Introducing... Chase Watson, Trainee Music Leader
This year, RPO Resound launched a new 10-month trainee leadership programme, aiming to develop local musical talent into community workshop leaders, expand the workforce and increase sustainability for our Sound Sanctuary programme. For two musicians with connections to the borough of Brent, the scheme provides mentorship from RPO workshop practitioners, training sessions, and hands-on experience in leadership, observation, and collaboration. We wanted to introduce them to the RPO community in the usual way, and are pleased to announce Birikiti Pegram and Chase Watson as our 2024–25 Brent Trainee Leaders!
How did you become involved with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO)?
I became involved with the RPO when I became a Trainee Leader. I am from the borough of Brent and am very passionate about access to music and self-expression. As a young musician, I found that there weren’t many musical opportunities in the borough, so as a student, I knew that I wanted to give back to my community and do what I could to help the next generation of musicians.
What was your first experience of live music?
My first experience with live music was when my dad showed me a live video of Ed Sheeran performing ‘You need me but I don’t need you’ with a guitar and loop pedal. I was a beginner guitarist but this inspired me to learn more. I learnt a lot in my early stages from watching Ed Sheeran and copying his playing style.
How did you find yourself on this career journey?
I began my musical journey as a self-taught musician at the age of 11. I taught myself how to play the guitar and became fascinated with sound. As I continued my musical journey learning other instruments and later getting into music production, I found that until that point, my learning process was very internal and mostly from teaching myself at home. I wanted a wider community but also I thought that if I felt this way others could too. In my first year of university, I began to teach music and loved seeing my students enjoying music and having an outlet to express themselves. After getting my degree in music production, I continued teaching as well as working as an audio producer and then later got into live events as a Young Producer at the Royal Albert Hall. Leading workshops and teaching has always given me a way to connect with people young and old and as a Trainee Workshop leader, I am excited to be able to do that more in my home borough.
What are you most looking forward to about your year in the RPO family?
I am looking forward to developing my skills and connecting with people in the community.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals? (This could be either as a performer or an audience member)
I don’t usually feel nervous until the very last minute (like when I’m walking on stage!) So, beforehand I enjoy spending time with my bandmates and socialising. Must listens – if you had to recommend one artist or composer, who would it be and why? Recently I’ve been enjoying Raye a lot, I’ve been listening to her live performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival on repeat but her ‘My 21st Century Symphony’ - Live at Royal Albert Hall is great too! I love how Raye incorporates live bands in her music and at every live performance do can hear a different version or the same song. The Jazz elements are amazing but I also enjoy that I can hear a classical version of the same song.
Symphonic crossover – if you could work with any artist on a performance or project, who would you choose?
If I could work with any artist I would work with Jacob Collier because I would love to see his creative process when he is writing music.
Away from music tell us two of your favourite hobbies and why they strike such a chord?
Outside of music, I am an athlete. I have been an All-Star cheerleader since the age of 8, and I love being part of the cheer community. I love being part of a team and pushing myself past what I could have thought capable of. As a shy child, cheerleading gave me confidence and so many opportunities to perform around the world, as well as lifelong friendships. Other than cheer, I love to travel! I enjoy experiencing different cultures, learning about languages and history and seeing how other people live. I’ve travelled 6 times this year, and I hope to visit more countries in the future!
Dream dinner party – who would you invite, what would you cook?
In my dream dinner party, I would invite Hans Zimmer, Jacob Collier, Simone Biles, Cynthia Erivo, Stormzy, Raye and Ed Sheeran. I would cook salmon and mashed potatoes for them