By TANIA PHILLIPS
CLASSICAL music returns to Tweed when the talented Allegro Trio play at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre on Sunday afternoon.
The trio, Vicky Hong on piano, Hugh Won – violin and Shaohua Chen-Merrett on cello proudly presents “Romantic Expressions”, a soulful repertoire of music from the romantic period, featuring:
Mendelssohn – Piano Trio no. 1, Elgar – Cello Concerto (first movement), Franck – Sonata in A major (fourth movement), Mendelssohn – Rondo Caprioccioso.
and a touch of the classical … Mozart – Piano Trio in B flat major (KV 502)
So who are Allegro?
Vicky Hong is a Gold Coast-based pianist, accompanist and teacher. She graduated with Honours in her Bachelor of Music and Piano Performance from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music before going on to complete her Masters Degree in Piano Performance at the University of Melbourne in 1998.
She is currently the accompanist for the Australian Youth Choir.
Hugh Won studied violin from the age of five, and obtained his Associate Diploma in 1991 while studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Hugh won the National Youth Concerto Competition in 1992. He was a finalist in the 2MBS-FM Young Performers Award and a state finalist in the ABC Young Performers Award. Hugh was one of the youngest members of the Australian Youth Orchestra and took part in seven international concert tours. He now performs regularly with the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra and is an orthopaedic surgeon in his spare time.
Shaohua Chen-Merrett started cello lessons at the age of 12 at the Shenyang Conservatory of Music in north-east China. She went on to graduate with a degree in cello performance from the National Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
After graduation, Shaohua was sent to work as a farm labourer for five years where she was unable to play any musical instrument. On her release, she reconstructed her cello technique and played in Chinese opera houses in Shandong province.
Shaohua moved to Australia in 1996. In 2005 she completed her Masters Degree in Cello Performance at the University of Queensland’s School of Music. Shaohua was the principal cellist of Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra for 13 years.
Who: Allegro Trio
When: Sunday, 15 September, 2.30pm
Where: Tweed Heads Civic Centre
Tickets: Adults $28, concession $25, students $15
Interested?: To book your tickets please visit our website: www.allegrotrio.com.au or phone 0431 836 125.
