Peter Wockner's Q&A with pianist and composer Andrea Keller 26 February 2009

Historical article recovered from a Wayback capture dated 2018-02-24.

Peter Wockner:

The idea of having picked individual collaborators to join the quartet at each concert is more than just having a guest sit in. Can you elaborate on the rationale behind this idea for a tour?

Andrea Keller:

I’m really interested in the AKQ having its own sound and the journey that that has taken. I feel like it’s at a really strong point right now and so I wanted to see how it would be affected by adding a new layer. I also like the idea that the results are unpredictable because we will play the material with quite a few different people, they’re all very diverse and individualistic and we won’t have much time to rehearse with them – they’re basically being asked to respond to our music in the moment, on stage – so it will be quite exciting to see how it all unfolds. The other reason was simply because there are so many fantastic musicians in this country and I wanted to get a chance to play with some of them!

PW:

Were you tempted at all to include a guest pianist?

AK:

Last year I did some 2 piano stuff with Matt McMahon which was so much fun but when I tried to pursue more performance opportunities for us I couldn’t find venues with 2 pianos – so I didn’t consider it for this project, but I did almost consider having a bass player

PW:

Each of the improvisers is quite distinctive in style. Have you specifically written material for each of them individually or are you looking to see how each interpret a set of new works for the tour?

AK:

That was something I found really difficult as I normally write all my music with the individuals in mind and for this project it wasn’t quite possible. I did end up writing some pieces for specific people but generally it will be about hearing the different interpretations and giving the guests freedom to contribute whatever they hear as appropriate.

PW:

It’s quite easy to be conditioned to the bass-less sound of your quartet. Can you elaborate on the motivation and where you are trying to take your music without the bass sound, and has it had an effect on how you play in this ensemble with your left hand?

AK:

Well we began as a quintet with a bass player 10 years ago and had worked together in that format for a number of years before our bassist moved to the states. At the time it didn’t feel right to me to find a replacement because I saw the band heading in a strong direction as a result of the individuals in it so I thought we’d just carry on the 4 of us. It took a while to find its feet but now there’s no turning back. It’s given me lots of freedom in my playing, made me think about composition in a different way and altered my perception of how an ensemble can be structured. In the beginning I had to retrain my hearing from one of, “something is missing”. Now I hear that band as, “if there was anything else in here it would be too cluttered”.

PW:

Your latest award was the Aria for ‘Footprints’ Best Jazz Album in 2008. Your awards are really starting to stack up. What do they mean to you and how much easier do they make it to sell yourself/your music in the industry?

AK:

I feel really lucky to have received the awards that I have. I’m very honored and it’s a great feeling to be recognized for something you’ve created. But really I’m just trying to get better at my craft and contribute meaningful (albeit ‘tiny’) splashes of beauty to the world. This is what drives me and the awards are a (welcome) byproduct. They have definitely lifted my profile in Australia and had an effect on the types of gigs I get offered but this is still and always going to be, a minority music. Pushing contemporary improvised original instrumental music is always going to be a hard slog but the rewards when it works are worth all the rest.

PW:

From memory you couldn’t make the Aria awards ceremony due to your newborn last year. What are the challenges trying to juggle family life/motherhood with your career?

AK:

Yes I have 2 kids now and I love every bit of motherhood. You have to be very organized and have clear goals – but that can be said of anyone who leads a busy life. For me music and motherhood are very well matched. I play at night, write very early in the morning and grab other opportunities as they arise. My need for silence sometimes gets a bit overwhelming though. I was just thinking last night that I don’t know how Bach did it with 20 kids!

PW:

Having been a volunteer, at the Sydney Children’s Hospital I know how important it is for kids to be comfortable and happy during their time in hospital. Tell us about your work with what is known as the Hush Collection.

AK:

I was commissioned to write the music for Hush volume 8 and although the CD’s in the collection are quite diverse, the brief has been the same – to create music which is engaging, yet promotes a sense of safety and calm. The ensemble was formed from a selection of Freedman Fellowship winners, both ‘classical’ and ‘jazz’ and has been by far the most challenging yet rewarding compositional experience I’ve had. Normally when I write music, it’s simply about what I like - I hope that people like it but that’s not what motivates me. But this experience was about something entirely different – it was about creating music to ease an environment that kids and their families who are under enormous emotional stress are in. I felt a lot of pressure and found myself dissecting my music and analyzing it in ways I never had before. All of a sudden my focus was on how this music was going to be received. This is a difficult place to try and create from and I had a lot of battles overcoming it but I’m very proud of the end result and feel that the music that eventuated is from those few moments where I was able to let go.

PW:

If you were not a piano player what pursuit/occupation do you think you would want to be?

AK:

I feel so boring but I can’t think of anything - all I can ever remember wanting to be was a musician. I’m not very good at anything else, except being a mum and pottering in my garden.

‘Collaborations’ tour dates 2009:

Andrea Keller Quartet

Sunday 8th March Melbourne: Bennetts Lane Jazz Club 9.30pm 03 9663 2856

Tuesday 10th March Sydney: Excelsior Hotel Surry Hills 10pm www.jazzgroove.com

Thursday 12th March Wollongong: Conservatorium of Music Auditorium 6pm 02 4228 1122

Friday 13th March Canberra: Llewellyn Hall ANU 7.30pm 02 6125 5700

Sunday 5th April Brisbane: Brisbane Jazz Club 6pm 07 3391 2006

Monday 27th April Perth: Charles Hotel North Perth 5pm 08 9284 2578