By JO HARRISON
YOUNG local string musicians rubbed shoulders with top performers from the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s little sister, the ACO2, at a three-hour workshop at the Old Teachers College auditorium last Wednesday.
ACO2 were in Armidale to perform at the Armidale Town Hall on the latest leg of their regional tour of New South Wales and Queensland.
The ACO2 musicians worked with students on their performance skills and interpretation of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Movement 1 and Edvard Greig Holberg Suite movements 1 and 2.
Year 9 student Isabella ‘Izzy’ Emmanuel from PLC Armidale was thrilled to have the opportunity to play cello with the ACO’s principal Cellist Timo-Veikko Valve from Finland.
“It was amazing, he is an incredible player and I have never come across a player quite like him,” Izzy said.
“Sitting in the front with him enabled me to learn a lot about different bowing and fingering – it was incredible.”
At the conclusion of the workshop, students performed under concert conditions with the musicians. New England Conservatorium of Music Director Susanne James said that it was an incredible opportunity.
“I think the students were surprised and incredibly excited being able to work with such great musicians and within three hours to play three movements from major string works that are the core of the repertoire, and to do it so well,” she said.
“Those pieces are not easy and they did a tremendous job. I would love to see them have another opportunity like this.”
