Issue 47 Aurora Magazine April 2022

More documents

Recommendations

Info

engage KATHRYN MACNEIL Musical Director and Conductor for Albany Sinfonia STORY ADAM MORRIS We catch up with Kathryn MacNeil from Albany Sinfonia to chat about life changes, self sufficiency and her lifelong love of all things musical. You’re relatively new to the Great Southern Kathryn and have been on quite a musical journey to get here, what has brought you our way? I moved from Perth to Mount Barker in 2018 with my Scottish husband Steve and our two daughters to enjoy the space and simplicity of a rural lifestyle. We bought a beautiful property which we have named Thistlebank Estate, where we are slowly becoming self-sufficient. Previous to this, I worked as a music teacher, performer and community leader in Perth and Scotland. I studied music education at the University of Western Australia, specialising in the oboe, and went on to develop a strong desire to inspire people to learn and love music in all its forms. My most fulfilling musical experiences have been directing a ceilidh band and gaelic choir on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and building a fantastic jazz band at a respected catholic college in Perth’s northern suburbs. The Albany Sinfonia has been a local community institution for a number of years now, how did you come to be involved? Yes Albany Sinfonia is a community music organisation, which was formed in 1997 and offers orchestral rehearsing and performing opportunities to community musicians of all ages, living in Albany, Denmark and the Shire of Plantagenet. Players come together once a week to rehearse and we perform three concert series a year. The orchestra is governed by a volunteer committee and has a large number of members. Musicians of a high standard are always welcome to join. When I arrived in the Great Southern Region, I connected with Albany Sinfonia quickly and took on the role of oboe player for a year. Following that in 2020, I was contracted as the Music Director and Conductor and have enjoyed this role since then. It has been a tumultuous couple of years, having to deal with lockdowns, public health restrictions and the like, all of which have had a big impact on our organisation. However, the strength of our orchestra lies in the passion for music that is shared by our players and we continue to perform to enthusiastic crowds. LEFT: Kathryn MacNeil ready for a concert at Albany Town Hall. Picnic hampers ready to go or made to order. Delicious, fresh gourmet food cooked daily to take away. Gift baskets made to order. A gorgeous range of local produce, homewares, cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. www.whollylocal.com.au Ph: 08 9899 4486 3/9 South Coast Highway, Denmark Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10.00am to 4.30pm, Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm, Sunday closed 12 LOVE LOCAL
engage WELCOME TO Playing in a community group like the Sinfonia must be very different from the larger organisations in Perth, what has been the highlight of the Sinfonia so far? Directing a community orchestra is both challenging and extremely fulfilling. The highlight of my experience in the role would be the ongoing privilege of being the conduit which brings together beautiful musicians and beautiful music – performing Beethoven’s famous 5th Symphony at the newly refurbished Albany Town Hall, presenting an engaging musical story to young audiences and sharing the talents of some of the Great Southern Region’s finest classical musicians. JEWELLERY • ART • CERAMIC Did you grow up in a musical family, where do you think your love of music came from? I do not belong to a family of musicians - rather a family who share a strong love and appreciation of music and who have supported me on my musical journey. I have worked hard throughout my life to become a good musician and have been inspired by many great musical leaders as well as amazing students over the years. Opportunities to perform as a classical oboist, sing with West Australian Orchestra Chorus, play in a number of pit orchestras around Perth, enjoying ‘round table’ traditional music sessions in Scotland and Ireland and direct talented musicians and students, have helped fuel my love and understanding of music. I was recently accepted into the Perth Symphony Orchestra’s Women on the Podium program, which offers a series of conducting workshops with respected conductors such as Jessica Gethin and Alice Farnham. This was an amazing opportunity for me to develop my understanding of being an orchestra conductor and has definitely fuelled my ambition as a leader in the local arts industry. There are not many opportunities to listen to Baroque chamber music or Beethoven’s pastoral scores here in Albany, how has the response been to such an eclectic and varied program and how do you decide which pieces to tackle? As the Musical Director of Albany Sinfonia, it is my role to work with a committee to put together a series of programs that not only engage and inspire our players but also appeal to local audiences. We generally perform to full venues, and we always receive great feedback from those that come to our concerts. When planning our concerts, we try to cater for a range of different audiences, from the seasoned classical music lovers to the young music students and their families. • SCARVES • CUSHIONS • BOOKS • CARDS • CANDLES • SCULPTURE • WOOD • There have been some cancellations due to the pandemic but what is on the horizon for the Sinfonia now that restrictions are starting to ease? In May, we are hoping to perform a brilliant concert featuring local musician, Alan Burnfield as we premiere an instrumental arrangement of Elgar’s Sea Pictures (originally written for a female vocalist), the haunting Hebrides Overture and Beethoven’s stunning Pastoral Symphony. More information about our upcoming concerts can be found on our Facebook page or around town as we finalise the details. It is a very dramatic change moving from the big city to Mount Barker, what has been your impression of your new hometown? Life in the Great Southern region is wonderful, and I am so glad that my husband and I made the decision to move here. Not only have I had the opportunity to continue my musical journey with Albany Sinfonia, I have also had the chance to lead the development of tourism in the Shire of Plantagenet as the chairperson of Mount Barker Tourism and engross myself in the local community as a free-lance music teacher in schools. The Great Southern region has so much to offer both new residents and visitors alike opportunities to live a ‘city life’ while enjoying the natural bounties of the spectacular coastline to the south, the breathtaking mountains to the north and all the special places in between. Maybe that’s why our region is called the ‘Great’ Southern. Gallery Aura is quirky and stylish, featuring a diverse and colourful range of art works created by leading Western Australian artists. Drop in, explore and be inspired. Open over Easter except for Easter Sunday. 100 Albany Highway There’s an interesting opportunity coming up for local buglers, could you tell us about what’s on offer? The Albany Sinfonia team is about to launch a Horn Scholarship to help build our horn player numbers in the orchestra. The successful applicant will receive funding for professional lessons and the opportunity to play with Sinfonia for a year. Details of the application process will be available from albanysinfonia@gmail.com or contact us through our Facebook Page. Our organisation is always looking for additional financial support through partnerships, sponsorships and donations. We are grateful to our current supporters and encourage Great Southern businesses to consider connecting with us to help continue the work that we do in our local community. Music is vital in vibrant, healthy and harmonious communities and I urge community and business leaders to look for ways to fully support our regional arts organisations. Kojonup, Western Australia, 6395 Tel: + 61 8 9831 0480 Email: jill@galleryaura.com.au LOVE LOCAL 13
Page 1 and 2: FREE Aurora Issue 47 GREAT SOUTHERN
Page 3 and 4: contents 4 FOCUS HENRY EDMONDSON Th
Page 5 and 6: focus Henry gets plenty of air prac
Page 7 and 8: focus laughs when she recounts thei
Page 9 and 10: safekeep commute. When the days wer
Page 11: Matt Sivyer and Sue Howard in the D
Page 15 and 16: enchant the Denmark River in a rain
Page 17 and 18: vogue Browse or shop local online a
Page 19 and 20: vogue New Season Winter Boots fishi
Page 21 and 22: eflect of burlesque battleship, was
Page 23 and 24: taste great southern ALBANY FARMERS
Page 25 and 26: taste great southern The region is
Page 27 and 28: taste great southern customs includ
Page 29 and 30: what’s on CINEFESTOZ ALBANY Celeb
Page 31 and 32: ALBANY I WESTERN AUSTRALIA 4 FOUR H
Page 33 and 34: 12-13 April 2022 10am-5pm Albany To
Page 35 and 36: gig guide Everything we put in the

Issue 47 Aurora Magazine April 2022

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?