Every year the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra makes one young musician’s musical dreams come true.
For their last show of the season, the local ensemble holds auditions for a guest soloist open to musicians 21 and under from Duncan to the tip of Vancouver Island. The winner gets a monetary prize and the opportunity to play with the group during its summer concert, Musical Dreams.
“That’s the real prize because for anybody who has musical dreams – hence part of the title – you want to develop as a musician,” orchestra director Karl Rainer said, adding that playing as a soloist is a difficult but important skill to learn.
“People who want to go into music gain an enormous advantage starting to do this at a younger age. So we were looking for a way to increase musical development in the community,” he said.
This year’s winner is violinist Ella Wyndlow, a 14-year-old Ladysmith Secondary School student. Despite her age she already has 10 years experience with her instrument and currently studies under Rainer at the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music. Because he is her teacher, Rainer was excluded from the judging panel.
Wyndlow said she was a little nervous when she began her audition at the conservatory but settled in when she recognized the judges. She performed the second movement from Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in G minor and followed that up with a recital of the composition’s first movement to end on an “upbeat” note. Later that night she got the call that she made the cut.
“Mostly what we’re looking for is a standard of musicality,” Rainer explained.
“We’re looking for the standard things like tempo and rhythm and tuning, but we’re also looking for a certain amount of stage presence and the ability to work with an accompanist, or in this case an orchestra.”
Wyndlow said she was happy and surprised when she got the news. She had the Vivaldi piece ready for a while; it only needed a little polish before the audition.
“It’s pretty special, I think. I’ve never done it before. It’s something new,” she said of playing as a soloist for an orchestra.
She said it will be nice sharing the stage with Rainer. He’ll be behind her both in terms of seating and support.
“It’ll be a little more comforting knowing he’s there, seeing a familiar face,” Wyndlow said.
Aside from Vivaldi’s violin concerto, the concert will include Anton Dvorak’s Serenade for Strings and Estonian composer Heino Eller’s Five Pieces for String Orchestra.
WHAT’S ON … The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra presents Musical Dreams at Malaspina Theatre on Saturday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m. and at Knox United Church in Parksville on Sunday June 3 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for students and free for children under 12. Available at Port Theatre box office.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
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