The Old Diocesan Issue 12 - Magazine - Page 46
YOUNG ODs
We’ve done a lot of development
together and grown into one of the
strongest sections in the orchestra
– there’s a strong professional
dynamic now. There is no conflict;
we get on well inside and outside
of work, and the playing level has
notched up as far as it can go,
while always being open to new
ideas in terms of sound and beat.
When you move from school
level to different orchestral projects
with chamber groups, you don’t
notice the level increasing. It’s
only when you step back into
an amateur setting that you
suddenly realise how your thinking
and your abilities have changed.
This is special because it helps
you help others. When people
genuinely want to improve and
reach out for guidance, it’s very
moving to be able to assist.
Shannon Thebus
42 | THE OLD DIOCESAN
I have a different view of success
now than when I started. Early
on, you think about being the big
name and being financially sorted.
Now that I’m comfortable, I’m
asking myself how I can give back
and help others reach this point.
I once had someone approach
me asking how to improve, and
they assumed orchestras had
an elitist mindset. I told them
to sit in on a rehearsal and talk
to us because we’re an open book.
What’s the point of being the best
if you’re lonely at the top? Why
not invite others to the table
and grow together?
So success, to me, is about
being able to network socially –
about having healthy relationships,
both social and professional, with
colleagues, friends and especially
the audience, because I’m nothing
without my audience. They make
me who I am.
My key to success has been
mindset. I’ve never tried to make
it about myself or base decisions
on my own ability. I try to read the
room, understand where everyone
is and then move forward together.
It’s useful to think of yourself
as the smaller person in any
interaction because you always
have something to learn. That’s
what makes an impactful leader.
I’ve learnt a lot simply by
watching those around me.
Sometimes it’s from their
mistakes, sometimes from the
good they do. But often it’s from
subtle behaviour – how problems
are handled, how conversations
happen, and how approachable
people are during auditions.
I don’t really get nervous, but
when people do, I encourage them
to play in front of others or record
themselves. I recently started
playing the organ again after
a long break and noticed that
the moment I record myself with
my phone, mistakes appear. So
even if you don’t show anyone
the video, getting used to being
watched helps ease your nerves
when it’s time to step on stage.
My time at Bishops taught me
a lot. A couple of nights ago at
work, there was a small admin
mistake around a presentation,
and I suddenly had to give a
speech. It wasn’t meant to be
formal, but I was able to walk
onto a stage in front of a few
hundred people and handle it.
That ability to communicate
clearly, choose the right wording
and carry myself appropriately
all came from school.
Bishops also taught me
teamwork. Whether it was
working in a group during Epic,
holding a portfolio as a matric,
or participating in the mentormentee programme, it helped me
