I come from a theatrical family. [His father Rob Brookman is a leading arts executive, his mother Verity Laughton is a playwright and his brothers Geordie and Kit direct and act, respectively.] There was music in the background at home – and quite a broad range from symphonic music to opera. I remember The Beatles constantly being played.

Torben Brookman

Torben Brookman. Photo supplied

Growing up in Adelaide, I did a couple of years of violin and guitar – but horribly mind you! [I didn’t play] to any level of accomplishment; it was one of those things that you did through school. As I grew up, I was most interested in rock and pop music, and it probably wasn’t until my twenties that my tastes started to mature.

I did a Bachelor of Science [at the end of which] I secured an honours place in exercise physiology and was all set to go back the following year. But then, as you do, I was looking for a summer job and the opportunity came up to work at WOMADelaide as an operations assistant. I was one of the people liaising with the...