AMPA Backstage with Julius Firdaus

(AMPA BMus Student - Classical Voice)

Meet final year AMPA student, Julius Firdaus, who was awarded AMPA Musician of the Year for 2013. During his time at AMPA, Julius, a counter-tenor, was a semi-finalist in Australia’s Got Talent, as well as touring both locally and internationally with various orchestras and ensembles.

I sat down with Julius to talk about music, performing and life at the ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS.

What inspires you?

I was about to buy Sisqo's CD 'Unleash The Dragon', an American Rapper/ Hip-Hop artist back in 2000 (I was 14 years old then). When I was about to pay, an old lady was buying an opera CD. I was about to go with my Sisqo CD and then BAM! A magical sound caught my attention. It mesmerised me. I ended up returning the Sisqo CD and buying that Opera album, it was Maria Callas 'La Mamma Morta', the first opera I fell in love with.

How do you describe your music?

What a selfish question! (Ha..Ha...) There's no music of mine. Music is OURS and music is our way of expressing ourselves, through notes, melodies and rhythms that are organised. To me, music is the only way I live, the way I love, a power that can draw my soul out of my body, a vehicle that can take me to a magical journey.

What has been a stand out in your musical career?

To me a musical career is just like when you are going to school. You do it one step at a time. From the small things to the big, to the huge and hopefully to larger than huge. So far I have performed for three presidents of Indonesia. Being one of the finalists of the biggest show in Indonesia, become the culture ambassador of Indonesia to represent the international event joined by 76 countries, and chosen to be the favourite among the contestants. I was also awarded a Director's Award at AMPA, was a finalist at Australia's Got Talent, was invited to sing with the Sydney Philharmonic Choir, was invited to sing at Her Majesty Theatre in Melbourne and was the only solo vocalist at Kozy Orchestra's Annual Concert...The best is yet to come.

To see Julius on Australia's Got Talent, please click here.

If you could play with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be?

Herbert Von Karajan, one of the greatest conductors ever! His passion is just beyond human. His music is thrilling! The energy is unbelievable!

If you could have written any song, what song would that be?

Don Besig's "As Long As I Have Music"

How long have you been studying at AMPA? What do you like about it?

I've been studying here for 3 years. What I love about it is AMPA let me be myself, giving me time to explore who I really am as a person, and what I want to do with my music. I am grateful to be here.

How did it feel to win the musician of the year 2013?

It gave me a feeling of relief to know that my own conservatorium acknowledges my work. It feels like I have a family here in Sydney, I feel AMPA is my family who supports me as a person and my career as well.