Yesterday, I attended the Sydney Conservatorium Open Day. The Con. A place of history and prestige. Once a week for 16 weeks last year I had attended this music school but still I turn up giddy on its doorstep.
Arriving just a little before noon, I saw and experienced many things - a Saxophone orchestra (made up of first to fourth year students from both classical and jazz majors), the Con Big Band (some swinging, foot-tapping music), a singing showcase, a cello ensemble, a woodwind ensemble, some real authentic jazz in the cafe. It's worth mentioning I sat in on 2 workshops - one composition, the other improvisation. The AWSUM! project is a class made up of students and people who pretty much walked off the street with their instruments on the day and decided they wanted to play. Two hours later, they're on stage, mixing it with the tomorrow stars :)
It was, as expected, a very pleasant day but there were some unexpected extra-special moments – spotting an ex-colleague video taping the AWSUM! project (I recall him telling me how much he enjoys making videos and that is exactly what he was doing... ) and a fellow classmate from last year's composition class who was was part of a panel comprising of first-year composition students showcasing their composition to the public (and may I add how brave this is and that her saxophone solo really blew me away). She took the plunge and decided to start her career as a composer full-time. Good on you, Rebecca!
I've saved my favourite extra-special inspirational moment (what a mouthful!) for last. I had the honour of sharing this day with a best beloved. He keeps telling me he's not musical but by the end of the day, we were in all different directions based on our interests. So whilst I was having a poke around at the cello and woodwind ensembles and discretely swinging to jazz in the cafe, he was, with much consideration for others, sitting on the staircase of a packed-out auditorium attentively listening to some beautiful singing then marching on with keenness to ensure a seat for the open academy showcase (the kiddies show, he would refer to it). I was most proud and still carry around that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from knowing that someone's world has just become that teensy wee bigger :) Oh, it's worthwhile mentioning he really liked the ultra-likeable-ponytailed-wearing-black-t-shirts-with-bizarre-but-not-odd-pictures professors all oozing of coolness...
Anyway, enough of my rambles. Here’s some pics and a video of a cello duet (excuse my very poor phone camera quality but you can hear the music)… The cello duet is of a theme by Niccolo Pagainini. He's been described as the Beatles of his time, evoking charisma and virtuoso violin skills. Legend goes that whilst in prison with a battered fiddle, the strings of his fiddle broke off one by one until only one string remained... hence, this theme that is written completely on one string for the violin.
The video (tries to) capture a scholarship student at the Con who has transcribed this piece to cello. Brilliance upon brilliance... Enjoy!
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