Meet our Emerge Interns: Rufus Corfield

Find out about the current Peterborough Presents interns on our Emerge training programme! Our next trainees are due to start in April for their intense six month training programme where they’ll get an inside look into the world of being a sustainable artist in Peterborough and beyond, and work together to help build on Peterborough’s growing creative sector.

First up, introducing musician Rufus Corfield.

What is my artform?

I see my music as a foot tapping fusion of world styles, often reprising into well known hits from throughout the ages. I see it as being accessible to both all people who play music themselves, as well as anyone who enjoys listening to any one or more of most kinds of music.

Who/what inspires me?

I am inspired by anyone who can sculpt a lifestyle that they love to live. Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello is a good example of this. There was also someone who gave us training for the Beat Orchestra, Paul. He travels the world giving music workshops and training sessions.

Over the past few years I have expanded from the ska and reggae of Sublime, Fat Freddy’s Drop and The Specials to include more diverse genres of Rap, Folk, Jazz and everything between, admiring artists such as  John Langan, the Devil Makes Three, Whiskey Moon Face and LazyHabits

What does Peterborough mean to me?

Peterborough is home to me. As I see it, Peterborough has an element of that village dynamic; almost everyone knows each other. This does not have to be a problem, if we can work together to promote each other’s events, share contacts, etc. Networking is our most important tool in this industry, and this tells me a lot of the groundwork is done, but it will take for all of Peterborough’s musicians and artists. There is a culture of competition which can be healthy if it is fundamentally friendly. Share of Youtube views between the artist’s page and the cameraperson’s page must surely be shareable by technological wizardry? At the moment I see too much effort being put into whose account will be the one to upload the video(and benefit from the increased traffic), and less about getting it out there to as many eyes and ears as possible. I have heard the creative ecosystem of Peterborough described as a vacuum. There are negative undertones to this statement but logically speaking this should give any creatives a massive advantage over working in other areas. Everything can and should be viewed as an opportunity.

What is my dream job/Goal?

Anything that could allow me to travel perpetually, without being limited by how much money is left. While teaching English as a foreign language may be key, in terms of music, busking might help but in an ideal world I would like to make music for films and computer games and travel around on the royalties, channeling my efforts into making a name for myself and whatever band or solo project I will be playing live shows with on the road.  If given the freedom to do this, I would also set up community music sessions wherever I go, but also return to Peterborough eventually to share everything I will learn and hear by going beyond the hills as I have not really done yet.

Find out more about Rufus’ solo work on his Facebook Page, Here is his band Opaque, with I Need Reminding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5zhiKysBzU