Audio Interviews, Entrepreneurs in Action, Entrepreneurs Interview, General, Uncategorized

EIA 044 Kick Starting the Night Garden into Existence

Jo Anne Sukumaran
Jo Anne Sukumaran

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Jo Anne Sukumaran initially wanted to be a cellist and auditioned for the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) at age 12. However this lead to her receiving a full bassoon scholarship and being tutored by Zhang Jin Min.

After reading a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Literature Jo Anne followed her passion as a professional musician. And now like many entrepreneurs she is taking the plunge and looking to raise funds to take her career in a new direction.

“It’s a bit hard to say when inspiration strikes. It’s not everyday that it comes. So when it comes I try to make a voice memo of the idea.”

She talks about the challenges

“So long in this game and you still talking about privacy.”

and the expectations that others have

As well as:

  • The unpredictability of when inspiration comes. 
  • The challenges of combining entrepreneurship and being a musician
  • The journey to become a musician and significant events along the way, 
  • The role the movie the Music Garden played and Yo Yo Ma 
  • Music, Finale of Saint-Saens Sonata for Bassoon and Piano
  • Research into raising funds and the government restrictions as a classical musician, which led to Kick Starter and the alternative Patreon
  • Life as a teenage musician in the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore and moving on to adult orchestras and ensembles
  • Playing internationally with the Asian Wind Consort in Jeju, Korea  playing for the Korean 
  • The difference between rehearsing for a festival and orchestra
  • Auditioning internationally and self-financing
  • The stresses of being a classical musician
  • The effect of the quality of the reed
  • The Grandfather Theme for bassoon from Peter and the Wolf, by Sergei Prokofiev.
  • The inspiration that led to the bassoon, an instrument that she had never heard of
  • Reasons for personalising musical instruments and giving them names
  • Choosing and the cost of buying a bassoon
  • Borrowing the buying her first bassoon which was a Püchner and the current a Moosmann and the cost
  • Maintaining a bassoon
  • The benefits to mental health that her music can bring
  • The recommendation from a mentor to do Vipassana Meditation and how it help her set goals and overcome the negativity surrounding her
  • The lifestyle that stops her from fitting in and difficult situations that being a woman may place her
  • The inspiration for the album
  • Being able to relax in nature and its connection with creativity
  • Using Bjork techniques to help find inspiration through nature, and the unpredictability of finding inspiration
  • Composers whose work will be used for original improvisation, Camille Saint-Saëns, Alexandre Tansman, Charles Koechlin, Robert Rønnes
  • Music, Excerpt from Saint-Saens Sonata for Bassoon and piano (last movement)
  • Favourite place to play concert hall, Concertgebouw
  • The National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands (NJO), Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands and finally Save the Bassoon closing concert
  • Parents prefer their children to play violins
  • The personal relationship and taking care of a bassoon
  • Jo Anne’s podcast “Legends of the Reed” and the benefits of sharing online
  • Performing in the future and making the decision to play solo and in Chamber music ensembles and opportunities in the future
  • Self Management and own business development
  • Major challenge from detractors and critics
  • The changes in revenue model for music
  • The snapshot of life that the album will bring
  • The future role of the album and its use as as a calling card
  • Being scoffed at for the path she is taking
  • Being encouraged and career advice from a famous bassoonist, Bram van Sambeek, who gave her the confidence to follow her new path as an independent bassoonist
  • Advice from Bernhard Kerres of Hello Stage leading to the five year plan
  • Jo Anne’s ambition to emulate the cellist, Yo Yo Ma
  • Taking up the challenge to start her crowd sourcing campaign from scratch
  • Over coming shyness and making the leap of faith
  • The Newsletter and the start of the podcast, which grew of the blog following in the footsteps of French horn player, Sarah Willis’ “Horn Hangouts”

 

Links

Home page of Jo Anne Sukumaran 

Welcome to the  Night Garden Kick Starter campaing 

Inspired by Bach’s Cello Suites 1 & 2 : The Music Garden & The Sound of the Carceri

 

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