Meet the Musician | Som Howie

Do you remember the first orchestral work you heard (live or recording)?
Shortly after I started learning how to play the clarinet, my dad bought a CD of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, so that was one of the times I can remember listening to the sound of an orchestra. But when I was really young, Dad would play vinyl recordings of Shostakovich and Rachmaninov which I apparently used to dance to - though I can’t remember that!

What made you want to learn to play the clarinet?
I actually wanted to play the trumpet but my primary school band program didn’t have any trumpets left. My dad, who works at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, was approached by the head of woodwind at the time, Mark Walton. Mark, who lived close to us, wanted to make a video of how to teach beginner clarinet and send the video to rural communities in NSW that didn’t have access to teachers. He asked if I was interested in being the guinea pig clarinet student for this project and I thought, ‘Why not’! After my first lesson with Mark, I was absolutely hooked.

How do you typically prepare for a concert?
Usually, on the day of a concert, I don’t play too much. I tend to either listen to recordings of the repertoire and do some mental practice with my part or double-check any important bits with the score. I think overall for me it’s about getting into the right headspace before the concert.

When no one’s watching, what music do you listen to?
I listen to all sorts of stuff. To be honest it usually just depends on what mood I’m in, I don’t think I have any one favourite genre. Some days it’s Daft Punk, and the next day could be The Beatles.

If I wasn’t a musician, I would be a…
A certified Lego Professional.