Careers in Classical Music: Arts Communicator, Dr. Andrew Filmer

How did a drought in Queensland over a decade ago impact the way you might discover your next favourite piece of classical music in Kuala Lumpur today?

Since completing his PhD in Musicology at the University of Otago, New Zealand in 2013, Dr. Andrew Filmer has had a prolific career as an educator, researcher, and performer. A thread that runs through all of his work and has set him apart from many musicians is his dedication to making classical music feel more accessible to audiences in the current moment. 

"There are many things in the arts that are an acquired taste," he tells me, drawing parallels to learning to appreciate foods like durian and bitter gourd. With classical music in particular, there is a daunting amount of prerequisite knowledge that if you don't get it, then you probably don't hear or see it when it happens, and then you're probably missing out on the magic of that piece of music. 

Enter the arts communicator - someone who guides you on the tour of the classical music being performed, pointing out the sights and sounds you could enjoy, giving you the chance to fully experience the music being offered before you decide if it is indeed your cup of tea. 

When we spoke, the term arts communicator isn't commonly used or defined, but a similar role, that of the science communicator, certainly is with many a TV show, documentary, podcast or YouTube channel dedicated to some form of science communication. It was on one such science show, aptly called The Science Show, that Andrew had one of his very first public opportunities to play the role of an arts communicator. 

In the short segment, Andrew presented to an audience, that has tuned in for a science programme, how the physics of sound, manifested in the way stringed instruments are tuned, could allow for the reinterpretation of works such as Bach's Brandenburg Concerto. The invitation to present this segment came about as a result of his becoming a finalist in the Three Minute Thesis competition. This competition which challenges speakers to communicate their entire post-graduate thesis in a three-minute presentation was inspired by one of the water-saving measures residents of Queensland had to take - limiting showers to three minutes - during a severe drought. 

Where does Arts Communication take place?

The pre-concert talk is one of the common methods used - a lecture that provides background on the pieces that are about to be presented. More and more, though, Andrew finds that he prefers weaving the presentation of this information into the concerts themselves, creating a more organic flow to the experience of music. As one audience member told him after a concert - they appreciated the speaking in between pieces, allowing them the space to truly switch and more fully enjoy the next piece of music. 

Photo courtesy of Dr. Andrew Filmer

In addition to making classical music feel more accessible to the wider public, Andrew reminds me that there is yet another important audience that benefits from the work of an arts communicator. "Nobody takes a music degree wanting to take my music history, theory, and research classes. So much about education is about communication. So, playing the role of an arts communicator to make these areas engaging and interesting to my students is a huge part of my role as a pedagogue."

An additional set of skills

Aside from the knowledge, or at least research capabilities, required to prepare a succinct script and the ability to deliver it, Andrew describes some of the less obvious challenges of being an arts communicator:

"As musicians, we are very well trained to deal with stage fright - as an instrumental performer. The body's reactions to stage fright as a speaker can be quite different - like suddenly feeling dehydrated or the urge to caughe." Also, like most other forms of communication, the key challenge is to know your audience and be able to pivot should they not respond as expected. 

Making classical music (expectedly) enjoyable

"When you give audiences an easter egg - demonstrating a particular musical feature of the piece, and let them know that they will hear it at some point in the performance, you see them being fully engaged, looking out for it. And then when it happens, you'll see people in the audience nudging each other and whispering that there it is!"

One of the most rewarding aspects of doing a good job as an arts communicator, Andrew shares, is being able to see an engaged audience, especially when it also includes those who you know aren't really there by choice - the ones who have been dragged along to the concert by a friend or a partner. 

Learn more about Dr. Andrew Filmer and his work at https://andrewfilmer.com