HF: Congratulations on winning BBC Young Musician 2022! How does it feel to not only win the percussion category, but also to win the whole competition?
JA: It is only just starting to hit me now. I am very proud, not only of winning the award but also of showing people what percussion can be. I really want to increase the representation of percussion, because often people don't see it as a solo instrument. There is exciting new repertoire for percussion coming out at the moment, so I am hoping people will see this as a sign that we are much more than the bones of orchestra, and that percussion solos are great too.
HF: What was it like to perform with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in the final?
JA: I've performed with a brass band before, but this was so much bigger. It was incredible because they are so talented. Because I was the soloist, they followed what I did, and all the players respected whatever I wanted to do, which was very cool. It was quite scary at the start because I wanted to make a good first impression, but once I started playing, I just enjoyed it completely.
HF: How did you calm your nerves before the final performance?
JA: I do get nervous, but weirdly I wasn't as nervous for the BBC Young Musician final as I was for the final of the percussion round – I was just sitting in my dressing room watching TikTok and eating grapes when someone came in and told me I was next on stage! We were taught breathing techniques which definitely helped with nerves, and I usually have sticks in my hands in preparation, so they are warmed up and are using the right grip. I think breathing deeply is the best advice I can give to calm nerves.
HF: When you are looking at a piece that you are going to perform, how do you rehearse it?
JA: First I play it quite slowly and make sure I can play it properly. Then I look at the music and try and separate the layers: I look and see if the bass notes have a cool pattern to bring out, or search for any cadences. I look for the juicy bits of the piece; I bring out the tune and make it louder. Once I do that, I spend lots of time rehearsing it, which I feel is different to practising. Rehearsing for me is when you imagine you're in the hall in front of lots of people and that you are about to play on stage, even if it is actually to your living room wall. I breathe in and out and put myself in the moment so that when I do step on stage, it is something I have done plenty of times before.
HF: What do you think is the most important quality in a performing musician?
JA: I think it depends on what you are playing. If it is a solo, I think engagement with the audience is crucial. You should think about what you want to get across, and what you want the audience to hear. If you end up having a bit of a stinker on stage musically but you looked like you enjoyed it and you had the audience hooked with the way you are performing, then it makes such a big difference.
HF: What advice would you give a young person who wants to start learning an instrument?
JA: I would say make sure you find the right instrument. I started on piano and, while it was great, I was not motivated whatsoever to practise. I had no urge to sit there in my spare time and play. The problem wasn't the music, or the musician; it was the instrument. As soon as I moved over to the drums, I fell in love with it, and I was practising all the time – you couldn't stop me! You have to find the instrument that works for you.
HF: I saw that you studied Music Technology A Level. How do you feel that has helped you in your musical career so far?
JA: There is a lot to it, and I think it really helped my understanding of music in general. Even when you are studying capturing sounds with a microphone, it really makes you think about how the sound is created and how you can change it – for example, in percussion you can change the way the beat sounds by changing the type of stroke you use. There were also modules about the history of music as part of the course, so I learnt about jazz, which is a genre I really love and want to do more with. One of my pieces in the percussion final had jazz vibes, for example, and I think when you bring in different influences that you have learnt about, it makes your playing so much more interesting. In my current course at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire there is a big Afro Cuban scene, which is great fun to play with.
HF: From your experience, what makes a good instrumental teacher?
JA: My first drum teacher, Ian Pickering, started me off on percussion and he got me so far. He is amazing, but I think what made me stick with it wasn't the fact that he was a brilliant player, or that he had loads of knowledge, or that he could teach really well (although that definitely helped) – the reason I enjoyed his lessons so much was because we got on so well and we would have a good chat. Starting off each lesson with a quick discussion, and sometimes a joke, really makes all the difference. We also worked well together constructively, and I responded positively to the way he would give notes. Obviously, this varies from student to student, but the dynamic between us just worked. I will still see him when I go back to Cambridge and have a catch up at the pub.
Find out more about BBC Young Musician 2022 and watch the finals online.
