Tutor, John Kellaway, from Newcastle University music faculty, returned to Taree recently to wow Sinfonia musicians with his brand of musical magic at a day-long workshop. Kellaway administered his mix of extraordinary musical skills, enthusiasm, patience, practicality, challenge, knowledge, lore and plain good fun. Though he is known to Sinfonia’s concert audiences for his guest trumpet performances, Kellaway has conducted workshops for the brass, woodwind and percussion sections of the orchestra. He’s also led the whole orchestra in rehearsing its repertoire in an annual visit for some years running. Attendance on the day included two visiting musicians from Newcastle, as well as the 40-strong core members of the community orchestra of the Mid-North Coast. The music is being prepared for Sinfonia’s end-of-year concert series on November 26 and 27, and December 4. Works included the suite from Bizet’s popular opera, Carmen; the well-known Light Cavalry Overture; and a medley from the movie score of Pirates of the Carribean. Sinfonia, as a community orchestra, accepts players of all ages and performs for local communities up and down the mid-north coast. For the December series, the orchestra will share the program with the Port Macquarie Hastings Concert Band, for the concerts in November at the Glasshouse, and the Manning Entertainment Centre. For the final concert of the year in Tuncurry, the orchestra will augment the program to include many other pieces and will be joined by the string ensemble, Stringfonia.
