An exploration of Bach’s unparalleled intellectual and creative power.
Northern Beaches Mums spoke with Bach Akademie Australia’s Artistic Director, Madeleine Easton, ahead of their concert series, Bach – The Mind of a Genius, performing on Friday 21st June 7:30pm at Paddington Uniting Church and Sunday 23rd June 2:30pm at Our Lady of Dolours Church, Chatswood.
1. Can you please tell us about the origins of Bach Akademie Australia?
The origins of Bach Akademie Australia came from the fact that life was already tough as a musician in London after the financial crisis of 2008. I had begun feel it was time to come home to Australia permanently, but could not do so unless I could find a pathway there that would be as musically satisfying as working with all the great orchestras of Europe. It was in 2015 when the conductor of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras, Sir John Eliot Gardiner said to me, ‘Madeleine, you’re a director. You know it and I know it. Go and direct! I will back you and be your patron”.
At the end of 2015, I was home for Christmas in Sydney. On the 28th December at exactly 4:30am, I woke up bolt upright with the idea of forming a dedicated Bach orchestra here in Australia. There was nothing like it here, and it felt right. The next night at weirdly exactly 4:30am, I woke up again and the name ‘Bach Akademie Australia’ just appeared in my head, like it had always been there! I then raced around to my sister’s house and ran the name and idea past her, and she instantly said yes, this feels right. This will work! So back I went to the UK and thought about how to make it happen. Then, tragically, the UK voted to leave the European Union. So I rapidly put into place as much as I could to form the group, form a company, and start generating support and enthusiasm for the project! I met these completely amazing Australians in Leipzig who loved Bach enough to have travelled all the way there just to hear the music. With their support and enthusiasm, we were able to give our premiere performance in April 2017 and make our first recording for the ABC shortly after. So at the beginning of 2019, I bought a one way ticket, and the rest, as you say is history!
2. Why have you chosen to champion the work of J.S. Bach in Australia?
There are many works by many composers of genius who will forever inspire me and who I go back to time and time again, like old friends. There are composers who you go to for a bit of fun, some which you go to for solace, some who you go to to energise you etc., and everything in between. There are very few composers whose music encompasses it all. There are over 300 dedicated Bach ensembles worldwide! Why has this man inspired such dedication and devotion amongst music lovers and through the centuries? My theory is that Bach’s music reflects our human experience and condition on this planet. He deals with the universal themes of love, loss, joy, sadness, revenge, hope, everything we experience in this life. Bach is the Shakespeare of music. I have found that no matter what I am feeling that day, there will be a piece of Bach to reflect my mood or feelings. He is also regarded as a genius amongst geniuses. It is no accident that out of any composer who has ever lived, Bach has inspired the most devotion and admiration. I wanted to give Australian audiences a
chance to experience this music at the very highest international level and put Australia on the map as a place of excellence in the performance of Bach.
3. What can audiences expect from Bach Akademie Australia’s latest concert, Bach – the Mind of a Genius?
Audiences can expect to hear some of Bach’s most popular works, combined with some less well known works that will dazzle the listener with their sheer beauty. These works delight and satisfy the intellect as well as the soul, shining a light on just why Bach was a genius above all others.
4. What do you most enjoy about performing live?
Well there is one simple answer to this question. That of connection. COVID put this sharply into focus. When we were locked down, we all tried to give as many online performances as we could, simply to give ourselves something to practice for, to keep in shape and to somehow connect to others out there. But there was always something missing. I learnt that live performance is a 3-way street. You need the holy trinity of composer, performer and audience. If you take away one of those, you are lost. We had the composer and the performer, but without the audience, it became meaningless. As soon as I was able to perform in front of an audience once again, I could feel the desire to share in the experience of music from the audience. I felt the smiles, the warmth, the joy of the music together with the audience. Together, we all created a transcendent experience through music. I still feel that every time I walk out on stage and it is by far the best part of the job.
5. How would you describe Bach – the Mind of a Genius in three words?
Dazzling, profound, sublime