Who is Trish Dean?
I’m the cellist and CEO of Ensemble Q Australia. I’m also mother to three adult children and a rescue dog, life and musical partner of my incredible husband Paul Dean, sometimes inspired cook, photographer, nature lover, walker, traveller.
I’ve lived a few different iterations of myself, including as Associate Principal cello with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, a festival and conservatorium director, professional photographer and mentor. But I’m currently in my perfect position, running a dream team of players in a fantastic ensemble.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
I’m in the right place for me, right now and enjoying a bloom in my career at a stage that I never thought possible. But here it is and I’m loving that I have the wisdom at last, to choose to work with people with whom I resonate, in places that support and love what we do. I’ve learnt a lot of lessons along the way and continue to make mistakes, but I am happy to keep learning and changing to make myself a better person, musician and leader.
Who inspires you and why?
Inspiration comes like weather patterns, lots of people continually inspire me, but actually my dog Milly is my biggest inspiration at the moment. She was tortured and viciously stabbed by her previous human. 18 months ago she was lying in a pool of blood, guarding her one week old puppies when she was rescued by the police, rudimentarily sewn up and put in foster care, where she not only cared for her own puppies but three other motherless pups as well.
She should, by all rights, be attending weekly therapy sessions and cowering in a thick fog of self doubt, blame and fear like most humans would. But every morning she comes to the side of the bed, kisses our faces, licks our hands and then, if we don’t rise quickly enough for her much anticipated walk, barks at us with the cheekiest bark she can muster.
She loves us with her helicopter tail and her bum just about falls off from the wagging as she limps across the grass towards the new people that she knows are in completely and utterly in love with her. She is the essence of hope, resilience, trust and forgiveness, which is ultimately incredibly inspiring.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
For me it’s about meaningful human connection, which we’re already doing with some of our special projects at Ensemble Q. But on a personal level it’s about the little things that people don’t seem to do anymore – a little compliment, an acknowledgement of someone’s existence, a conversation with a stranger.
If I see a young sleep-deprived Mum, I’ll find a reason to compliment her and ask how she’s going. Or if it’s an older person who is so used to being invisible that they barely move the air as you pass them, I try to say hello and welcome a chat, if that’s what they’d like.
Kind words never go astray, especially from a stranger – although I did embarrass myself recently by complimenting what turned out to be an extremely high level public figure for her choice of pearls, thinking she was just a sweet old slightly overdressed but adorable lady walking past me on our dog walk, before my husband told me who I had just complimented…
Favourite holiday destination and why?
I adore Bermagui on the south coast of NSW, it has a fantastic 70’s feeling that takes me back to my childhood, with rolling beaches and old beach shacks tinged with Kodak Portra 400, stunning untouched bushland and the added benefit of great coffee and a bakery to rival any city.
But it’s a bit far for our busy schedules at the moment, so our next choice for a regular break is usually Noosaville, where a sense of peace envelopes us the minute we step into the Noosa River at sunset (give or take the occasional stingray).
It’s nice and close to the hustle and bustle of the overpriced lure of Noosa, but holding the well-kept secret that nobody wants to tell the real tourists, that Noosaville is where the true heart of the region is. In terms of overseas, definitely Lisbon – possibly for all of the same reasons, plus gorgeous tiles.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
A CityCat ride over to New Farm and then the overwater walk to the Howard Smith Wharves for a coffee, Aperol Spritz or dinner are always a lovely thing to share with friends. Or the Kangaroo Point Bridge circuit is a fabulous walk – Brisbane is so beautiful and much cooler near the water and there’s an ever-growing list of great waters-edge walks to enjoy.
What are you currently reading?
Three Wild Dogs by Markus Zusak. I love the madness and inevitable human connection that comes with dog ownership and his experiences are hilarious yet deeply sentimental.
What are you currently listening to?
Hmmm, that’s hard – it’s always something different and usually tied to what I have to learn or am thinking of programming next. I do have a setlist that I choose to play on planes (music I’m prepared to die listening to – I may have a poker face on the outside, but inside I’m always convinced the plane is going to inexplicably plunge downwards, so I need to be listening to something special when it does).
That list varies but sometimes it’s the slow movements of either the Bach double violin concerto or Schumann piano quartet, then other times I break out in melancholy confidence and listen to Pink Floyd or Dire Straits. The turbulence level usually dictates the track.
Happiness is?
Happiness is knowing that my kids are doing well, my husband and dog are beside me, I’m standing on a beach and the plane didn’t crash. Work happiness is knowing that Ensemble Q has people who love what we do.
What does the future hold for you?
It’s a little crazy for an eh-hem year old, but I will be riding an amazing wave with Ensemble Q for the next few years, it’s looking like all the way to the Brisbane Olympics. We’ve been invited to teach and perform at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore next year, as well as a tour of New Zealand for Chamber Music New Zealand, which is exciting.
And I’ll be playing at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music as well as another season in my favourite orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra. Ensemble Q is continuing its new national series with concerts at the Opera House and Melbourne Recital Centre, as well as the incredible UKARIA Cultural Centre in the Adelaide Hills. It’s a rich and exciting world and I’m feeling very fortunate to be on this amazing journey.
Trish is the CEO and Co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Q – which presents Ensemble Q Play Bartók & Brahms at the Sydney Opera House (21 August), Melbourne Recital Centre (22 August) and GHD Auditorium – University of Queensland (23 August). For more information, visit: www.ensembleqaustralia.com for details.
Image: Trish Dean (supplied)