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Leeuwin’s Real Art

I first heard about the Leeuwin Estate Concert Series when I was around 20 years old and facing a lot of difficulties in my life. It was soon after my arrival in Australia, when I was carving out a new life for myself.

Language problems added to my difficulties, and I remember feeling like a helpless child but with the responsibility of having to protect my own daughter, and often held back tears of frustration.

Despite this, however, I had dreams about the future. And Perth, Western Australia, was a beautiful place.

There were so many things that I wanted to do and I took on as much as I could, even if it meant cutting back on sleep.

I was working in the trenches as a chef in Perth. My superiors hammered into me how things are done in the culinary world. I wasn’t able put into practice what I personally thought was the way things should be done, and so came that inevitable period during my apprenticeship when I started to think that the demands placed on me in the workplace were unreasonable. Looking back, I realize now that it wasn’t anyone else that was holding me back. It was simply that that I didn’t have the inner resources to achieve what I wanted to.

Like many other people, I found myself wondering whether this was all I could expect in life. It was around that time that I met a woman who was the first Japanese migrant to arrive in Perth after the War, and I asked her for advice. I told her that I wanted to experience life to the full, and to learn a lot more than I felt I was at the time. Did she think I should continue what I was doing?

The woman lent me a book on Australian wine, published in Japan. I wasn’t familiar with wine culture, and knew nothing about wines but decided my only option was to learn about wines. I began to read the book and found it fascinating.

I was particularly impressed about the section on the historical Leeuwin Estate Concert series. Denis Horgan saw creativity as something permanent, much more than simply a passing trend, and had been holding, at Leeuwin Estate, annual outdoor concerts featuring different musicians and performers. Denis Horgan is the organizer of this amazing series of concerts which is in its 24th year this year. Denis Horgan was the real thing.

It wasn’t until 10 years later that I met him out of the blue in Melbourne, when a wine distributor with whom I have a very good relationship brought the two of us together.

During that meeting, Denis told me that winemaking requires outstanding skills, outstanding ingredients and outstanding creativity. As the research facility at Denis’ winery continues to improve on its cutting-edge technology, the grapes would be the finest available.

But the additional key is the winemaker’s creativity. And it is because Denis understood the importance of this that the Leeuwin Art Series continues to attract so much acclaim.

Leeuwin Estate is the manifestation of the harmony of food, wine and creativity.

For many years, my dream was to attend a Leeuwin concert once I’d achieved success.

This was of great significance to me. Doing so would represent the realization of many goals that had – that I would one day develop and cultivate a deep understanding and appreciation of the arts, that I would have the time to go to Margaret River, that I would become the sort of person that was able to attend such an event, and that I would have the means to pay to attend this event.

Back in those days, I wore very basic clothing, I was stuck in the restaurant all day, after which I would go home, barely get enough sleep only to get up and go back to work again. In those days work dominated me emotionally and physically. I dreamt of the day when I would be able to attend this concert that cost hundreds of dollars. I told Denis about my dream, and he was interested in my story.

I never even imagined that the first time I would attend a Leeuwin Estate concert was as a guest of Denis Horgan.

It was time for me to go to the concert.

There are different entry levels, but the typical entry ticket enables the holder to sit on the lawn are that is much like a picnic area. These ticket holders arrive with a stylish basket called a gourmet hamper, containing food and wine, and sit on the lawn and relax until the concert begins at 7:30.

The crowd was huge, the food and wine delicious. People sat in the dappled shade, surrounded by nature, enjoying themselves in a typical leisurely Australian fashion.

We were invited to a buffet party. There was a constant flow of wine and food, but I was too distracted to pay attention to what was being served. I was very nervous knowing that I had to thank Denis. I saw Denis standing amongst the celebrities in tuxedos and evening dresses. In my eyes, Denis appeared the most stylish in that sea of tuxedos. I was still an inexperienced chef who hadn’t built up a career, and I felt intimidated by Denis. In fact, I was so nervous that I found myself unable to approach him, and in the end didn’t even thank him. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Denis from the bottom of my heart.

Everyone was happy and relaxed and with perfect timing, the music slowly began and the audience’s attention was drawn to the sounds that filled the air. The concert was informal and very entertaining, the audience relaxed. The entertainers injected humor into the performance as we all enjoyed the music.

The audience was captivated by the orchestra and the singing and the effects of the wine being poured into their glasses as evening began to fall. The forest was lit up and a fantasy-like vision of the stage seemed to float under the starry sky. At times people simply listened to the music, at other times they sang along with the performers, while at other times they clapped to the rhythm of the music.

Yvonne Kenny, the main attraction, stood on the stage and announced that the Leeuwin Concert was the best outdoor concert in Australia. She is absolutely right. Tenor David Hobson was clearly enjoying himself, as was everyone else that was present. Guy Noble, the WASO conductor, then praised Denis Horgan. After listening to the wonderful music by wonderful artists, everyone in the audience stood up and clapped. I clapped for another great artist who wasn’t on stage.

Many people came together at this venue and were moved by the performance. Denis has created a venue that enabled music, food and wine and people to come together. I truly believe that these concerts represent a wonderful example of art and creativity.

I would like to applaud Denis Horgan and thank him again.

Masahiko Iga (Translated by Lotte Lawrence)