This term, many Cello students at NECOM have been preparing their scales and repertoire for AMEB exams and upcoming performances in the Armidale Eisteddfod.
While all this practice is going on it’s often hard to balance school work with the number of performances and ensemble projects to which many of NECOM’s students commit. I would especially like to thank the PLC Cello Ensemble for their performance at the Rotary District Conference on the 9th of March.
“I hope the musicians enjoyed their performances, and I know that all the audiences did so. I had many, many comments, at the time and later, of appreciation for their splendid efforts.”
John Thwaites, Rotary District Conference 2018
I would like to thank all the Cellists (and parents of these Cellists!) who attended the Scales parties on the 21st of March. Even though many of you had to come straight from Soccer practice, it was important for these students to perform their scales in front of their peers.
At the party, we were joined by some of Arlene Fletcher’s Double Bass Students to read through some scales and arpeggios. Special prizes were awarded on the day to Amelie van der Werf and Maddie George for the best scales.
The Necom Cello Studio Concert was on the 28th of March. We were very lucky to have not one, but two great accompanists on the evening, Mr Warwick Dunham and Mrs Robyn Bradley. Thanks goes out to these accompanists for their ongoing work with the students in preparation for these performances. Congratulations to all the Cello students who performed.
Seb Brotherson (the brave) kicked off the concert with a fine rendition of the Happy Farmer. Giles Buckland, not happy with just the one piece, performed two of his pieces from his AMEB exam program. Eloise Williams played a very organized Rhythm Fever, Jade Foster played her Chase in the Dark, Lauren Fenton performed a Gavotte by Popper, Lulu Thomson performed May Song, Chris Ramazani performed Poems, Youp van Deurzen performed 2 minuets by J.S.Bach and Xavier Walsh performed Waltz Sentimentale. The standout performances were by Caitlin Hansford, playing the 1st Prelude from J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite in G major, Randall Bollenhagen, playing the 1st movement of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C, and Sarah Hughes with a professional run of Popper’s 5th Etude.
Keep up the hard work Celli, see you all in Term Two.
Robert Jackson