Laurence Matheson
Solo, Chamber and Collaborative Pianist
ANAM Alum (Piano, Young ANAM 2005-2008, Associate 2011-2012, Performance Program 2013-2015, Fellow 2016); ANAM Associate Faculty (2023); Guest Faculty (2016-present)
I still remember walking into the old Council Chambers at South Melbourne Town Hall as an 8-year-old to audition for a new program called "Young ANAM". At that stage I knew very little about ANAM or what this program was about, but I was lucky enough to score a place. It was a perfect program for me at the time - a chance to meet a small group of like-minded young kids who were also interested in music. We would meet once a week on Sundays for chamber music, a performance class, talks, and masterclasses (we also had regular visits and performances from the older ANAM students). It was very inspiring to see and play with all these amazing musicians. It's remarkable how many of them have stayed in the music field, and I've stayed in touch with quite a few of them.
It's amazing to think that I've been connected in some way with ANAM for over 20 years now! I remember it being a much smaller program back in 2005 when I started, with far fewer students and more focus on internal performances and projects. Since then, it's expanded to more instruments, a larger faculty and far more outside performances and projects. I am looking forward to seeing the move back into the South Melbourne Town Hall - while I was a student I always found it energising, constantly running into faculty and other students in the corridors all day, and I think that kind of casual and more spontaneous learning is a little easier under the one roof.
ANAM Artistic Director Nick Detusch with ANAM musicians and alumni, rehearsing for Laurence's Fellowship performance, 2016.
I had a really unusual path out of high school (by musician standards at least!) in that I began a science degree at the University of Melbourne, whilst training as an "Associate" at ANAM. But after a year and a half or so, I found that I was enjoying the ANAM projects much more than I was enjoying my physics lectures! So I transferred over to ANAM full time, and never looked back. ANAM's focus on practical skills and projects/performance suited me perfectly and, being such a small institution, gave me the chance to find exactly what I wanted to do with my music and explore it intensely for the time I was there. It was a very busy but rewarding few years, and prepared me so well for the big wide world once I graduated. During my Fellowship afterwards I went back and finished a Bachelor of Music at the University of Melbourne in what was a very early pilot of the now established ANAM / Melbourne Conservatorium of Music performance degree.
It's so difficult to name a favourite performance from my time at ANAM! I'd probably have to go with one of my very first performances as a full time student at the Academy in 2013: a late night performance of Messiaen's Visions de l'Amen with my fellow pianists and British pianist Peter Hill. It was my first exposure to Messiaen's music and took place the night before Easter; I distinctly remember the clock at the Town Hall chiming 12am as the last couple of chords were played. A really magical moment!
Laurence Matheson headshot by Agatha Yim