She’s stamped her inimitable style on the piano and harpsichord with multiple Sunshine Coast groups for the last 25 years. Indeed, recently a concert reviewer (not this one) said she “makes the harpsichord purr like a kitten.”
And now Janet Brewer, who has been arranging and performing about thirty concerts a year plus teaching students to play not just the piano but the harpsichord, flute, clarinet, saxophone and trombone (yes, she plays them all!) has decided to take a break for six months.
Her wish? To return to her lifelong passion of music-making refreshed and inspired.
Six months of taking it easy at home, occasionally caravanning with husband Warren. Six months away from the workload of selecting and arranging music for concerts, preparing advertising, press releases, emailing fliers to retirement homes, patrons, organising rehearsals and performing the music she loves.
We are meeting on the sun deck of Coolum Surf Club, Janet occasionally gazing at the happy beachgoers and the quiet ocean, maybe thinking of the holiday to come.
She agrees the 16th to 19th century chamber music she performs with her friends in the Pacific Chamber Players and Arioso Chamber Ensemble, and the new opera group this year, Trio Sole, doesn’t have the popular appeal of a rock concert.
Audiences of ranging from 40 or 60 in venues like the Cooroy Memorial Hall or Good Shepherd Hall at Noosaville and elsewhere on the Coast are commonplace. “We don’t make much money, but the size of audience never upsets me.”
Asked if it takes a lot of dedication to perform for small audiences Janet said, “It does but, personally, money means very little to me. What means most to me is working with other people, seeing their potential as well as the opportunity to perform and at the same time giving the audience something special.
“I actually like giving something to my audience. There’s something inside me about performing, playing the music I enjoy and working with other people.
“If I encounter talented people who are new to the Coast, people like Israeli Daniel Kossov (internationally acclaimed violinist and conductor), I like to introduce them to our audiences.”
She said: It seems to me there are more people coming which is excellent. I think it is because we are consistent. We appear three times a year in the same place. We are building up, if you like, a loyalty because local audiences can expect to see us.
“You can’t cancel because only about 10 people have booked tickets. You still go ahead because more people will turn up at the door. You need to have a reputation of being just as loyal to your supporters as they are to you.”
Janet lives in Yandina with Warren and started her first lessons when she was seven on a piano in her grandparents’ house.
She has been playing and teaching for 40 years, has studied piano and harpsichord at Australian, U.K. and Norwegian universities and has two Masters’ degrees, one in Performance and one in Music Studies, from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
She “fills in” with the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra and Noosa Orchestra and at the end of November played with the Camerata Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra at QPAC which was recorded by ABC Studios and broadcast on December 15.
She is a favourite with Noosa Chorale audiences. She started as accompanist in 2002, took a break for some years to further her studies, came back in 2016 and has appeared in some of the choir’s most memorable concerts. Janet is looking forward to returning to Noosa Chorale rehearsals June 1 in preparation of the jazz concerts at the Noosa Jazz Festival.
She has agreed to interrupt her six months off with two concerts with Arioso Chamber Ensemble in March—one in Cooroy and one in Brisbane. “Pacific Chamber Players and Trio Sole won’t be performing while I’m having a break. You will, however, see members of these groups playing around the Coast.”
Most challenging aspect of being musician on the Coast? “Getting the info out there. “
Most fulfilling: “Playing with like-minded people who are lovely musicians and so easy to get on with.”
What drives me? “The love of music and how it benefits everyone.”
Does she have a wish for New year? “Yes, I would like to see a standing room only sign at The J for a classical chamber music concert.”
