• Will Martin
  • Will Martin

Will's life's on song

Will Martin became the youngest man in history to top the UK Classical Music Charts. He won the AIMES Music Award in 2010 and now works around the world as an entertainer, vocalist, engaging speaker and creative producer. This year, he will take on the starring role in the Civic Theatre’s production of ‘Les Miserables’ in November. He also has a new album ‘BY REQUEST’ out now. Channel's Heather Barker Vermeer caught up with him via email while he was over in New York...

The AIMES Award is an acknowledgement of extraordinary achievement in your chosen area of achievement. Please tell us what inspired your initial interest in your field?

My initial interest in entertainment was actually inspired by a typical trip to my local pub, back when I was 19 years old, on a particular Tuesday night (pub quiz night!) the power went out. This was less than ideal for the bar manager Simon and I remember him saying: “If only there was something that would keep these people here?” It just so happened there was a piano in the corner of that pub, so I sat down and began to play. By the end of that evening (hours later, as the sun was rising, and my fingers were bleeding!) I knew that I wanted to be an entertainer, and sing the songs people want to hear.

 

What has the AIMES Award enabled you to achieve that you might not otherwise have done? Please tell us how it has helped you progress your career to date.
My winning of an AIMES Award came at a critical time for me, as I was in the process of self-funding my second album up in Europe.  Philharmonic Orchestras don’t come cheap! My award monies went towards off-setting a portion of the recording costs for ‘INSPIRATIONS’, which enabled me to engage the very best musicians to ensure the very best possible product. I try to avoid cutting corners whenever possible, and my AIMES Award allowed me to maintain this.

Having achieved an AIMES award and gone on to build a career after that, what two key pieces of advice would you give to any talented young people who would like to progress in their chosen fields?
The two most important pieces of advice I ever received, and have built my career on, are: 1) Work really hard to understand your own capabilities: the more honest you can be with yourself, about what you realistically can and can’t do, the more effectively you can plot your career.
And more importantly: 2) Your gut feeling is there for a reason. Never ignore it, ‘cause it’s usually right!

What is your ultimate career goal?
My ultimate career goal is to complete a global tour with full orchestra, and I am well on my way to achieving this. In the meantime, my focus is to continue delivering world class performances to audiences who relish hearing the great, timeless music of the last century.  More than anything, I hope to balance my international successes with more time on the ground at home, performing for New Zealanders and connecting with friends and family.
 


Issue 99 June 2019