Interview with Tafelmusik violinist Aisslinn Nosky

How old were you when you began playing your instrument?

Aislinn Nosky. Photo (c) Matthew Marigold.

I was four years old when I started learning to play the violin.

What led you specialise in historical music?

When I was studying violin in school I started to notice how much fun the people who were studying Early Music seemed to be having and I wanted in on the action too!

Do you play contemporary music?

I do play contemporary music whenever I have the opportunity. I am interested in anything and everything which can be played on a violin.

The program is played entirely from memory. What effect does this have on the performance?

Not having to be tied down to the physical location of the musical score allows us a lot more freedom of movement than in a more traditional orchestral performance.

What was the first record you ever bought?

I remember very clearly being presented with a cassette of Michael Jackson’s Thriller by my older brother. I think his friends had decided that Michael Jackson was no longer “cool”. I guess I really am a child of the ’80s!

What are you listening to at the moment?

After a long day at work where I am constantly listening to music I love, I find that I like to relax by listening to books on tape. Right now I am working my way through Middlemarch by George Eliot. At 27 cds in length it is going to take me a while!

Which living artist do you admire most and why?

That would be the rest of my colleagues who make up the core Tafelmusik orchestra. I can’t believe how lucky I am to get to work with such interesting and creative musicians.

Tafelmusik has toured all over the world. What is your favourite destination?

Australia is top of my list! For a mild-mannered Canadian, I am pretty patriotic. I have a fantasy that Australia will be a lot like Canada…but warmer! It really sounds like paradise on Earth to me!

What can Australian audiences expect from The Galileo Project?

Australian audiences can expect a dynamic and thought-provoking glimpse in to the life and times of Galileo Galilei. Alison Mackay has designed a stunningly beautiful show for the eyes and the ears.