your only chance to see Sally Seltmann, Cloud Control and M-Phazes perform as part of the Melbourne Music program. Award nominees include Dan Sultan, Dan Kelly and British India who are all performing at the free Opening Concert the following night at Fed Square.

To enter the draw, tell us about a memorable gig you’ve been to in Melbourne using the comment section below. We’ll pick our favourite two entries and award each winner a double pass.

Entries close at 4pm, Thursday 30 September. We’ll contact the winner via email. You must be 18 years of age or older to be eligible to win.

DJ Dexter: taking the movies for a spin

Wednesday 22 September 2010, 10:32 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events

When La Haine (The Hate) first screened in Melbourne it had jaws dropping all over the city. Everyone was talking about this amazing film, shot in black and white and telling it like it is for youths in many cultures and countries around the world.

Whether experienced as a window into a new world view, or as a matter-of-fact account of a tough reality, La Haine has some big things to say about this world of ours.

Someone who found plenty to love in La Haine is DJ Dexter. Cinemix, part of Melbourne Music, will see DJ Dexter remix the score to La Haine – live in the cinema. Sounds interesting? We thought so too, hence our questions below.

How many times have you now watched La Haine? Has your experience of the movie changed with each viewing?

I’ve watched it many times throughout my high school days and a few times during the past few years. It’s become a Melbourne cult classic, I think because the people of our city, specially in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, instantly connected with La Haine’s 24-hour snapshot of life that’s not dissimilar to ours.

Having DJ’d and travelled throughout France, I’ve felt the grit and grind of the outer suburbs depicted in La Haine. It’s given me a closer connection with the film.

What can your audience expect on the night? Are your song choices radically different to the originals?

I have chosen songs that I would play if I lived in the high rise buildings. I was born in Footscray and raised in the St Albans area and I definitely identify with the three main characters because I grew up with similar people.

The power of the film and its story speaks for itself so I chose music that evokes the emotion of the visuals.

We read somewhere that you learned the piano as a child and hated it. But watching you work the decks, it’s like you are playing an instrument. Is that how it feels for you?

I never thought of it that way…not really. DJ’ing, beatjuggling and scratching is more like drumming and drumming notations and accents, especially turntablism where it’s intricate rhythms and patterns.

Many Melburnians have worn out their sneakers courtesy of one of your DJ’ing sets, either solo or with The Avalanches. How will we all cope sitting still in a cinema while you crank out the tunes?

Stuff your faces with popcorn! And piff some my way if you approve of the track selection!

You’ve lived in Melbourne for many years – what keeps you here?

I was born and raised here so my life is here. Although in recent years, Tokyo, NYC and Barcelona are looking very appealing…

When you return from overseas, which city spot do you make a beeline for?

My Ma’s fish and bok choy soup and rice.

Cinemix is part of Melbourne Music. One performance only, Thursday 30 September, 8pm. At ACMI Cinemas, Federation Square.

Bookings highly recommended.