Why did you choose to complete a Bachelor of Music at Monash?

I always knew that I wanted to do a Bachelor of Music from when I was really young. I was into jazz in high school and I became familiar with the local jazz music scene.

From playing throughout high school, I became aware of the staff members at Monash through Melbourne gigs. The teachers at Monash were who I wanted to learn from, and I remember looking at the faculty and thinking, ‘These are the kind of people I want to be around.’ Monash is also involved with a lot of international artists who come through with the jazz festivals.

I knew there would be exciting opportunities, which I did end up being a part of, and I am still so grateful for.

What was the most rewarding aspect of your study?

Playing alongside famous musicians was one of the most exciting and inspiring aspects of being a student at Monash. The Big Band did lots of performances where we got to play with visiting artists in the Jazz Festival, like Don Burrows.

For me, the most memorable moment was when I played a solo with Terence Blanchard, who is one of the most famous and recognisable trumpet players in the world. He came out to Melbourne for the Jazz Festival and was invited to visit the Sir Zelman Cowen School at Monash through knowing some of the academics.

I was fortunate enough to be a part of a small group of selected students that got to play with him. You can't buy those opportunities and it would have never happened if I didn’t go to Monash. That performance inspired me to practice for years afterwards, and it still does.

Overall, these performances gave me confidence. When I was in these high-pressure situations, I had to overcome my nerves and believe I was capable of a great performance. Now, when I am performing and touring, I have that faith in myself. That’s something I learnt at Monash.

What have been some highlights of your career?

For me, personal highlights are playing small gigs with good friends. Then there are the obvious career highlights, like being lucky enough to tour America with The Teskey Brothers.

Watch Audrey play with the Teskey Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll9jy-VMf_g

We did a US tour with Tash Sultana and played every bucket list venue of America. We even did the Jimmy Kimmel show. It felt like a dream come true!

Another highlight was a 2016 project with one of my best friends, James Bowers, called Au Dré. We started that because we both had our jazz careers, but we also wanted to make pop music.

As an already highly skilled musician, what did studying music at university do for you?

I came to Monash with a strong knowledge base, but I definitely had minimal experience playing with other musicians. In my first year of study, I learnt how to play jazz, the fundamentals I didn’t learn at school, and how to work collaboratively. Studying gives you the tools you need to make good music. It gives you an understanding of the different genres of music and how to incorporate them into your own work. If I hadn't learned the fundamentals that I learned at Monash, I would not have had the same success.

Going to Monash was also so important for me because I didn't have the highest degree of jazz or musical knowledge, but by the time I finished my degree I had a level of proficiency and skill that no one could dispute or take away from me. This has been very important as a woman in the jazz scene.

I also learned a lot from the staff, many of whom are professional musicians. Watching my teachers perform and how they operated ultimately taught me the importance of being professional. Skills such as time management, listening to others, and conducting yourself in a certain way have been important for me when it comes to securing work. The staff at Monash helped me to refine my work ethic. They expected us to be the best that we could be.

What is your advice for student musicians who are trying to succeed?

The best of advice I could give would be to make the most of the time you have to practise and to get to know the people that you are around, especially the teachers. Being able to ask peers and staff questions and being able to build relationships with them was probably the most valuable element of my degree.

I made most of my connections through university and I think that's a vital part of the learning experience. The student body that I went through university with are still the people I play music with to this day.

Written by Arts Journalism intern, Georgie Kibel, 2020