Agustín Fernández
Age 48, email agustin.fernandez@ncl.ac.uk
‘Life story’
Why do I live in Newcastle?
What attracted me here in the first instance was a position as lecturer in composition at Newcastle University, for which I applied in 1995. The day I came for interview was a glorious August day, so sunny and warm that I couldn’t resist taking a nap lying on the grass at St Mary’s Place. Soon the realities of Northeast weather would prove less idyllic, but to make up for that I discovered a vibrant musical scene at the university and beyond. In particular I have enjoyed working closely with Northern Sinfonia, who have performed my works and for whom I have led a variety of educational projects.
You may think that the route from Bolivia to Tyneside is not an obvious one to follow. The way it happened was partly a simple matter of one thing leading to another and partly, you could say, the hand of destiny. Since my teens I knew that sooner or later I would have to leave Bolivia for a place where I could make a living working in music. I first went to Japan, where I learned a lot and had life-changing experiences, studying with great teachers, discovering a great ancient culture and working as a language teacher and as assistant to the Bolivian ambassador in Tokyo. But the pull of Europe was strong and I very much wanted to be closer to where great things were happening in contemporary music. I first came to the UK as a student. A year in Liverpool was inspirational thanks to my supervisor James Wishart and to the concerts at the Phil and at the Bluecoat Chambers. After that came a five-year sojourn in London, where I experienced a total immersion in new music at a time in the mid-eighties when concert programming was still very diverse and risk-taking. My first UK job was in Belfast, where I was in a position to actually influence the musical environment from the chairmanship of the Sonorities Festival and through interesting educational projects at schools – always in parallel, one catholic and one protestant. When my Belfast contract ran out I spent a year teaching in Dartington, scene of the famous summer festival. That is when the opportunity came up to apply to Newcastle.
I found the city welcoming, compact and easy to live in. In recent years it has become more cosmopolitan and, since the opening of The Sage Gateshead, more of an international centre for music. It is all very exciting. The Vamos Festival is another measure of just how international the place is becoming. To think that only eleven years ago it was difficult to find a cup of espresso at six in the evening!
More recently I have had the opportunity to explore more of the landscape and the musical and cultural traditions of Northumberland, and have been struck by the mysterious beauty of the valleys and the depth of rootedness, the strong sense of cultural belonging I have seen in the inspirational human beings I have met.
What do I enjoy the most?
I like the people’s warmth and their sense of humour, although I don’t always like being outwitted all the time. I value their cultural independence from what I regard as a more conventional mainstream English culture. I enjoy the physical closeness to the rest of Europe, made even better by the growing ease of communication. I love the landscape of Northumberland. It is rewarding to work with university colleagues who, in the face of persistently adverse working conditions, pour their energy and commitment into their jobs. I like the international culture at the university, especially my PhD students in composition who inspire me with their ideas and their total commitment to their work. The players of Northern Sinfonia, some of whom are personal friends, also give me many a joyful time with their good playing, not least when they lavish it on my music!
What do I miss?
I miss the obvious things: family, friends and the sun.
Having left behind Bolivia and Japan, I also miss the good food. England made a cook of me within two weeks of my arrival, and recently I have been working – with help – on extending my repertoire of recipes, but I still experience a pang when I go back to Bolivia and enjoy the glorious lunches for the equivalent of two quid. Having said that, I am beginning to discover superb cheeses and high quality meats and sausages in Northumberland.
I used to miss the political fire in people’s hearts, but New Labour, George Bush and the Iraq war seem to be taking care of that. In recent years there has been plenty of fuel for heated political debate.