Alanna Jones will become a full time member of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra early next year. Photo/Supplied
Northland musician Alanna Jones has just landed her dream job as a member of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The 29-year-old double bass player will take up her place in February next year.
Jones said securing the role with the country's national orchestra was a "life goal" achieved.
"It has been the whole goal for the last 10 years of my life."
Getting the spot was no easy feat.
She had an audition in October last year. The audition had three rounds. For the first two rounds she played behind a screen to a panel. The final round was without a screen.
At the end of the day she was offered a three month trial with the orchestra. She had the trial between March and June this year.
She evidently impressed. About a month ago she signed a contract to become a fulltime member from February next year.
"I'm really stoked about it.
"That's the whole reason I went overseas to study, so I could win a job in New Zealand."
The American-born musician said she loves living in New Zealand, where she has friends and family.
"I've always wanted to have my main job playing in an orchestra."
Jones said she will be living in Wellington but said the orchestra tours around the country a lot.
Jones was born near Chicago in the United States, but lived in Wisconsin before moving to New Zealand, where her father is from, when she was 11.
She lived in Russell and then moved to Whangārei.
"I played the piano when I was seven, that was when I started music."
Then she picked up the harp when she was 16.
Jones was part of Whangārei Youth Music and it was there she was introduced to the double bass. The orchestra needed a bass player and she was asked to do the job.
"I ended up taking it home. I taught myself for about a year."
It was the team work environment of bass playing that drew her in, compared with the more stand-alone role of the harp.
"The job the bass provides is like a cushion for the orchestra to sit on."
Jones was accepted into the Auckland Philharmonic Summer School programme, and then went on to complete her undergraduate degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Then she joined the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra fellowship programme, before heading back overseas where she completed her masters in double bass performance at Rice University in Texas and spent two years in the Tanglewood fellowship programme with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Jones has spent the past two years in the Sydney Symphony fellowship programme and is going on tour with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in November.
Sistema's Fiona Douglas worked with Jones at Whangārei Youth Music and said she has always been very determined.
"We're all very proud of her."
Douglas said Jones' success would encourage young Northland musicians to follow their passions, and it shows them that there are jobs in the arts.
NZSO Section Principal Percussion Emeritus Bruce McKinnon is also linked to Northland.
He lives in Kerikeri, but continues to perform in the NZSO by commuting to Wellington for rehearsals and tours.
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