Oscar Lavën Photo: Bradley Garner Creative
When it comes to making music, Oscar Lavën dresses for success. The multi-talented multi-instrumentalist believes what you wear makes a difference to how you sound. People, he says, also listen with their eyes.
In Oscar's case that requires an extensive wardrobe, given his musical skills enable him to perform everything from military music to jazz, with a fair bit of classical in between.
This is a man who can take up the bassoon, sax, trumpet and trombone, to name a few.
In his latest gig, Oscar's on clarinet in a duet with guitarist Adrian Jensen, playing the music of Django Reinhardt in the Wellington Jazz Festival.
Their partnership goes back to Oscar's early days in Wellington, when he arrived in a student hostel. He heard the sound of a guitar wafting down the corridor, followed his ears and found Adrian.
Getting back to what he wears, Oscar told Three to Seven host Bryan Crump that his objective as a musician is to entertain as many people as he can in as many genres as he can. To that end, costume and dress play a far larger part than many musicians acknowledge.
He certainly walks his talk.
You can see how Oscar lifts the look of RNZ Concert's Wellington studio in this selfie with Bryan.
Multi instrumentalist, Oscar Lavën, radio host, Bryan Crump. Photo: Bryan Crump
There's no doubt Bryan has the better face for radio. Oscar, however, definitely rocks the publicity shots, as Bryan was happy to point out to listeners.
Here's one from a photo shoot of Oscar out on the road.
Oscar Lavën Photo: Daniel Batkin-Smith themammalgroup.com
Given the importance Oscar places on his sartorial side, how does he feel about the trend among classical orchestras to move away from straight-laced attire?
Ironically, says Oscar, he bought a black tailcoat when he first started working for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, just as it was switching to a more casual dress code.
It's currently languishing in the wardrobe. But then, maybe it'd be perfect for the Django gig...
