WASO principal trombonist Joshua Davis is continuing his family tradition of introducing music to his children at a young age.
His eight-month-old son Mark is only at the raspberry-blowing stage but three-year-old daughter Bethany is already making a buzz on her pink pBones PVC trombone.
“There are a lot of studies that have been done that show music helps develop other parts of a child’s brain and assists in their education,” Davis said.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“It’s something that’s always been a part of my family’s life.”
Davis’s father Cliff played trombone and euphonium and performed in the Salvation Army Band in Newcastle.
“I got in to the Salvation Army junior band when I was quite young,” Davis said.
“Me and four other mates, all our dads played in the senior band, so we all learned together and eventually we each got to sit next to our dad in the band and they’d look after us and teach us. It was great fun and we just kept going.
“All of the basics you need to play a brass instrument, playing with a beautiful sound and working with others, I got from playing with the ensemble from a young age.”
Davis joined WASO in 2008 and teaches at WAAPA.
He will feature as soloist when WASO present the world premiere of Australian composer Paul Stanhope’s Trombone Concerto during concert classic series Asher Fisch Conducts Schumann at Perth Concert Hall, November 17 and 18.
Other works on the program are Szymanowski’s Concert Overture and Schumann’s Symphony No. 4.
Davis said Stanhope’s concerto was 20 minutes, which was long for brass.
“There’s lots of contrast and a condenza in the middle where I get to do some acrobatics and other things, which is fun,” he said.
“I got to work with the composer on it and went to Sydney and played for him. He wrote a piccolo concerto a few years back, so I’d had a listen to that and loved it so I wasn’t too scared. Not knowing what a composer is going to write for you is a bit daunting.”
What: Asher Fisch Conducts Schumann Where: Perth Concert Hall When: November 17 and 18 Tickets: www.waso.com.au
MORE: Man dead after rolling car in Toodyay
MORE: Man charged with child sex offences committed at school
MORE: The beautiful moment a dog swims with dolphins captured on video