Josh Pyke, 20 years on from Feeding the Wolves

What excites you most about performing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra?

When I wrote these songs, some of them 20 years ago, I could never have imagined performing them with an elite orchestra like the ASO. It’s amazing to hear something from my own imagination interpreted and built on by incredible composers and musicians, so I’m really most excited about sharing that experience with the audience. I can’t wait.

How do you balance staying true to your sound while exploring new musical landscapes like this?

I think it all comes down to being at a point in life where you can place your trust in other creatives. All the composers and arrangers who have adapted these songs, including Alex Turley, have approached the songs with so much respect, and in turn, I hope I allowed them the scope to show their own creativity in their interpretations. When you allow yourself to let go of the reigns in a creative process, you often get better results.

What artists or composers have influenced you in ways that might surprise your fans?

I’m not sure if this would be mega surprising, but I love Eric Satie. He was a fascinating late bloomer as a musician and composer, and in many ways I can relate to the idea of taking a while to find ones voice as an artist. We also listen to Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam at home a lot, who was an Ethiopian composer and pianist. Both beautiful song writers.

What do you hope audiences will take away from this unique orchestral experience?

I just want people to be transported for an evening. I want them to feel swept up in the moment and the music, as I know I will be, and to forget the stresses of what is a really turbulent time for a few hours. If we can achieve that then we have done our jobs as artist.