Local soprano to debut show at MAT19

AWARD WINNING Pottsville soprano, Tara Williams will appear in a performance which sees the singer make her debut as a writer and producer, as part of this year’s MAT19.

Ms Williams, who has performed with the Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Opera Queensland, and teaches singing and piano at Pottsville, said it was her students that inspired to write the show, ‘Songs My Students Taught Me’.

“I have taught some very colourful characters over the years and they have left a very lasting impression on me and I’ll always associate the songs I taught them with these particular students,” Ms Williams said.

“There is a story to go with each of the songs and they are anecdotes from my teaching and particular incidents that left a lasting impression on me.”
Ms Williams said while most of the stories in the performance are light hearted, she does occasionally delve into darker moments.

“The songs are mostly musical theatre so they are for the most part quite light hearted although there are some more thought provoking songs.

“It’s a very eclectic mix of everything from Rodgers and Hammerstein and Simon and Garfunkel to Evanescence.

“The title is a play on ‘Songs My Mother Taught Me’, by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák.”

Ms Williams said she started her musical life at the age of three when her parents realised she had the ability to play by ear.

“When I was three years old my parents took me to see the film Ryan’s Daughter and then I banged out with one or two fingers the theme song so they started me with piano lessons when I was five.

“At the age of thirteen, I started singing lessons when my mother and I joined a community choir.

“I’ve always had a great love of drama and musical theatre and opera provided a way for me to marry my love of singing and acting.”

After spending her professional life as both a performer and teacher Ms Williams said she believes teaching can be a great way to expand your skills as a performer and vice versa.

“There’s a really unfortunate saying that ‘he who can does and he who can’t teaches’, but I beg to differ,” she said.

“I’m hoping that this piece will show that you can be a good teacher and a good performer as that’s part of the inspiration for my show.”

Ms Williams will be joined by pianist Jed Stone, who has backed David Bowie, Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck and cellist and soprano Claudia Marcus who recently understudied the role of the Publican’s Wife in the premiere of the new Australian opera, Dry River Run.

MAT19 music curator Nick Clow said Ms William’s performance is part of a focus on classical and jazz at this year’s arts trail.

“Classical and jazz music will be a significant element of the Murwillumbah Arts Trail this year,” Mr Clow said.

Sunday, May 19, will feature classical and jazz shows running throughout the day at the Murwillumbah Civic Centre Auditorium.