Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Tresna Stampalia
Discover the inspiring journey of flautist Tresna Stampalia in our latest Sisters in Sync 3-2-1 interview. From orchestral performances to cross-cultural collaborations, Tresna shares valuable insights on versatility, innovation, and empowering women in music. Learn about her pivotal career moments and get advice for aspiring musicians. Read how this musical innovator is shaping the future of the industry.
3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians
Our own Mirabilis musician, flautist Tresna Stampalia, has developed a multifaceted career which embodies the spirit of versatility and innovation in music. As the founder and director of Tres Classique and co-founder of Mirabilis Collective, Tresna has not only showcased her exceptional musicianship but also paved the way for celebrating women's voices in the industry. Tresna’s experience as an orchestral and musical theatre pit musician, coupled with explorations of diverse flute traditions, reflects a career built on adaptability and a passion for pushing musical boundaries. Her recent work, blending classical techniques with indigenous instruments and collaborating across cultural lines, demonstrates her commitment to expanding the horizons of her art.
In this interview, Tresna shares valuable insights from her rich and varied career, offering advice to aspiring musicians and reflecting on the pivotal moments that have shaped her journey as a female artist in the music industry. Her thoughts on collaboration, adaptability, and the future of women in music provide a compelling glimpse into the mind of a true musical innovator.
What’s a valuable lesson you’ve learned throughout your career?
One of the most valuable lessons I've learned is the importance of versatility and adaptability in the music industry, especially when building a freelance career. Throughout my journey, I’ve embraced diverse opportunities and each experience has enriched my musical path and taught me that being open to different genres and styles can lead to unexpected and rewarding opportunities.
Building a successful freelance career demands consistent effort, professionalism, and a strong work ethic. I’ve learned that being loyal, dependable, and collegial are crucial traits that keep you in demand. When you’re known as someone who not only performs well but also shows up on time, prepared, and with a positive attitude, word spreads quickly in the industry.
I’ve also found that willingness to help others goes a long way. Whether it’s recommending a fellow musician for a gig you can’t take, sharing your knowledge with younger artists, or stepping in last-minute to help a colleague, these acts of generosity often come back to you in the form of new opportunities and a supportive network.
This approach to my career has not only broadened my skill set but also allowed me to connect with a wider range of audiences and fellow musicians. It’s taught me that success in the freelance world is as much about building relationships and a reputation for reliability as it is about musical ability.
The path of a freelance musician can be challenging, with periods of uncertainty and the need to constantly seek out new opportunities. However, I’ve found that embracing this lifestyle with enthusiasm, staying open to learning, and maintaining a professional attitude in all situations has led to a rich and fulfilling career. It’s about seeing each project, each collaboration, as a chance to grow both as a musician and as a professional in the industry.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your path as a female artist?
A pivotal moment in my career was joining the Western Australian Arts Orchestra as Principal Piccolo. This opportunity fulfilled my dream of participating in operatic performances and opened doors I never anticipated. It was a moment that taught me the importance of seizing opportunities, even when they might seem tangential to our main goals. The piccolo, often seen as a specialised instrument, became my gateway to a broader musical world.
This position led to an unexpected audition for Les Misérables, where I was offered a position in the orchestra. At the time, I didn't realise how this single audition would reshape both my professional path and personal life. It expanded my professional horizons, introducing me to the world of musical theatre — a genre that requires a different set of skills and adaptability compared to classical orchestral work. It taught me the value of versatility in music and how different musical disciplines can inform and enrich each other.
But beyond the professional growth, this audition led to a personal connection that would forever alter my life’s trajectory. I met my late husband, Mark, during this production. Our shared love for music became the foundation of both our personal and professional lives. We found ourselves not just life partners but also artistic collaborators, pushing each other to grow and explore new musical territories.
This experience taught me that our careers as female artists are not separate from our personal journeys - they intertwine and shape each other in profound ways. It highlighted how our professional choices can lead to unexpected personal joys, and how personal relationships can fuel our artistic growth.
Moreover, it underscored the importance of being open to new experiences in our careers. What might seem like a simple gig or audition can turn into a life-changing opportunity. It reinforced my belief in saying ‘yes’ to new challenges and being ready to step out of our comfort zones.
This pivotal moment also taught me about resilience and adaptability in the face of life’s unexpected turns. When Mark passed away, the musical foundation we had built together became a source of strength and a way to honour his memory through my continued work.
In retrospect, this experience encapsulates the unpredictable yet beautiful journey of a musician’s life. It shows how our careers can take us on unexpected paths, leading to personal and professional growth in ways we could never have anticipated. It reminds me to always approach new opportunities with an open heart and mind, for they may contain the seeds of profound change and growth.
Can you share an experience where collaborating with other women significantly influenced your work?
Co-founding Mirabilis Collective with my dear friend and fellow UWA alumna, Stephanie Nicholls, has been a experience that I have found transformative. Our journey together, which began in our university days and continued through orchestras, chamber music ensembles, and Australian touring musical theatre productions, laid the foundation for what would become a powerful platform for women in music.
Through Mirabilis Collective, we collaborate with women musicians spanning different generations, highlighting the works of female composers and songwriters. This venture has allowed me to explore the boundless potential of music in various forms and continually push the boundaries of creativity. We’re creating a platform that amplifies women's voices in the industry and celebrates intergenerational collaboration.
What's truly inspiring is witnessing Steph’s unwavering dedication and innovative spirit. Her ability to constantly challenge conventions and think outside the box has been a driving force behind our success. Steph’s work ethic is nothing short of extraordinary — she approaches every project with an intense focus and an eye for detail that elevates everything we do. It’s a quality I deeply admire and one that resonates with my own approach to music and performance.
In many ways, Steph and I share a similar work ethic and attention to detail. This synergy has been crucial in bringing our vision for Mirabilis Collective to life. We both understand the importance of dreaming big, and putting in the hard work necessary to turn those dreams into reality. Our shared commitment to excellence has allowed us to create a space where women musicians can truly thrive.
Mirabilis Collective embodies our mission to cultivate a community where women from diverse musical backgrounds can connect, collaborate, and excel. We’ve created a vibrant artistic hub where the exchange of ideas and experiences fuels our collective growth and creativity. Our intergenerational approach recognizes that women of all ages have invaluable insights and skills to contribute, and this blend of experience and fresh perspectives is key to our innovative and sustainable approach to music-making.
Every performance we organise is a celebration of the rich contributions of women composers and musicians. We strive to create concerts that are musically enriching and showcase the resilience and creativity of women in the arts. It’s deeply fulfilling to see how our platform has grown to inspire and empower women across different stages of their musical careers.
Working alongside Steph has reinforced my belief in the power of collaboration and shared vision. Together we're creating a legacy that we hope will continue to inspire and support women in music for generations to come. This experience has taught me that when passionate, like-minded individuals come together with a common purpose, the impact can be truly mirabilis — wonderful and remarkable.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to build a career in music?
Embrace your musical journey with open arms — never shy away from exploring and carving your own unique path. The formal education you receive is invaluable, but it's just the beginning. The music industry is vast and ever-changing, and your unique voice and perspective are needed.
Surround yourself with mentors who inspire you. Throughout my career, from my early teachers to my postgraduate supervisors, I've been fortunate to have mentors who challenged and supported me. These relationships can provide guidance, open doors, and offer insights that you can't find in textbooks.
Don't be afraid to take bold risks. Whether it's auditioning for a role that seems out of reach, experimenting with a new genre, or starting your own ensemble, these risks often lead to the most rewarding experiences.
Most importantly, allow your music to speak for itself. Your passion, dedication, and unique artistic voice will shine through in your work. Trust in your abilities and let your music be the loudest advocate for your talent.
Remember, a career in music is more than the performances. My career has woven me into the tapestry of remarkable individuals, unique experiences, and an enduring sense of fulfilment that extends far beyond the stage. It’s about the connections you make, the lives you touch with your art, and the personal growth you experience along the way. Embrace every aspect of this beautiful, challenging journey
How do you think the music industry can better support and uplift women artists and composers?
The music industry can better support and uplift women artists and composers in several ways:
1. Equal representation: Ensure that women are equally represented in concert programs, festival lineups, and recording projects. This includes not just performers, but also composers, conductors, technical crew and producers.
2. Mentorship programs: Establish structured mentorship programs that pair established women in the industry with emerging talents. This can provide crucial guidance, networking opportunities, and support.
3. Fair pay: Address the gender pay gap in the music industry by implementing transparent pay scales and advocating for equal compensation.
4. Leadership roles: Actively promote women to leadership positions in orchestras, music schools, and industry organisations. Having women in decision-making roles can lead to more inclusive policies and diverse programming.
5. Education and awareness: Incorporate works by women composers into music education curricula at all levels. This normalises the presence of women in classical music and inspires young musicians.
6. Funding opportunities: Create grants and funding opportunities specifically for women composers and performers, particularly for large-scale projects that have been historically difficult for women to access.
7. Family-friendly policies: Implement policies that support work-life balance, such as parental leave and flexible rehearsal schedules, to ensure that women don't have to choose between their careers and family life.
By taking these steps, the industry can create a more equitable environment where women's contributions are valued, their voices are heard, and their talents are given the platform they deserve.
Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Sally Whitwell
"Finding the right collaborators is absolutely crucial," says Sally Whitwell, an ARIA award-winning composer and pianist. Known for her versatility and innovative contributions to music, Whitwell's recent work, Margaret and the Grey Mare, exemplifies her commitment to interdisciplinary creativity. In our insightful interview, she shares her experiences of collaboration, the transformative power of partnerships, and her vision for the future of classical music.
3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians
We are thrilled to share an incredibly insightful interview with Sally Whitwell, a distinguished Australian pianist, composer, conductor, and educator living and working on Ngunnawal and Ngambri land. Known for her versatility and innovative contributions to classical and contemporary music, Whitwell's achievements include multiple ARIA awards, five solo albums on ABC Classic, and a prolific output of compositions spanning solo piano, choral works, and chamber music. She has created numerous choral works and has worked with renowned ensembles such as the Gondwana Choirs, Adelaide Chamber Singers, and Sydney Children's Choir. Her collaborations extend to visual artists and theatre directors, highlighting her commitment to interdisciplinary creativity.
One of Whitwell’s notable recent projects is Margaret and the Grey Mare, a unique opera and immersive video installation co-created with artist Katy B Plummer. This innovative work features a chatbot coded to act as a channel to an ancient Celtic land spirit. Anchoring the project is a sprawling hour-long video opera, with a score composed and performed by Whitwell. The opera, filmed at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, was produced in collaboration with award-winning filmmaker and video artist Kuba Dorabialski. The libretto was generated using a specially coded machine learning tool designed to simulate conversation with The Grey Mare, treating AI as a mystical link to the collective unconscious.
In this interview, Whitwell explores her experiences of collaboration, the challenges and rewards of creating interdisciplinary art, and her perspectives on the future of classical music.
Can you share an experience where collaborating with other women significantly influenced your work?
Finding the right collaborators is absolutely crucial. Done wrong, it can compromise your voice to a point that it becomes not representative of your work. Done right, their perspective can help you to see yourself more clearly and bring you into worlds where your message will be received more openly. Two cases in point, Katy B Plummer and Rosa Campagnaro, with whom I’ve started writing opera. I never previously thought of writing opera, because that part of the classical sector is so closed. Instead of trying to knock on that door that no one will answer, I made these operas with my fabulous collaborators in their worlds instead of mine. It’s changed my life!
With artist Katy B Plummer, I co-created Margaret and the Grey Mare, a multi-channel video installation fever dream about an opera. Katy commissioned a bespoke artificial intelligence from coder Flora Suen who trained it to speak as a kind of oracle, and we used it to co-write the libretto. It is set during the 17th century European witch trials where Margaret, an imagined ancestor, is visited each night by a mysterious horse ghost The Grey Mare, and each day by a Witch Finder. Accused by the latter of being a witch, Margaret eventually capitulates and gives up the Grey Mare to him.
With theatre director/writer and commedia dell’arte specialist Rosa Campagnaro, I co-created The Attempted Rape of Susanna (or The Marriage of Figaro) an adaptation of the Mozart/Da Ponte opera. Think Mozart meets Kath & Kim meets Emerald Fennel’s Promising Young Woman. Unlike the original Mozart, our adaptation is actually funny, very fast, extremely relatable and finishes more plausibly but more horrifyingly: Susanna raped by her husband Figaro with all the other characters, complicit in the rape culture of the story, looking on.
Stylistically and aesthetically, these operas are chalk and cheese, but they’re about the same theme: how privileged white women capitulate to patriarchal systems in order to keep themselves safe. Such women often think that they benefit from the system, when in reality we all lose. One such system is the opera system, which is why when I invited them to come along, the practitioners there either ignored my work or attacked it. They just don’t like folks who hold up a mirror to them. But the visual arts and theatre sector loved my works. Margaret and the Grey Mare is touring three cities over 2024-2025, and Rosa and I are doing a writing/development residency on our next Mozart adaptation Don Giovanni: Celebrated Sex Pest. The whole situation is kinda bewildering because I am finding the thing opera says it wants i.e. new audiences, but they refuse to innovate to find those audiences. I tried to help them but they won’t accept outside perspectives. Good luck to ‘em!
How do you think the music industry can better support and uplift women artists and composers?
There’s a lot of talk about how we have to have more women at the top. I don’t disagree, but I think for real progress to be made, what we actually need is more feminists at the top.
Let’s compare two women conductors in Australia right now: Simone Young, Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Jessica Cottis, Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. Both sensational musicians and deeply committed to the music they champion. It’s very impressive that Simone Young is going to conduct The Ring Cycle in Bayreuth. Amazing achievement to be the first woman to do so, but what is it achieving for women? Nothing really. Her programming for SSO doesn’t fill me with much excitement, because I’ve probably seen all the Strauss and Mahler I need to see live in concert in my lifetime. Young has the position to be able to make a difference, but refuses to use it, having absolutely no demonstrable interest in diverse voices. It’s frustratingly disappointing that she’s not a feminist, but that’s her choice I guess. I wish her all the best.
Jessica Cottis, is from a younger generation of women conductors, clearly just as talented, skilled and passionate about music but has also has a clear commitment to diverse programming. She’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of my local band, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and programs more Australian music and more music by women than any other orchestra in the country. She’s as happy there are she is in the more traditional repertoire which she conducts all over the world which just goes to show, you CAN do both! The Australian composers’ works in the CSO program are not hidden away like they are in other orchestra’s programming. These composers’ works are held up in the foreground, their creators taken seriously for their compelling and relatable contribution to the repertoire, to what it means to be alive here in Australia in the 21st century. What Jess is doing here for the creatives who actually make the repertoire… this is the future of classical music that gets me excited.
Is there a particular piece of music composed by a woman that energises or motivates you?
Difficult by Amy X Neuburg, for mezzo-soprano, electronics and cello chixtet. https://youtu.be/n6Bl7eXUXVg?si=_mCVRh1OV313tJ1C There’s one line in this sardonically hilarious song that gets me every time: “Everyone knows that nothing is any good unless it’s difficult”.
Contemporary classical music is a broad church. At one end of the continuum are the art music crowd, where you’ll find all the wild experiments in noise. I like to play and to listen to this kind of stuff (currently on high rotation, ‘Car Pig’ from Zubin Kanga’s album Machine Dreams https://zubinkanga.bandcamp.com/track/car-pig-composed-by-alex-paxton). At the other end are folks who write approachable, pretty stuff, including pop/jazz cross-over etc. I quite like playing and listening to this stuff too, I’ve friends and colleagues who create it and do a wonderful job, like Nat Bartsch and Sally Greenaway. There is sense that ‘serious’ music folks think the latter are somehow… second rate? Whatever, they’re getting much more airplay than the rest of us, so I reckon they’re pretty happy. Haha.
For myself, I used to write only the approachable stuff, which worked pretty well for me when it got around to airplay on Drivetime/Breakfast radio and votes in the ABC Classic 100 (I was the highest placed Australian composer in the Classic 100 Love at no. 27 for a choral setting of She Walks in Beauty, the first work I ever composed in my life). These days, my work sits pretty much exactly in the middle of those two extremes. No one knows where to put it any more. It’s not ‘difficult’ but it’s much more than just ‘pretty’ because of what it’s communicating, particularly in terms of the texts I write.
I feel good about this situation, because it means I’ve found my voice, my niche. That it doesn’t fit into any of the existing boxes like ‘difficult’ or ‘approachable’ must mean that it’s all mine. And every time I hear Amy X Neuburg singing about what gatekeepers find to be acceptable or not, I laugh my arse off and get on with writing more of my stories in music.
What strategies have you found effective to overcome creative blocks or periods of self doubt?
In 2020, at the height of the Covid lockdowns, I suffered a complete creative block. It was debilitating, terrifying. I let opportunities slide because, for several months, nothing would come out. It was a conversation with my late mother Hoon Chee that shook me out of it, a conversation about that proverb by Lao Tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. She looked at me sternly on FaceTime and said “When are you taking that first step, Sal?”
So I started a practice of Daily Composition Exercises. I started on 14 October 2020 and haven’t missed a day since. I salute the morning with a cup of coffee, and sit down at my desk with my favourite black roller ball pen and a Spirax manuscript book, and I write. Each day I set a different task, manipulating motifs, creating modes or harmonic languages, working with ostinati or isorhythms or extended techniques or whatever. I write it and put a double bar at the end of it and call it a piece. Some of them are shit and I never look at them again. Some of them are great and become new works like these:
Tiny Dances https://youtu.be/u1UERAZLK24?si=GB5Zvn1E1INYur7r
The Lockdown Alphabet https://youtu.be/rMkPVKzeYQw?si=pDOPfCgzWMMchs9G
Pictures at an exHERbition https://nga.gov.au/audio-learning-tours/pictures-at-an-exherbition/
I’m proud of these results, but it’s actually not the result that matters so much. It’s the process of doing it. I have really worked hard at building my arsenal of skills, so I now know that I can always write, even on days when I really don’t feel like it. I might have become a bit superstitious about the practice now? I’ve been known to get up at 4am to make sure it’s done before an early flight. I’ve written in bus stations, hospital emergency departments, during hotel breakfasts, when I’ve been struck down with migraines, and during both times I’ve had Covid. I highly recommend creating a daily habit. Perhaps this is the year I’ll finally start running that 8-week course on how to do it.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to build a career in music?
Three words: Do Not Capitulate.
I see a lot of young classical musicians in my life, high school age musicians, and they have great politics. They’re thoughtful, passionate, justifiably angry about injustices they see and desirous of effecting change. When they grow up and move into tertiary music education and thence into the professional sphere, they start to separate into basically two groups.
The first group move into the traditional parts of the sector, orchestras, opera companies etc. and give up all their politics. They become invested in the patriarchal systems of classical music because they believe they benefit from it and the approach to the creative life becomes somewhat superficial. Everything is just ‘beautiful’. They’re like the jocks of our industry, doing one thing very well. I think of one young friend who excitedly informed me that she was booked for her first big role in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte (La Scola Degli Amanti). This opera title translates as “Women Are Like That (or The School for Lovers)”. When I challenged her by asking “Women are like… what, exactly?!” she ghosted me. I’m not hurt. It makes sense for her to capitulate, to embrace the patriarchal misogyny of the canonic repertoire. She’s invested in it because it provides her with a glamorous high profile job, so of course she’s uncomfortable with anyone challenging that. Best of luck to her.
The second group see the problems in the sector and move further into their politics. They tend to do their own thing, work in new music or cross-genre, multidisciplinary stuff. They are more vocal about diversity in the sector and basically try to make a difference. These kids are artists and they give me hope that there is future for the sector.