Issue 10 - Sarah Thawer - October 2019

I’m playing music is to connect with the
audience. I always imagine my 91 year
old grandmother sitting in the audience.
Will she connect with me and the
music though my fast paradiddles or
through the intense chord changes or
odd time signatures? No. She will connect
with how I am feeling, my expression
and my emotion while I’m playing.
Another completely different motivation
to continue my innate ability
to display showmanship was, because
of a frustration I had growing up. The
frustration was not understanding
why musicians get treated differently
than the artists. It never made sense to
me as why drummers are sometimes
hidden in the back and people don’t
know what the name of the drummers
are. Drummers are the glue that hold
the band together. As mentioned earlier,
my goal became to prove to myself
that I could be a drummer-artist. That
I would be recognised for who I am and
not only for whom I play for and am associated
with.
You talk about everyone being proud individuals,
and being healthy on social media.
Do you feel judged on social media?
Or are you excited about being watched
by peers?
It depends how you look at it; glass half
empty or half full. I feel very excited
about sharing my drumming as it’s just
an extension of who I am. Maybe some
people judge, I don’t know. I consciously
choose not to look in that direction
or think about it that way.
You are very into developing positivity,
and it’s amazing. Does it stem from family
morals, from past experiences, or are
you just a great person in general?
Thank you. :-) I grew up with my grandparents
living with us all my life. With
my parents being only children, my
twin sister and I had to be an adult before
our time. I got to witness what matters
at an age where you lose your ability
to walk, talk, eat, your memory, basically
things that we take for granted. I
learned at a young age that nothing is
permanent, and we are not entitled to
anything. So that whatever we have, be
grateful. Whatever you don’t have, still
be grateful. Being so close with my three
September 2019 | SA DRUMMER | 37