70 <strong>Style</strong> | Promotion Cello virtuoso Christchurch welcomes back classical music star Catherine Kwak next month for an unmissable solo performance at the much-anticipated Corpus Medicorum concert supporting the Canterbury Charity Hospital. Interview Josie Steenhart Having first picked up a cello at age seven, Catherine Kwak studied part-time at the University of Canterbury from the age of 12 before completing a Bachelor of Music at 18, and recently added a further string to her bow after graduating medical school. This September, she returns to Christchurch as guest cellist on the Corpus Medicorum orchestra’s South Island tour. An Australian medical orchestra founded in 2002 by violist and cardiothoracic surgeon Phillip Antippa, Corpus Medicorum has played to critical acclaim around the world, and has raised more than $1m for charities all over the world. The recipient of the Christchurch Corpus Medicorum concert is the Canterbury Charity Hospital, which provides free medical, surgical, dental and counselling services to Cantabrians in need. The Christchurch symphony concert will feature works by Weber, Elger and Brahms, with a solo performance by Catherine. <strong>Style</strong> caught up with the talented 24-year-old, who also works as a first-year doctor at Middlemore Hospital, to find out more. When did you first pick up a cello, and what do you love about it? I started learning when I was seven years old. I was drawn to the deep, rich sound that the cello has, and I love the ability it gives me to express myself, share music and connect with my audience. At the age of just 12 you became a part-time student at the University of Canterbury… At the time, I wanted cello to become my career pathway and to achieve that, I knew I had to invest more time into practising, learning, going overseas to festivals/competitions and more. My teacher at the time was a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury so when I was given the opportunity to take some papers there I took on the challenge! And then at 15 you studied for a Bachelor of Music, before going on to study medicine and become a doctor… I made the decision to leave high school at the end of year 10 and pursue full-time university studies. After completing my BMus, I made the decision to keep music as something I did purely out of passion and not for a living. I decided to go into medicine because I wanted to find a different way to help others, and I was intrigued by the science and humanistic art of medicine. How do you find time for both music at this level and a career in medicine? Cello to me is not a hobby or a job, but something I turn to at all times – it’s a form of stress relief, expression and joy, and lets me experience emotion to a different level. I feel fulfilled when playing the cello, especially when performing, and so I’m always able to make time for something I love. Congratulations on your New Zealand National Concerto Competition win, what does it mean to you to win such a prestigious accolade? Thank you. Winning this competition means a lot to me as it signifies years of hard work and my continued endeavours to keep music as a big part of my life. What can audiences expect from you at this concert? Audiences can expect to be taken on a sensational musical journey full of emotion. Elgar Concerto is a work that is dear to my heart; it is one of the most heart-wrenching yet beautiful concertos that showcases the cello to its full potential. This will be followed by the Brahms Symphony No.2, which is very well known to be an expressive masterpiece, and these two works will be preluded with the exquisite Weber Der Freischütz Overture. Corpus Medicorum Symphony Concert, Christchurch Town Hall, September 21. Tickets at ticketek.co.nz
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