Principal Clarinet Dean Newcomb revs up for his new concerto

Can you tell us how you’ve worked together with composer Joe Chindamo to shape the creation of this new concerto?

Joe initially came to me with a blank slate and asked, “What concerto hasn’t been written yet, and what would you like it to be?” We then discussed other composers and the styles of music I really enjoy performing to make a plan for the sound world he might create.
Since that first discussion, Joe has allowed me to be very involved in the process, and I have taken every opportunity to share my thoughts.

What aspects of your playing or personality do you feel he’s captured in this piece?

I am very fond of rhythm, and this new composition features a wide variety of groove-based rhythms, along with complex hemiola and cross-rhythms. I also like to tell a story when I perform, and I have worked with Joe to establish a sense of purpose in the music so I can feel what I’m playing and, hopefully, translate that to the listener.

The work is titled Concerto del Motore, inspired by your passion for motorsport. How did that theme come about, and how do you think it will be reflected in the concerto?

Joe and I bonded some time ago on a car ride to a festival in the Barossa Valley, and he showed a lot of interest in my passion for motorsport. He particularly enjoyed seeing what I was capable of behind the wheel after I showed him videos of myself drifting competitively. It isn’t always easy to find fresh ideas for a composition, and to Joe, this presented itself as a very unique direction.

The final movement will seem more obvious as a reflection of motorsport, cars, and engines. In contrast, the earlier movements include more introverted, emotional, confusing, and underlying thoughts that accompany the commitment required to pursue any passion to that extreme.

From a performer’s point of view, how does it feel to have a piece written specifically for you?

I feel incredibly privileged to have this piece written for me, to be performed in our Symphony Series with my amazing colleagues, and to have received the artistic trust and generosity from Joe Chindamo. On one hand, I feel the weight of making everyone’s trust a reality; on the other, I can’t wait to share what we’ve created, and not many people will know if I’m playing all the right notes!

You’ve built a meaningful connection with the supporter of this commission, Ann Vanstone, through the ASO’s Musical Chairs program. What does it mean to have a donor champion a major artistic opportunity like this?

I have loved getting to know Ann over the past couple of years, and we have really made a connection between the audience and the performer. Her generous support has made it possible to experience what it might have been like when composers such as Mozart, Brahms and Weber wrote concertos and sonatas with specific clarinettists in mind. It’s a nice feeling to know that these two performances will be etched in time as the moment this piece, by this composer, with these performers on this stage, is born.

What are you most looking forward to when you step on stage to perform Concerto del Motore for the first time?

There are two things I’m looking forward to. I’m looking forward to being in the moment during the second movement. It is technically and energetically more relaxing than the outer movements and will give me a chance to reset after all the energy and excitement. The second is after the piece is finished, because I can’t wait to hear what it sounds like from a listener’s perspective!

Dean is supported by Ann Vanstone via our Musical Chairs program.