In 2015, ANAM Alumnus Rohan Dasika (double bass) will make his debut at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM). Recently AFCM spoke to Rohan who shared some interseting facts about himself and his music.
The following is an extract from AFCM's recent eNews.
What got you started?
I started taking piano lessons when I was about seven years old. By the age of 11 or so I realised that I liked the feeling of playing the lower notes better and started messing around on the trombone and tuba. In my first year of high school though I went to watch the school orchestra play, saw the double bass players sitting up the back looking like they were having a great time and wanted to do what they were doing! My first teacher was an English guy with a penchant for full-length tweed jackets who I thought was the coolest person in the world, and I was off from there.
What was your big breakthrough?
Not sure whether it's happened yet!
What advice would you give a young musician?
I'd like to think I'm still a young musician myself! That being said, I would have loved to have spent less time worrying about how other people seemed to have figured out something that I hadn't. It seems like there are an infinite number of paths out there and we're all just struggling to become the best version of ourselves. Or something.
In the movie of your life who plays you?
I would love to be one of the John Malcoviches that he encounters when he enters his own mind in Being John Malcovich.
What have you sacrificed for your art?
I'm sure that choosing to hang out with a large wooden box rather than humans for large chunks of time must have done something to my head!
What are some recent highlights?
I've been extremely fortunate recently to have had the opportunity to do a fair bit of travelling with my bass (although the actual act of travelling with the bass isn't the most fun part of it!) - in the past year I have been in Japan (Pacific Music Festival), Germany (Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy) and USA (private study with Harold Robinson, principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and sitting in on bass classes at the Curtis Institute). It has been so inspiring to meet, play with, and learn from new friends around the world.
What are you most looking forward to at your first AFCM?
Making music with artists I have admired for a very long time. It is truly weird for me to see my name alongside all of the incredible musicians playing in this festival.
For more about Rohan including the concerts he will perform in at AFCM click here
The 2015 Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) runs from 31 July - 8 August in Townsville. For more information about the festival visit afcm.com.au