Entrepreneurs in Action

Kick Starting the Night Garden into Existence

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Jo Anne Sukumaran

Jo Anne Sukumaran initially wanted to be a cellist and auditioned for the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) at age 12. However this lead to her receiving a full bassoon scholarship and being tutored by Zhang Jin Min.

After reading a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Literature Jo Anne followed her passion as a professional musician. And now like many entrepreneurs she is taking the plunge and looking to raise funds to take her career in a new direction.

“It’s a bit hard to say when inspiration strikes. It’s not everyday that it comes. So when it comes I try to make a voice memo of the idea.”

She talks about the challenges

“So long in this game and you still talking about privacy.”

and the expectations that others have

As well as:

  • The unpredictability of when inspiration comes. 
  • The challenges of combining entrepreneurship and being a musician
  • The journey to become a musician and significant events along the way, 
  • The role the movie the Music Garden played and Yo Yo Ma 
  • Music, Finale of Saint-Saens Sonata for Bassoon and Piano
  • Research into raising funds and the government restrictions as a classical musician, which led to Kick Starter and the alternative Patreon
  • Life as a teenage musician in the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore and moving on to adult orchestras and ensembles
  • Playing internationally with the Asian Wind Consort in Jeju, Korea  playing for the Korean 
  • The difference between rehearsing for a festival and orchestra
  • Auditioning internationally and self-financing
  • The stresses of being a classical musician
  • The effect of the quality of the reed
  • The Grandfather Theme for bassoon from Peter and the Wolf, by Sergei Prokofiev.
  • The inspiration that led to the bassoon, an instrument that she had never heard of
  • Reasons for personalising musical instruments and giving them names
  • Choosing and the cost of buying a bassoon
  • Borrowing the buying her first bassoon which was a Püchner and the current a Moosmann and the cost
  • Maintaining a bassoon
  • The benefits to mental health that her music can bring
  • The recommendation from a mentor to do Vipassana Meditation and how it help her set goals and overcome the negativity surrounding her
  • The lifestyle that stops her from fitting in and difficult situations that being a woman may place her
  • The inspiration for the album
  • Being able to relax in nature and its connection with creativity
  • Using Bjork techniques to help find inspiration through nature, and the unpredictability of finding inspiration
  • Composers whose work will be used for original improvisation, Camille Saint-Saëns, Alexandre Tansman, Charles Koechlin, Robert Rønnes
  • Music, Excerpt from Saint-Saens Sonata for Bassoon and piano (last movement)
  • Favourite place to play concert hall, Concertgebouw
  • The National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands (NJO), Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands and finally Save the Bassoon closing concert
  • Parents prefer their children to play violins
  • The personal relationship and taking care of a bassoon
  • Jo Anne’s podcast “Legends of the Reed” and the benefits of sharing online
  • Performing in the future and making the decision to play solo and in Chamber music ensembles and opportunities in the future
  • Self Management and own business development
  • Major challenge from detractors and critics
  • The changes in revenue model for music
  • The snapshot of life that the album will bring
  • The future role of the album and its use as as a calling card
  • Being scoffed at for the path she is taking
  • Being encouraged and career advice from a famous bassoonist, Bram van Sambeek, who gave her the confidence to follow her new path as an independent bassoonist
  • Advice from Bernhard Kerres of Hello Stage leading to the five year plan
  • Jo Anne’s ambition to emulate the cellist, Yo Yo Ma
  • Taking up the challenge to start her crowd sourcing campaign from scratch
  • Over coming shyness and making the leap of faith
  • The Newsletter and the start of the podcast, which grew of the blog following in the footsteps of French horn player, Sarah Willis’ “Horn Hangouts”

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    Links

    Home page of Jo Anne Sukumaran 

    Welcome to the  Night Garden Kick Starter campaing 

    Inspired by Bach’s Cello Suites 1 & 2 : The Music Garden & The Sound of the Carceri

     

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