TWO Armidale musicians have travelled to Sydney to share and extend their musical skills during the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) Chamber Music Camp.
Lachlan O’Donnell, violinist (21), and Stephanie Arnold, cellist (22), were at Shore School, North Sydney, for two intensive weeks of tutorials with professional chamber musicians, followed by a series of performances and master classes.
This year’s chamber music camp will coincide with the inaugural Musica Viva Festival and will give the musicians an opportunity to perform throughout the camp.
“It’s really packed with lots of good rehearsals and concerts and a chance for us to see really great musicians perform as well as get their expertise on the repertoire that we’re practising,” said Stephanie.
“It’s just a fantastic experience to get really the best advice that’s around at the moment.
“The string quartet I’m working with did another AYO program as a residency in Armidale earlier in March, so that was really good.
“We had a chance to come together then and now this is another chance for us to get together and play.”
Both Stephanie and Lachlan will be given the chance to learn from some of the musical minds both local and international.
They will hone their skills with Juilliard String Quartet music director Joel Smirmoff, the Australian String Quartet and the Eggner Trio.
“We’ve been put into quartets and trios and they’ve given us music to play and were going to be doing concerts in the last few days as part of the Musica Viva Festival,” Lachlan said.
“Leading up to that time we’ll have master classes and tutors who come and help us.”
Both students have a history of music in Armidale.
“I grew up in Armidale and started playing violin when I was about four,” said Lachlan.
“I finished school in Armidale and played in the Armidale Youth Orchestra and the Armidale Symphony, then I moved up to Brisbane and I’ve been there at the conservatorium for five years.”
Stephanie also began her music career locally.
“I started playing the cello when I was about six, learning from Sue Metcalfe while I was in Armidale, played all through school and then decided that it was something I really loved and wanted to keep doing,” she said.
“So I moved up to Brisbane to study at the Queensland Conservatory.
“I studied there for four years and got a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and this year I’ve moved to Melbourne.
“I’m planning to do some more study maybe next year or the year after and just keep doing a lot of playing.”
The camp will mark the end of the AYO programs for the year, so both Lachlan and Stephanie will be looking forward to a break from their busy schedules.
But 2009’s renewed programs aren’t far from their minds.
“Next year there’s a whole new season of AYO programs which I hope to do,” Stephanie said.
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