"I can't imagine doing anything else" - Thomas Hutchinson '06
Thursday, 2 November 2017
Music has played a key role in Thomas Hutchinson's life. Having picked up the oboe at the age of nine, Thomas started at Auckland Grammar in Form 3 and fell in love with performing. "The music we get to play, to be able to bring to life some of the greatest works of art ever created by mankind is a huge honour and privilege."

As a Form 4 student in 2007, Thomas sat his Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Grade 8 exam, and was awarded one of the highest marks for any Grade 8 candidate in New Zealand.

Studying Music as a subject through his time at Grammar, Thomas was fortunate enough to be accepted to the University of Auckland from Form 6 to study Performance Music. Thomas was also involved with numerous groups, as well as winning both the Junior and Senior Minister's Plate competitions, a real highlight from his time at Grammar. "I still remember crossing stage and playing in assembly! I also played at my final prize giving which was a lovely way to say goodbye."

After completing his degree, Thomas moved to Melbourne to further his studies at the Australian National Academy of Music, where he won the concerto competition as well as the prize for Most Outstanding Recital.

Thomas has performed in some of the most beautiful concert halls around the world, including the Philharmonie de Paris - "It is a beautiful acoustic venue" - and the Konzerthaus Berlin, where he played on his first tour of Europe. "Playing at the Konzerthaus was an incredibly surreal experience. Coming from New Zealand to one of the most iconic halls in Europe for the first time was surreal." However, Auckland is never too far from Thomas' heart. "We are spoilt with the town hall, which stacks up very well against many of the great halls in the world. It's always a pleasure to return to play there."

In September, Thomas was one of three oboists to play in the final of the 66th annual ARD International Music Competition, in Munich. One of the most prestigious contests in the world, it has been described by the New Zealand Double Reed Society as "the musical equivalent of winning an Olympic gold medal, with pre-selection and four very challenging rounds, each with a different programme of music."

All three finalists performed Richard Strauss' Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra in D Major with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. While the musicians weren't competing against each other, the panel of judges awarded each contestant a special prize, a moment that Thomas will not soon forget.

"It was incredible when the results were announced. It is a huge honour to receive a prize in this competition, and I can't help but think of the other names who came before me, many of whom I greatly admire and grew up listening to."

As well as his second prize, Thomas also won Best Performance of a Commissioned Piece by Thierry Escaich, which he played in the semi-final - completely from memory. "This was lovely to receive, considering how much work had gone into learning it. I thought the music looked unplayable at first, but by gradually chipping away at it, eventually it revealed a really great piece of music that was a lot of fun to play."

Sacrifice and hard work are all part-and-parcel of Thomas' daily routine, practising two to three hours each day. While he is honest, saying that it isn't always glamourous, he said he wouldn't give music up for anything. "The reality of spending hours alone working towards an ideal that exists only in your mind which you may never attain in reality, suddenly isn't so ideal after all! This can be a frustrating process, but also is an incredibly rewarding one. I can't imagine doing anything else with my future."

Photo credit: Daniel Delang