Keyboard improviser

Press, 20 June 1984, Page 19

Keyboard improviser

Improvisation is the main interest of a young Christchurch pianist who has recently joined the ranks of national radio recording artists.

Nicholas Frost has been accepted as a probationary national recording performer after making recordings for regional radio. Mr Frost, who completed a degree in music at Canterbury University, has been working in theatre and performing in Christchurch. He says it is not easy to make a living from music. “You have to be dedicated and prepared to spend most of your time playing,” he said.

Mr Frost will play two lunchtime concerts of classical and modern music on Monday and next Wednesday at the State Trinity Theatre. He believes it is important to achieve a balance of classical and modern as the two “spring from the same source.”

He also plans to include, along with the Bach prelude, the Debussy preludes, and the Satie sonata, some works by Frost. “I want to play some of my own improvisations for the concerts,” he said. His improvisations range from rock to “piped” music to classical. “It’s never written down so there is always' a risk to it. But I like that part,” the 26-year-old musician said. Mr Frost is keen to follow improvisation in his music. “I found at university that there is a great emphasis on formal teaching, on the written notes, at the expense of improvisation. “People should be taught how to improvise on their instruments as a basic skill,” he said. “Jazz is the only music tradition that incorporates improvisation and yet all the great composers improvised.” Mr Frost would like to pursue his study of jazz,

perhaps overseas in Europe or the United States. Rhythm and harmonics are the main characteristics of his music. “I’m interested in Eastern and African music and the steady drumming beat and the sitar. I would like to incorporate them in my music,” Mr Frost said. He hopes also to be able to record some improvised work for radio. He heard last week that he had been accepted as a national recording artist on probation. Although his previous recordings for radio have been of classical music, Mr Frost would like to record some of his own work, “but radio might be a bit cagey about that at first.” An added bonus of moving up from recording for

regional radio to national radio is that he is paid twice as much.

. Mr Frost has performed “in bits and pieces” in Christchurch before but next week’s concerts are his first solo concerts. He expects to play for about 40 minutes — “After all, it’s a lunchtime audience, I don’t want to tax them too much.” Mr Frost has written and performed several songs and scores for the Free Theatre, of which he is a member. The theatre group performs in the Arts Centre. Music and theatre are complementary, the musician believes. He intends to continue with both and any overseas music study will include time to look at theatre also.