Last month, February, I was privileged to attend two magnificent orchestral concerts held at Armidale's Conservatorium where young people and older students receive tuition from some great local musical performers. As I've said before this town has an amazingly rich musical life and I'd estimate that 2019 will receive something like 15 separate concerts from both our local musicians and visitors of international renown.
The first event, on Sunday 17 February, was delivered by the staff of the New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM). There were 9 performers altogether whose instruments included violins, violas, cellos, and just one piano, flute, clarinet, or saxophone. Several of the performers played different instruments according to composers' requirements. I was astounded at how accomplished the performers were and by the exotic range of works performed spanning three centuries. The six items in the order played were composed by J S Bach, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mozart, Brahms, Muczynski, and ... believe it or not ... the Turtle Island String Quartet, which was only established in 1985. Here are the performers and their program
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NcFuRBmzMvtQjdK-Q1-1RD54fsX-6tCM_17gx4m6UmvGQrQvruRRtdmQnqgb4JswbxcFIeEqtQN-RKwD8UEp5jTAKzVMDs247xF6ZCxbMpXe4aKe6aVNnlJ2R3o4gqUZxajbbWN6BDE/s320/NECOM+Staff.jpg)
This concert was performed in front of a sell-out crowd of locals and was rapturously acclaimed. It was a great occasion of the highest standard and, moreover, the performers were locals. That's a great advert for our city and, if we enjoy both classical and modern music of many different kinds, we offer a lot.
The second event was just 10 days later on Wednesday 27 February and involved the Australian Haydn Ensemble. Here's the cover of the program.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-RVk8Xf3HeBtmuCz6_lSAfrKsD-v_Lqfz5VQZobEOkwo9C3g4Ioy3CKna5joAgDAgfbiPXcJVzr6hhyPQLVlstUswqA-ZhrM4e2uBPSK9PDkkSkA-XhVF6vQjidahAJvI0WYxluaR4E/s320/Haydn+Program+0219.jpg)
Unlike the previous concert whose works spanned centuries and various genres, this ensemble comprised just 4 performers - but all with considerable international experience - and their works were restricted to the late baroque and early classical periods. There were three works, all well-known, comprising a Boccherini String Quartet, Mozart's Quartet No. 15, and unsurprisingly Haydn's 'Sunrise' Quartet (Op. 76 / #4). All the performers had overseas experience in places such as the UK, Continental Europe and North America. They were great! And, interestingly, they not only play music in a certain narrow period, but their instruments all belonged to the same epoch. The 1st violin dated around 1800 (London); the second was made in Paris in 1726; the cello was made in London in 1743; but oops(!) the viola saw the light of day in Philadelphia in 1992. The old instruments had beautiful tones which the performers demonstrated to us.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2ZAQpsMa6toOlBS-oUv6oFZ-e959W0QmP7PIsre0lcAdl_ZoY5XCZbSMPwAW4VKljikaiwc39wAsRTt7rwpREDhRRiwlDKDGR3BLN0QwBcHMqhrTaidvbgJapSdSDIV-Qsl8V0WYncw/s320/NECOM+0219+%25286%2529.jpg)
Here's the Haydn Quartet tuning their instruments to start the concert. I daren't take photos during the performance!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicF9H8zkKEcjnLhBnjbXfyg8AcXQZ9yuj6E2fMsO76IewVlp3-Q1yng5UiiURfxyw9J0ucdwBbWu-CwYTMrGBAXDxNuyIpuj-i8Absmz0gSbUn-KaLZSJ7CWOc1uzgU4uv_RZ2GPxkRKQ/s320/NECOM+0219+%25284%2529.jpg)
And here we get a lecture on the history of the instruments being played given by the 1st violin player, Skye McIntosh.
AS
The first event, on Sunday 17 February, was delivered by the staff of the New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM). There were 9 performers altogether whose instruments included violins, violas, cellos, and just one piano, flute, clarinet, or saxophone. Several of the performers played different instruments according to composers' requirements. I was astounded at how accomplished the performers were and by the exotic range of works performed spanning three centuries. The six items in the order played were composed by J S Bach, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mozart, Brahms, Muczynski, and ... believe it or not ... the Turtle Island String Quartet, which was only established in 1985. Here are the performers and their program
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8UjEkmdEJxGrShSrEI_EIV-Clc94c1VxIX-_KBu_zO1Ks2UjrksSCf3xzB4sV4R6FvBZxZRO6nVfpAxGqpee9x2B_sY1q-8iDwC5jlfd1lZDR0WFeySNex2P98kX98cwsmEHDe_a-n0/s320/NECOM+Program+0219.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NcFuRBmzMvtQjdK-Q1-1RD54fsX-6tCM_17gx4m6UmvGQrQvruRRtdmQnqgb4JswbxcFIeEqtQN-RKwD8UEp5jTAKzVMDs247xF6ZCxbMpXe4aKe6aVNnlJ2R3o4gqUZxajbbWN6BDE/s320/NECOM+Staff.jpg)
This concert was performed in front of a sell-out crowd of locals and was rapturously acclaimed. It was a great occasion of the highest standard and, moreover, the performers were locals. That's a great advert for our city and, if we enjoy both classical and modern music of many different kinds, we offer a lot.
The second event was just 10 days later on Wednesday 27 February and involved the Australian Haydn Ensemble. Here's the cover of the program.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-RVk8Xf3HeBtmuCz6_lSAfrKsD-v_Lqfz5VQZobEOkwo9C3g4Ioy3CKna5joAgDAgfbiPXcJVzr6hhyPQLVlstUswqA-ZhrM4e2uBPSK9PDkkSkA-XhVF6vQjidahAJvI0WYxluaR4E/s320/Haydn+Program+0219.jpg)
Unlike the previous concert whose works spanned centuries and various genres, this ensemble comprised just 4 performers - but all with considerable international experience - and their works were restricted to the late baroque and early classical periods. There were three works, all well-known, comprising a Boccherini String Quartet, Mozart's Quartet No. 15, and unsurprisingly Haydn's 'Sunrise' Quartet (Op. 76 / #4). All the performers had overseas experience in places such as the UK, Continental Europe and North America. They were great! And, interestingly, they not only play music in a certain narrow period, but their instruments all belonged to the same epoch. The 1st violin dated around 1800 (London); the second was made in Paris in 1726; the cello was made in London in 1743; but oops(!) the viola saw the light of day in Philadelphia in 1992. The old instruments had beautiful tones which the performers demonstrated to us.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2ZAQpsMa6toOlBS-oUv6oFZ-e959W0QmP7PIsre0lcAdl_ZoY5XCZbSMPwAW4VKljikaiwc39wAsRTt7rwpREDhRRiwlDKDGR3BLN0QwBcHMqhrTaidvbgJapSdSDIV-Qsl8V0WYncw/s320/NECOM+0219+%25286%2529.jpg)
Here's the Haydn Quartet tuning their instruments to start the concert. I daren't take photos during the performance!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicF9H8zkKEcjnLhBnjbXfyg8AcXQZ9yuj6E2fMsO76IewVlp3-Q1yng5UiiURfxyw9J0ucdwBbWu-CwYTMrGBAXDxNuyIpuj-i8Absmz0gSbUn-KaLZSJ7CWOc1uzgU4uv_RZ2GPxkRKQ/s320/NECOM+0219+%25284%2529.jpg)
And here we get a lecture on the history of the instruments being played given by the 1st violin player, Skye McIntosh.
AS
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