From lessons in a suburban Sydney Public school storage room to principal clarinet of the London Philharmonic Orchestra: the impressive journey of Australian clarinettist Ben Mellefont. I first met Ben as a student of mine at Bellevue Hill Public School, and already then there was something magical about his musical instincts. I chatted with Ben about his musical career and the life skills he learnt along the way.
When did you decide you wanted to make music your career?
It was never a ‘decision’; during my teen years as I got more interested in music I felt myself going more naturally in that direction. I feel lucky that as I got older the paid musical work I undertook became ever more fulfilling, so it never felt like a complicated ‘choice’ to be a musician.
Why the clarinet?
After learning the piano and dabbling with the violin I chose clarinet simply because my friends were doing it at the time. There was no magical epiphany moment where I heard the instrument and decided that it was my soul mate or anything like that!
Were your family musical?
My parents aren’t musical in the sense that they have learned an instrument to any high level, but they are certainly musical in that they are open minded and anti-prejudiced to different kinds of music. For me that’s more important and it’s something I’ve carried to the present.
Where did you study and who were your teachers?
Well, you were my first teacher, then Catherine McCorkill and Frank Celata throughout my time at the Conservatorium High School. At the Royal College of Music in London I learnt with Barnaby Robson, Tim Lines, Richard Hosford and Michael Collins. It’s common to have multiple teachers throughout one’s studies in London as most teachers also lead busy and erratic performing/touring lives, so won’t be present every week for lessons.
How did you end up in London?
After finishing my last year of school in Sydney, I had always planned to travel for a few months and was particularly interested in exploring Europe. London was the first stop and my visit there coincided with auditions for conservatoires. While I was impressed with the vibe of the Royal College, what really struck the 17-year-old me was the city itself: London is a chaotic mix of old and new, with history and culture bursting from all corners and fascinating people who have come looking for opportunity. It can be a challenging place to live for sure but from that comes a lot of rewards.
What is it like working in the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO)?
The LPO has a very busy schedule. Unlike orchestras in Australia that repeat their programs, we play a program once, and sometimes do as many as three or four different programs in a week, usually on a small amount of rehearsal time. It does put the onus on the individual to be well prepared for the first rehearsal and juggle lots of music – as well as other commitments – efficiently. In the summer the LPO is the resident orchestra at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, so having the chance to repeat the same music then gives a nice change to the rest of the season – and relax somewhat! The LPO also gets to tour quite a lot. Sometimes we might visit France or Germany for one night for a gig, and it will be interesting to see how this changes post-Brexit, as there are bound to be complications.
Modern Music vs The Classics?
Playing exciting and challenging contemporary music has helped give my playing and general musicianship so many more layers. Even though a lot of the directions in the score will be similar in new music as in old music (like forte or staccato), a marking could mean something different in a new work, perhaps something more literal. So, the performer is forced to question the context of the music, what they know of the composer’s wishes, as well as asking themselves what they think will work best – but with less predisposition to how you might approach the same marking in an old score. One of my biggest issues with old classical music is the attitude that it’s consecrated, as if it’s a museum. I’d hate to see orchestra culture become like some of those rather tragic bands from the 70s and 80s that haven’t released anything worthwhile in 30 years and are perennially undertaking nostalgic tours of their ‘greatest hits’, to an increasingly older audience. You’d be surprised at how many people within the classical industry possess this retrogressive attitude! – I can’t help but feel that this then feeds the ethos of the mainstream audience.
Pros and cons coming from Oz?
I never studied music at university level in Australia and I work there very occasionally, but one of the largest benefits I see through others is that young musicians seem to have a lot of time, freedom and space to develop there. I mentioned before that I never had the luxury of a lesson every week when I was at the RCM in London. Now that I’m teaching at that level (at the Royal Academy of Music), I see in my own students just how important it is to have regular contact to aid their technical and musical growth. Working conditions are fantastic in Australia. I’ve met students at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music who make more money per hour teaching Primary school students clarinet than any professor at a conservatoire in London does! Even if it’s not from teaching, minimum wage in Australia is far higher than in the UK. I think any music student in London would dream of that sort of financial stability at this crucial stage in musical development. It could mean more time for practicing and personal freedom rather than struggling to make ends meet.
The obvious negative about being a musician in Australia is the disconnect with the wider musical world. It’s a huge and expensive undertaking to fly to Europe or the USA and experience musical life there. However, without doing so it’s hard to make sense of how priorities and operations within the Australian music scene reflect the state of music culture in the wider world. When I was about to leave to study in London, a very prominent Australian clarinettist (who will remain nameless!) was very condescending about my decision, saying to me “Australia has everything you need to become a good musician, you don’t need to go anywhere else.” I’d encourage any young musician in Australia to avoid this parochial attitude. Music is an international language and I’d recommend that anyone experiences playing in a different part of the world with different people, even if only for a brief time.
Have you had any setbacks along the way?
About a year after starting my first orchestra job in Liverpool, I had quite a catastrophic neural/muscular injury that was caused by poor posture and general tension. It came on very suddenly and I was in crippling nerve pain for about six months and lost function and strength in my arm and shoulder. I didn’t play properly for about a year but the experience led me to really take a step back, understand how to use my body properly when playing clarinet and rebuild it with better habits. The wonderful Australian physiotherapist Bronwen Ackermann was the person who really helped me get back on the right track after a long time in a dark place.
What are you listening to?
To be honest I don’t really listen to classical music recreationally much anymore as my fascination is now really directed towards electronic music, which I’ve also started to produce in the last couple of years. On the occasions I do listen, I love vocal music: Schubert and Strauss Lieder particularly.
Tips for the Next Generation?
When you play an instrument for long enough – and with enough dedication – it can start to feel as intense as any other longstanding personal relationship. Sometimes it can be tricky to make sure the relationship is balanced and positive. The cliché is that lots of practice is required to be a good musician, but sometimes that’s not always true. Plenty of well-meant, open minded, positive practice for sure is good, but it’s important to avoid becoming neurotic and negatively obsessive with the instrument, or the relationship can become sour. Sometimes giving it space is just as important, and embracing the wider aspects of what it means to be a musician is key – learn humility and empathy. Avoid being competitive with other musicians; that’s an unfortunate and insidious symptom of today’s highly competitive music industry, but I can guarantee that it doesn’t actually help with your artistic efforts.
When can Australian audiences here you play?
I’m touring with Selby & Friends 1-8 March 2020 in various cities and really looking forward to playing the Brahms Trio and Stravinsky’s Soldiers Tale Suite.
For info on Ben’s Selby & Co tour cities and dates, click here.