Rae Howell
How did your creative journey begin and has it changed over time?
My creative journey began sitting on my bedroom floor with my beloved Casio AM/FM radio cassette recorder (the one with the bass boost), making DIY radio shows for friends and family. Capitalising on my piano practice, I recorded original intros and outros, live and unplugged, until the player kept chewing up the tapes. Here, my bittersweet plan to become a musician was born.
Daily practice minutes turned to hours, and my fascination with all-things-music has since paved an adventurous path of writing and performing, collaborating, and curating (rather ambitious) music performance projects.
As a composer-performer (and because there’s no Planet B), over time I’ve become more focussed on creating climate-related projects, researching the incredible (rhythm and pitch) patterns in nature, particularly those concerning the impact of environmental issues we are faced with.
As a piano artisan (tuner-technician), I’ve begun to repurpose discarded and unserviceable antique pianos, using the inner mechanical parts (hammers, dampers & levers) for recycled piano-art.
How would you describe your practice?
A colourful patchwork of music, multimedia projects and piano-art (for the love of our environment and sustainability), and the lost art of piano tuning & maintenance (to quell my lifelong search for the perfect piano).
I play a number of different musical instruments, directing my ensemble (Sunwrae) from piano and/or vibraphone, and curating large-scale performance projects. I am awfully good at stepping outside my comfort zone into a maze of impossibility, and somehow making things work!
What are you working on right now?
A private music commission; a suite of piano works; a piano bar and art from its contents; and I’m preparing for a studio recording for Bee-Sharp Honeybee, a work for string orchestra and honeybees (with real-time animated projections when performed live), inspired by, and directly derived from the rhythm, pitch and waggle dance patterns of honeybees.
What is your connection to Ballarat?
I was born and raised in Ballarat, moving away for university, then overseas, though I’ve always had stints here between tours and long-game projects working away. I’ve been known for my jack-in-a-box approach, returning here for muchly needed down-time, or preparing for a big project.
How would you describe the creative community in Ballarat?
Bursting at the seams with interesting and talented creatives! Though I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface in all honesty. Since being back this year, it’s been great to learn about all the artists here now. It’s certainly a growing community which is fabulous to see.
Can you give us three words to sum up your inspiration?
Nature. People. Places.
Find out more about Rae:
Websites: Rae Howell and Opportune Pianos
Instagram: @sunwrae and @opportunepianos
Images provided.
Top - (L) Bee Sharp Honey Bee performance (R) Rabbitisss Rooftop session
Mid - (L) Petal to the Metal (R) Sunwrae - Iwaki
Bot - (L) Sunwrae ensemble (R) Piano bar
