Selby & Friends’ season-opener presents works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Smetana whose keys outline a basic musical chord in root position – in this case the chord outlining C,E flat,G. Joining Artistic Director/Pianist Kathryn Selby for this stirring program are favourite guests, brilliant violinist and AWO leader Natalie Chee and SSO Co-Principal Cellist Umberto Clerici.

Come and play some string chamber music for an afternoon!  Open to string players of all ages, AMEB Gr 5+ (or Equivalent). Come as an individual player or as preformed groups, but do expect some “partner swapping!”. If you have a piece you’ve always wanted to play, bring it along or borrow a duo, trio or quartet from our selection to read through. Bring a plate to share and a friend or 2 or 3! Share the chamber music LOVE!

This is a free event, but please sign up on our Facebook event page so we have an estimate of numbers.  For more information, contact AUSTA WA .

‘TOTALLY ADDICTED TO BASS’

An afternoon of Bass with Robert Nairn

2 – 5pm Sunday 3rd March 2019

An afternoon of Bass with Robert Nairn including a recital, history, technique, masterclass and mass bass ensemble reading afternoon.

Meet new colleagues, ask questions and find out how to cure your addiction to bass!

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A BOOKING

COST:
Members: $10
Non Members; $25
Concession: $15

ENQUIRIES: austavicpresident@outlook.com

VENUE:
Xavier College
Marron Hall – Music School
135 Barkers Road
Kew VIC 3101

Marron Hall is located near Entrance 6 on Stanley Street. Parking is available within the school grounds. If in doubt, head towards the Chapel and look out for the AUSTA signs.

A pedagogy workshop for teachers of all string instruments led by:

Goetz Richter

Date & Time: 17^th March 2019, 10.15am – 3.00pm

10.30am – 12.30pm Presentation, lunch will be provided

1.15 – 2.00pm mini masterclass

2.00-3.00pm bring your instrument and try Goetz’s ideas all together!

Venue: Canberra Girls Grammar School, Music Centre

Cost:

AUSTA Member: $30.00

Non Member: $45.00

Student: $15.00

Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/469307

Contact: louise.butler@optusnet.com.au

Goetz Richter is a renowned violinist, teacher and thinker with a dual background in music and philosophy. He is currently Associate Professor at the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music where he co-ordinates performance studies for violinists. As a performer he has held positions as Associate Concertmaster with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (1987-2002), Concertmaster of the Queensland Theatre Orchestra and Associate Principal Violin in the Melbourne Symphony. Richter has appeared as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe and with pianist Jeanell Carrigan he has given recital performances throughout Australia and in Europe, appeared for Musica Viva and performed in broadcasts for the ABC. He is the founding artistic director of the Kendall National Violin Competition. His students have been internationally successful and hold positions with major Australian and European Orchestras. Richter’s approach to violin pedagogy concentrates on achieving efficient and effective progress without fuss for students of all levels and backgrounds. His method of work emphasises clarity, autonomy and freedom of thought and enhances attention and responsibility. He seeks to work beyond a closed territorial mindset that still determines much of contemporary performance teaching in stridently competitive contexts.

AUSTA VIC Presents – “Strings Together” with Karen Kyriakou

Sunday 17^th March 2019

(PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE TO THE 17TH MARCH)

2 – 4pm

Strings Together caters for classes of mixed instruments and multi-level groups. Activities
are aural based and explore technical work, ensemble skills, composing, arranging and
improvisation.

17^th March 2019:  2 – 4pm

Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Level 3, Q365 – 234 Queensberry Street
University of Melbourne
Vic 3010 Australia

COST: Members $10, Non-Members $25, Concession $15

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

Enquiries: austavicpresident@outlook.com

ROBIN WILSON and HOWARD PENNY

Following a remarkable workshop in 2018, Robin Wilson (Violin) and Howard Penny (Cello) will both return in 2019. Members that attended the 2018 September event keenly indicated that they would like to see more of this dynamic duo of pedagogy. For all AUSTA Q members this will surely be two inspirational days of unmissable workshops.

Professional performers and teachers from around Australia offering a series of workshops, professional development, performance opportunities and introduction to string instruments for young children!

CLICK on a poster below to see details for the following events:

Introduction to Strings for kids! ;Violin Teacher Training ;String Performers Festival ;Cello Teacher Training ;Performance Skills and Anxiety ;Violin and Viola Left-Hand Technique ;String Orchestra Playing and Conducting.

BOOK NOW! www.trybooking.com/466634

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_Festival Flyer_All events

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_Two Part Invention_Flyer_Poster (Introduction to Strings for Kids!)

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_Teacher Training_Beginner Violin_James de Rozario

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_String Performers Festival_Concert

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_Beginner Cello_Teaching_Posture Bowhold_Louise Butler

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_Performance skills strategies and anxiety_Louise Butler

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_violin and viola_left hand technique_Agnes Weinstein

AUSTA TAS STRINGMANIA_String Orchestra Big Play_Reading Conducting_Louise Butler

2019 Melbourne String Orchestra Festival

Sunday May 19, 2019

12:15 – 4:00pm

Venue:

Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School – Performing Arts Centre
123 Marshall Street Ivanhoe VIC 3079

(Enter near the corner of Noel St & Lower Heidelburg Road)

Audience Concert Entry: Gold coin donation

To participate contact Julie Hewison – austavicstringorchfestival@gmail.com

2019 Canberra String Festival

24th to 26th May 2019

• Details to be advised

For more details visit the Canberra String Festival website

Paul McDermott Violin Scholarship 2019

Entries will soon open for the 2019 Paul McDermott Violin Scholarship. A prize of $1500 is awarded to a violinist  younger than 15 years on 1st July 2019 and resident of Victoria. The prize is to aid further study and a public performance at an AUSTA event.

Auditions will be held on Sunday 23rd June 2019 at Scotch College Melbourne.

Enquiries & further details are available from Karina Di Sisto at paulmcdermottscholarship@gmail.com

(Entries open Mon 11th Mar and close Fri 14th June. Registration Fee $35.)

Applicants are required to play: One movement from any unaccompanied Bach Violin Sonata or Partita. 1st movement of a Mozart or Haydn Concerto with cadenza. A work of own choice (not a Concerto Movement).

The Story Behind the Scholarship

Young Victorian violinists are invited annually to apply for the scholarship that bears Paul McDermott’s name but few know the story behind the man and the scholarship.

The scholarship was created in 1980 by an anonymous local music lover and benefactor. Paul McDermott was chosen as the dedicatee for the scholarship as he was a much loved local violinist and conductor. He served as the chief conductor of the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra from 1960 – 1973 and was founder and president of the Australian Musicians’ Guild.

The guild was established in 1971 and gave regular concerts including Music in the Round which became a fixture in the musical life of Melbourne from 1972 to 1985. It involved a whole weekend of music at an historic venue such as Werribee Mansion or the Abbotsford Convent. This also became the perfect event to showcase the talents of the annual recipient of the Paul McDermott scholarship where they had the chance to play alongside professional Australian chamber musicians and international guests. The Music in the Round concerts unfortunately came to an end when Paul McDermott died in 1985. Until that year he had continued to work tirelessly as both artistic director and a busy performer. The Australian Musicians’ Guild also folded in 1996 at which time the running of the scholarship was entrusted to AUSTA.

In recent years there have been two resurrections of Music in the Round, one by oboist Jeff Crellin at Monash University, and another for the 10 year anniversary of the Abbotsford Convent Foundation in 2014 directed by Chris Howlett. The legacy lives on with a prestigious award to add to any young violinist’s biography, a prize of $1500 to aid further study, and a public performance at an AUSTA event. Violinists that reside in Victoria and are younger than 15 years on July 1st 2017 are invited to apply for this year’s scholarship.

Bibliography: Cooke, Max. The Australian Musicians’ Guild [online]. Australian Journal of Music  education, No. 9, Oct 1971: 47-48.

AUSTA Victoria presents –

 2019 String Performers Festival                           

We are very excited to be presenting our sixth String Performers Festival – a welcoming, non-competitive performance opportunity for students. String students of all levels are welcome and all performers will receive written feedback and a trophy or medallion.

 Sunday, June 23

9am – 2pm

There will be five sessions on the day to choose from – make sure you choose the right one when booking your place!  A Festival Accompanist will be available for Preliminary – Grade 4 pieces on the day (sessions 1, 2, 3 and 4 only). Please note that performers may play one piece only up to a maximum of 4 minutes.

Session One:     9.00 – 10.00am       Festival Accompanist Available

Session Two:     10.00 – 11.00am     Festival Accompanist Available

Session Three:  11.00– 12.00pm      Festival Accompanist Available

Session Four:     12.00 – 1.00pm      Festival Accompanist Available

Session Five:      1.00 – 2.00pm        BYO Accomp or play on your own

Senior players are always welcome to perform at the Festival, however the day tends towards beginner and middle level players.

(Entries open Monday 1st April and close Friday 21st June.)

AUSTA VIC 2019 String Performers Festival

Scotch College Music School – Keith Humble Auditorium

1 Morrison Street

HAWTHORN VIC 3122

Cost: $25 per performer / $10 per additional family performer

Enquiries: austavicpresident@outlook.com

2019 VCE String Masterclass

Sunday August 18, 2019

Bookings open in June

Students in Years 11 and 12 preparing for VCE string performance examinations are invited to perform in this masterclass with our distinguished guest presenter. Year 11 International Baccalaureate string students are also welcome to apply for a performance place. Students preparing for Group Performance are encouraged to bring their ensemble to benefit from playing in front of a live audience.

Our string pedagogue for 2016 is Lisa Grosman.

Lisa Grosman has returned to live in Australia after nearly 15 years as a member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. During this time she toured extensively throughout Europe, America and Asia, working with directors such as Anthony Marwood, Richard Tognetti, Maxim Vengerov, Gabor Takacs-Nagy, and Steven Isserlis. In 2015 Lisa was appointed to the Monash University String Faculty to nurture and encourage the study of the viola.

Lisa began learning Suzuki Method violin aged five, later studying with Alice Waten at both the Sydney Conservatorium and the Australian Institute of Music. She served as Concertmaster of the Australian Youth Orchestra and while attending a program at ANAM, she met Esther van Stralen (Principal Viola, SSO) and Irina Morozova (Goldner Quartet), and became fascinated with the viola. This led to masterclasses at ANAM with Professor Bruno Giuranna. After receiving a scholarship to join his class at the University of Limerick, Lisa travelled to Ireland, completing a Master of Arts in Classical String Performance. She studied with Professor Giuranna for a further two years in Cremona, Italy.

For four years, Lisa was the Director of Strings for the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s Education and Outreach Project in inner city Limerick, teaching over 300 children in an El Sistema inspired program. Aside from her work with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Lisa was the solo violist in the contemporary music group “Crash Ensemble” for nine years, working with artists such as Arvo Part, Steve Reich and Gavin Bryars. She was also very involved with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, and was a guest examiner at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Since her return to Australia, Lisa has taught at the University of Queensland, been Guest Principal Viola of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and also performed with ACO, MSO and the Australian World Orchestra. She is a guest teacher at Suzuki workshops and has set up a relationship between the Pizzicato Effect and students at Monash University students.

Lisa has received numerous awards and scholarships including the major prize from the Australian Music Foundation in London. Lisa’s viola was purchased with assistance from the E.V.Llewellyn Memorial Fund.

Concerto Day

8 September 2019

Concerto Day is an excellent opportunity for students to experience rehearsing and performing with an ensemble. To participate in Concerto Day, students will need to register and nominate their preferred concerto. 

Please note that some concertos can be run as a mass concerto with many students playing the same work simultaneously, however most concertos will be first in, best dressed. Students will only be able to perform one movement. 

The orchestra will be comprised of AUSTA ACT members and other adults or advanced student volunteers. On the 8th of September rehearsals will be scheduled in timeslots from 9.30am where students will be able to rehearse with the orchestra. It is expected that students will have rehearsed their concerto with an accompanist at their own expense prior to Concerto Day to ensure that they are confident playing with accompaniment. 

The day will conclude with a concert at 3.00pm where students can perform their concerto movement to friends and family.

The concertos will be:

TBC