WASO presents James Bond’s Spectre In Concert with conductor Jessica Gethin and her guitarist dad Ray Walker

While some people take their dad to the footy, celebrated Perth conductor Jessica Gethin took her dad, leading jazz guitarist Ray Walker, to Sydney Opera House last year to make his Sydney Symphony Orchestra debut with his daughter on the podium. It was not the first time Walker had been conducted by Gethin, and it won’t be the last, as the father/daughter talents gear up for their third James Bond film in concert with WA Symphony Orchestra, Spectre In Concert, following previous performances of Casino Royale and Skyfall. The live orchestral concert of composer Thomas Newman’s Spectre score, alongside a screening of the full James Bond 2015 film is a welcome return home for Hillarys-based Gethin, whose status as one of the most versatile conductors in Australia has her in hot demand locally, nationally and internationally. Variety is at the heart of Gethin’s musicianship where she moves between symphonic repertoire for ballet, opera, contemporary and film scores, which saw the WA Ballet principal conductor and WA Academy of Performing Arts head of orchestral studies and conducting, also land the role of Orchestra Victoria’s new artistic advisor in April. Having trained at WAAPA herself, it is little surprise Gethin discovered her love of music from an early age thanks to Walker. “He was fundamental and my first violin teacher for many years,”44-year-old Gethin shares. “No matter where I am in the world performing, he’s still the first person I ring straight after a concert to debrief with. The good thing about having a dad as a musician is that he goes to bed late, so I can ring him at 1am and say, ‘Dad, I need help sorting out this chord analysis’, and he’s always there on the other end of the phone for me.” Gethin grew up in Carine, in the house where her parents still live, and music can always be heard. Born in Ireland, Walker moved to Perth in 1960, meeting wife and singer Teresa through a gig they did together. All four of their daughters were brought up playing music, with Gethin third in the Walker daughter line-up and also proud of her younger sister Sophie’s achievements as a professional cellist. “Music is a language, and it’s one that Dad and I both speak fluently, but we also come from different musical worlds,” Gethin explains. “Dad’s background is as a jazz guitarist and as a session player, but he’s also spent many, many years watching and listening and playing in orchestras, so he really understands both sides. It’s been a gift that as a classical musician, I have a dad who is so well ingrained in the jazz world, that I’ve been able to pick up some of those influences too. “I have such incredible trust and respect and admiration for him as musician. He’s taught (at WAAPA) so many of the great names in jazz who have come through WA for the last 30-something years. It’s quite amazing the influence and impact that he’s had on so many people.” Having worked as a casual with WASO for more than 45 years under many conductors, the recording sessions veteran and Ray Walker Trio founder regards it a great joy and unique experience when Gethin conducts the orchestra. “There is also a very natural mutual respect that we have for each other as professional musicians,” he says. “I am very proud of her achievements, and seeing the way she has taken on her new leadership roles lately with such vision and confidence has been a real testament to the musician and leader she has become over the years. “I actually went to Sydney earlier this year to watch her debut with The Australian Ballet at the Sydney Opera House and was reminded of the huge breadth of her experience in a variety of genres. Most of all, it never ceases to amaze me that she does all this while still being a wonderful mother to two children.” Both are preparing for WASO’s Spectre In Concert, which Gethin regards as a rather hectic and intense film score by Newman, who also composed previous Bond movie, Skyfall. “James Bond scores are iconic for these driving, suspenseful, action-filled scenes where it’s really driven a lot by the percussion, you don’t really get much of a break, and you really need to trust your rhythm and percussion sections,” she says. “This is the 24th film, and Newman’s only the third composer who was then asked to come back and compose more than one film … He takes the iconic motifs and themes that people expect to hear in a Bond score, but he develops them in his own way. I think he’s got that recipe perfect, that blend of making something that people expect to hear, but also making it his own, which is a very clever thing to do and really important for the overall Bond branding.” Spectre In Concert is at Riverside Theatre, November 8 and 9. Tickets at waso.com.au.