Repeats

It was the second time I'd played Beethoven 5 and the program was a blast.  The first time was my second classical concert, playing with Maruki, and coincidentally, the first outing with Maruki for Kristen, then cellist, now conductor/MD.  That was 2005.  As for the program, it was a typical Maruki onslaught: Elgar Pomp & circumstance 1, Holst Jupiter, Mozart violin concerto no.5 Amaj with Georgina Chan as soloist and B5.  Interestingly, Georgina also has a history with Maruki and John Gould, Maruki's creator, now deceased.  She started lessons with him at age 4, and has played variously with the orchestra and how now completed degree and masters at the Qld Con. Whatever, this was a large outing, around 60.  I just managed to sit-in at the last minute, given travel and other, and wasn't quite prepared enough.  There are tricky lines in all those pieces, not just Beethoven.  Mozart had its slick fills; Holst various odd timings and Elgar just ecstatic and immediate.  But that's why these are so intriguing and welcoming.  We did it with some success if not perfection, but also immense pleasure and lots of, as they say ugly-ly these days, "learnings".  There's an understanding of a work that comes through the preparation and performance that I find deeply satisfying and transformative of how you hear it.  I've mentioned this to others and it's a common awareness.  At least for me, following the dots on the page while listening, then repeating those tricky parts and, from some jazz training, noting the diminished lines and the like, is the most you can do to get close to a piece.  And every one of these was a work of some genius.  Just wish I'd had more preparation.

Maruki performed Elgar, Holst, Mozart and Beethoven at Albert Hall. under Kristen Simpson (conductor) and soloist Georgina Chan (violin) for the Mozart concerto.  The bottom enders were Owen Livermore, Jeremy Tsuei and Eric Pozza (basses) with assistance from the bottom-end brass sitting adjacent, Karren Crosthwaite and David Hodgkinson (tubas).

Masters

Thanks to George for asking me to record Georgina.  I've watched Georgina for several years and played with her occasionally but as is with youth, she's blossomed.  She's now in her honours year in violin performance (UQ) and seeking entry to a Masters program.  My recording is a help towards that.  How they play!  She performed with accompaniment by Anthony Smith, so this was a mighty pairing with some unique music.  First up, a movement from Saint-Saens Violin concerto no.3.  Then some solo Bach from his Violin sonata no.3.  Then the odd one, Ravel Violin sonata no.2.  Why odd?  Just not at all like baroque or classical or romantic.  This had growls and rhythmic grooves and the like.  Some reminded me of modern US music, perhaps even country.  I guess that was the growls; the grooves perhaps suggested funky something or other.  But so nicely played all around.  Nicely intoned, alive and vibrant, fast and sometimes furious, delicate and formal as required.  I can just hope she takes a Masters spot.  I cna only imagine she deserves it.

Georgina Chan (violin) performed a recital with accompanist Anthony Smith (piano) at Wesley.

Family matters

And great matters they were: Vaughan Williams and Beethoven; Lark ascending and Emperor concerto. The theme of our latest Maruki concert was Keeping it in the family. The solos were played by daughter Georgina Chan on violin for Lark ascending and her father George Chan on piano for the Emperor concerto. They both did wonderfully well. Georgina is studying music at UQ so expected, but fabulous none-the-less. George is a doctor, so this is a hobby, but again this was wonderfully convincing. But that's not all. Maruki concerts can feel like steak knives in their extent: that's why I enjoy them. John Gould has us playing the repertoire: all the names and seriously demanding stuff. The added works for this concert were Brahms symphony no.3 and Borodin Polovtsian dances. It would be a demanding program for a professional orchestra let alone a community orchestra, but Maruki takes it on. Yes, there were times our intonation and timing could have been better, but we've learned four major pieces and playing them is so much more instructive than just hearing them, however many times you do that. So, congrats to George and Georgina who truly did themselves proud, and thanks to John and the orchestra for expanding my experience of the repertoire. And to add, the story of the basses. We were four on the day so satisfyingly present in the mix. Jennifer had been around for the term so she was a mainstay. I only returned from Europe shortly before and arrived with Melissa, of CYO and ANU, for the final two practices. Then once-Maruki bassist, Naomi, literally arrived unexpected on the day to play (!) . And yet the basses sounded and sounded well. Congrats to a capable crew!


Maruki Orchestra performed Beethoven, Brahms, Vaughan Williams and Borodin at the Albert Hall under John Gould (conductor) and Melvyn Cann (concertmaster). Soloist Georgina Chan (violin) played Lark ascending and her father, George Chan (piano) played Beethoven piano concerto no.5 Emperor. The bottom end coagulated over the weeks and days leading up to the concert: they were Jennifer Groom, Melissa Fung, Naomi Barber and Eric Pozza (basses).

Hard one

Maybe I say this after every concert. This Maruki concert was as hard as anything I've played. It's also the best we've played the pieces (my perennial "she'll be right on the night" optimism). This Maruki concert was the best we've played these pieces. And the pieces were tricky. Saint-Saens Havanaise is a pretty easy read despite frequent changes of time signature and a tricky passage of thirds on the basses. That went nicely with the very capable Georgina Tran playing the violin solo out front. So young, so capable. Then Rossini William Tell overture. Everyone knows this one, especially the stormy, fast, tricky bit, but the work is four parts run in together with several tricky lines (not least chromatic runs at brisk speed and some latin dotted-crochet arpeggio-like phrases that jump into the thumb positions) but to sit on that idyllic pastoral melody or to bounce the two bass parts against each other (one playing on 1,2,3; the other playing an octave up on 1+,2+,3+) was a pleasure. When I got time, I noticed some impressively neat, fast, nicely intoned high strings which were a pleasure. Then John Gould, our leader, taking the solo violin role in Bruch violin concerto no.1. It's always a huge pleasure to play with a true professional (LSO principal viola, retired) and to hear his playing, so well phrased, incisive, intoned. (Mostly we hear his humourous tales of conductors and orchestras at rehearsal instead). Maruki member and ANUSOM graduate Elisha Adams took the baton to lead Bruch (her major was violin performance but she's found a recent interest in conducting). She did nicely with clear leads and I liked when the basses got a big smile for coming in on time after a particularly long count (I guess she was relieved). Then afternoon tea and the big work of the day: Dvorak symphony no.7 D minor. This may be the most difficult work I've played - symphonic in scope, complex with interleaved themes and phrasings, neat but also unpredicted. It's a work you need to know well or read very carefully, and we did it some community orchestra justice. So, another successful and challenging outing for Maruki.

Maruki Community Orchestra performed Saint-Saens, Bruch, Rossini and Dvorak at Albert Hall under John Gould and Elisha Adams (conductors) with soloists Georgina Chan and John Gould (violin).