An Interview with Kensington Sinfonia Concert Competition Winner Cameron Wong

As you may have read, I enjoyed a terrific first concert at the Kensington Sinfonia past Sunday. One of the program pieces featured the 6th winner of the KS Annual Student Concerto Competition, oboist Cameron Wong playing Albinoni’s Concerto for Oboe in D minor, Op.9, No. 2.

Having only played the oboe for 4 years, Cameron’s musicality and skill is undeniable. That’s probably why he is a senior member of the Academy of Gifted Youth at Mount Royal Conservatory, and is also the Principal Oboe at the Calgary Youth Orchestra. Cameron has studied with internationally-renowed musicians such as Joe Robinson, the former Principal Oboe of the New York Philharmonic. He will be continuing his musical studies in the summer as he attends the prestigious Orford International Academy to work alongside Oboist Louise Pellerin. On top of all of his musical involvements, Cameron received the RCM Provincial Gold Medal twice for having the highest Royal Conservatory Examinations mark in his first years of playing. He was also awarded an honorable mention at the Frank Simpson competition and placed in the top 5 at the 2016 Calgary Concerto Competition (C3), being the first woodwind player to do so in 21 years.

Prior to the concert, I had the chance to sit down with Cameron to discuss things such as the challenges of being a young musician. See what he had to say below:

What made you want to take up the oboe?

In the summer before grade seven, I convinced by band teacher to let me try a bunch of different instruments such as flute, clarinet, and french horn. I found it relatively easy to move up grade levels fast on those instruments, so I kept trying different instruments. Once I reached the oboe though, I realized it was different because it refuses to cooperate every time you play it. My usual routine for starting a new instrument would be to take it home and practice for hours on the first day to get technique all down so I can work on repertoire later, but when I took the oboe home, it refused to make any sound that wasn’t squeaks and squawks on the first night. Because of that, I carried on with the oboe and eventually began taking lessons. The challenges and beautiful sound of the oboe made me work harder for it, and at a certain point I realized that I had gone too far to go back!

What is the extent of your musical involvement?

Currently, I am the Principal Oboe at the Calgary Youth Orchestra, where I played just last year! I also just completed my first year of the Mount Royal Academy’s program for gifted youth, and during my time there I got to work with internationally-recongized musicians. I’m also a member of Western Canada, my high school’s, grade 10 concert band, as well as part of our school’s Oboe Ensemble. The latter is pretty cool because it’s probably the only one in Canada since getting nine oboes in tune is not a small feat. Next year, I am hoping to join Mount Royal’s Advanced Performance Program.

How has winning the KS Concerto Competition affected you as a musician?

This was a pretty big achievement for me and I was really excited and even more so the first time I rehearsed with the Sinfonia. I was really impressed by how professional they were despite the fact that they are a small ensemble. I’m very grateful that they provide this opportunity for young musicians and given the opportunity, I would love to play with them again since they are all very professional and friendly. 

What do you think allow you to progress so much as a player in just four years?

I would say my musical background really helped; I had 8 years of piano training before but I didn’t have much success with it since I didn’t like to practice scales and technique. However, with oboe, it came much easier and my teacher, David Sussman, is really knowledgeable, patient, and generally a great mentor. Whenever I’m stuck on a difficult passage, he always suggests the correct fix for my problem. My parents have also been super supportive as I pursue the oboe, always coming to my concerts and supporting me through Academy and the bands I’m in. 

What is the most challenging thing about being a young musician?

Lots of people tend to brand talented young musicians as child prodigies because they play with really good technique. And though that’s always impressive because it takes a lot of discipline and talent to do so, I also want people to realize that musicality is just as important to young performers as more seasoned ones. Being a young musician, it’s really difficult to convince people that you have a story to tell that is beyond your years. I see music as a way of expressing myself, either about the piece or life itself. A very mature interpretation takes into consideration all the nuisances of a phrase and that’s always what I try to strive for in my music, not just to have people notice my technique ability for my age.

What are your musical aspirations for the future?

I really want to win the Calgary Concerto Competition or Frank Simpson in the upcoming years because this opportunity has made me realize even more so how much I enjoy playing with an orchestra as a soloist to bring music to life. Just playing with a piano accompanist can’t fully compass all the different textures in the music like an orchestra can; it makes you see the full beauty of the piece. I would also like to compete on an national-level. 

What would you tell your younger self about music?

I think a classic response to this that has its value would be to practice your scales and technique. I really hated those things when I played piano but focused more on that with the oboe and definitely saw the payoff. Also, when I was younger, I played mostly to impress others. As I got older though, i realized that it was important for me to play music for myself and not just for others. You should find something within the music that you enjoy so you can express your feelings and ideas to make something beautiful. Explore other opportunities! In my case, that was me trying every single band instrument, and though strenuous, down the road it was definitely a good choice. 

Thanks so much to Cameron for taking the time to grace me with his insight. Catch him at the upcoming Calgary Youth Orchestra on May 29th at the Bella Concert Hall at 7:30pm. Admission is free and the concert will feature two winners of the 2016 Frank Simpson Concerto Competition (in which Cameron got an honorable mention). See you there!