Torquay artist Maximillian Rudd is heading “home” to be a part of Australia’s biggest celebration of sailing, the Festival of Sails.
The talented guitarist who is at the forefront of an international Brazilian guitar explosion, may live in Melbourne these days but the former St Joseph’s College student who was born and raised in Torquay, takes any opportunity he can get to head down the highway.
“Any performance in Geelong is a homecoming,” he says.
Rudd, who has attended the Festival of Sails once as a patron is looking forward to exploring more of the Festival of Sails (which runs from January 26 to 28), this time around.
“It’s really nice to come back. It’s a great time of the year (summer holidays) and a fantastic place to be at that time of the year without a doubt.”
The Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula and that whole area (Geelong region) is just a buzz at this time of the year,” he says.
“It’s a really important part of my life (growing up in Torquay). My mum and dad and all of my brothers still live there so I am often there.”
“My dad has been there (Torquay) since the sixties, my mum, who was born and raised in Geelong has been in Torquay since the seventies,” Rudd says.
“I went to school in Geelong at St Joseph’s along with all of my six brothers. I was very much raised in the region. I am currently living in Melbourne but that is only because of university commitments. I dream of getting back to the surf coast in my later career.”
Rudd, 25, is one of about 30 artists who will entertain crowds over the three-day Festival of Sails.
The performances are free of charge. Rudd will perform for the crowds at the Waterfront Stage, Eastern Beach Reserve on Monday, January 28 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.
The accomplished guitarist has recently finished his Masters of Music at the University of Melbourne, where he presented his thesis on Brazilian music, which he has pursued extensively both in Australia and in South America.
While music does run in the family – Maximillian’s older brother is veteran Aussie singer/songwriter Xavier – Rudd said the musical gene must have skipped a generation.
“We were all taught – my brother and I do it for a career but four out of seven of us play today and enjoy music very much. Mum and dad weren’t very musical but my grandparents on both sides were,” he says.
“My grandfather was a European migrant in Geelong in the fifties and he was in the St Mary’s choir at the church and loved his music. My nanna on the other side was a professional pianist and played for ballet schools in Melbourne in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.”
When he does get the chance to head home, Rudd says he enjoys visiting his mum and dad, hitting the waves with his brothers, something they did as young kids and visiting his 12 nieces and nephews who are all going to schools in the area.
“I played in Geelong last year at Costa Hall, supporting my brother and it was incredible. It was a nice mix of people who didn’t know me and people who had been supporting me for years. The year before that I launched my album in Torquay.”
Rudd will be recording in July and touring in September and October.
He will return to Geelong on May 18 to perform at the Geelong Library as part of the WindFire Festival. His other Geelong performance is a Brazilian music special at St Mary’s Basilica on Sunday, July 28.
“This year I will be playing a couple of concerts and a smaller tour with a flautist and I am also hoping to record the second album of my solo career which will be really different, but following a similar vein to the first once which came out about two years ago.”
Maximillian Rudd will perform at the Waterfront Stage, Eastern Beach on Monday, January 28, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm, (free performance) during the Festival of Sails.
The Eastern Beach Reserve area does not require a wristband. It will operate from 10am until 9pm (Saturday and Sunday), and 10am until 5pm (Monday).
However, while free of charge to the public, the Regatta Village area is a controlled area after 5pm and wristbands are mandatory for access. Wristbands are not available at the gate.
There are no wristbands left for Saturday evening with a strictly limited number of wristbands available for Sunday evening. Music fans are urged to register early to avoid disappointment. Wristband registrations are limited to two per person.
Members of the public can register for wristbands to gain access on Sunday night online via Try Booking at https://www.trybooking.com/YULR
For details about the 2019 Festival of Sails, visit www.festivalofsails.com.au