Rising star
Western Australia is the unsung home of many talented musicians across all avenues. From the alternative rock bands Birds of Tokyo and Eskimo Joe, progressive rock of Karnivool, the psychedelic pop rock of Tame Impala, all encompassing comedic commentary and entertaining works of Tim Minchin, to the classically inclined composer and conductor Nigel Westlake. Western Australia is also home to some of classical music’s most astonishing musicians, including WASO principal cello Rod McGrath, WASO principal flute Andrew Nicholson and acclaimed tenor Paul O’Neill. Young violinist Yasmin Omran is making great strides to add her name to the list of acclaimed Australian musicians.
Beginning violin at age 3, Yasmin’s mentors include internationally celebrated violinist Shaun Lee Chen, WASO’s principal 2nd violin Zak Rowntree, and Yehudi Menhuin School alumnus Paul Wright. Yasmin worked incredibly hard to expose herself to as much performance opportunities as possible throughout high school and university, attending several Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) programs from 2016 through to 2021, as well as the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) academy in 2017 and 2018. She is currently in her final year at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). She has since performed with the Western Australian Charity Orchestra (WACO), Cygnus Arioso and is currently a causal violinist at the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO).
Curious to hear what drives her incredible passion for the violin, we asked her a few questions including how she finds performing with Cygnus Arioso chamber group and her plans for her future.
How long have you been playing the violin for? Was this your first instrument of choice?
I have been playing since three and a half years of age so… it has been around seventeen years now. And originally my first-choice instrument was piano but somehow ended up on the violin. I did learn piano for about seven years but never really enjoyed it as much as violin.
We are so fortunate to have had you play with us from the start of Cygnus Arioso’s journey. How do you find performing with a chamber group differs from performing under the baton of a conductor?
Yes, and I love every concert that I perform with them. Chamber music has always been my biggest interest since I was fifteen, when I was put into my first chamber ensemble at the Australian Youth Orchestra program. I think that time was the exact moment I knew that I wanted to connect with the people I perform with and the audience listening as well. I just feel that it forms a beautiful connection all around the atmosphere of the hall.
What are your plans beyond finishing your studies at WAAPA?
After I finish my degree which should be at the end of 2022, I plan to study in Melbourne for a few years at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM). ANAM is an institution very much focused on performance consisting of solo playing, orchestral playing and chamber music. I plan to study there for three years.
We hope that playing with Cygnus Arioso has had some benefit to you as a professional violinist!
In so many fantastic ways. Communicating around the ensemble, playing together, listening to each other and knowing what other parts consist of and also being in tune with the other parts too. I feel chamber music is so different to orchestral music and so I can benefit from learning the difference between orchestral and chamber playing.
What is your most memorable performance with Cygnus Arioso and why?
I believe it was the first concert with Cygnus Arioso when we performed the Tchaikovsky Serenade. I was so happy about this because I feel so many people love this piece and we could explore so many qualities within the notes we played. I also enjoyed the Holberg Suite because I feel this piece is another one the audience enjoys every time. I think I have played the Holberg Suite many times already, but the way Cygnus Arioso performed it was very memorable.
Do you have any favourite composers or works as a violinist?
That is a very good question. I love so many works however I really love a challenge. When the composers challenge me in what I can explore and play is what I am attracted to. I have two pieces in mind; the first one is Poeme by Ernest Chausson. It is a wonderful piece of French music that challenges the technical and musical elements of playing. The second is definitely the Tchaikovsky violin concerto because everyone knows this piece and I feel there is a special way of phrasing and working your way through the notes.
It can’t have been easy to pursue a career in music, let alone a performing career. Can you shed some light on what a typical week leading to performance looks like for you?
I try to not stress out as best as I can a week before so if possible, I will start learning the music a few weeks in advance so I don’t embarrass myself for the first rehearsal. I also look very carefully at the notes and learn them slowly to ensure don’t play any wrong notes either. Intonation is another thing I work on so we don’t have to stop too much during rehearsal to work on tuning.
Author: Leanne Puttick