Posted by In the Moving Into Music Monthly|December edition, Principal Lauris Hing wrote:
“December is the time to look back and celebrate the achievements of the year … and to look forward to celebrations for the festive season with family and friends.
At Moving Into Music, we celebrated our achievements over this year with the Christmas Concert held last Sunday.
There was much anticipation of this – the first live Christmas Concert in three years. Finally the day came, last weekend, but it was not without challenges. Covid disruptions continued to feature in our lives forcing last minute changes to programming right up to concert day.
In November I wrote, “Daniel Riley, will return as the special guest performer to open this 20th Anniversary Christmas Concert … On Concert Day, you will also meet our new drums & percussion teacher, Pelaya Arapakis.” As it turned out, neither of these came to pass …both Daniel and Pelaya were casualties of Covid and illness and had to miss this wonderful concert. Despite the setback … our teachers and students are to be commended for their tenacity, their adaptability and their perseverance. They rallied and presented a fantastic concert to a warm and appreciative audience of family and friends. We are delighted to share the photos of this memorable day with you in this issue.”
Because we were missing our special guest, composer, conductor, tenor and former piano student of MIM, Daniel Riley … the Concert began with senior piano student, Yong Chan, performing Rondo-Allegro, 3rd Movt. from Beethoven’s Sonata No.8 in C minor. This moving performance attested to the passion and skill of Yong – an AMEB Grade 7 level pianist. We are most proud of him!
Then followed the younger piano students of Zac Hamilton-Russell. They played in combinations of trios and duets. For many of these students it was their first live concert. They performed with poise and confidence demonstrating their skill, competency and developing musicality.
Guitar students of Kieran Colton presented Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” This was a delightfully gentle rendition of the lilting and sentimental song which was broadcast by Bing Crosby on Christmas Day in 1941 … just 18 days after the attack on Pearl Harbour.
In their performance this group of youngsters and teens divided the parts so that each took turns at playing the melody, the harmony and the backing chords. This way everybody got the chance to play both rhythm and lead guitar parts. A wonderful opportunity and a great effort from everybody. Well done!
Yi-Ling Ng’s piano students began their item with a carolling of “The First Noel” … then continued with pairings of siblings. One sister was backed by her younger brother who in addition to piano also learns drums. They held it together until their bow – which they took separately!
Brother and sister piano duets, followed with “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from the popular Christmas Nutcracker Ballet … and “Giorno’s Theme” featuring the syncopated rhythms of the popular Netfilix anime Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.
The final duet was presented, four hands on two pianos, by non-siblings. The girls played “Megalovania” from the video game Undertale. This popular game has had 92 million views on YouTube!
Item 5 was planned to present guitar students of Toby Mach and drum students of Pelaya Arapakis. It suffered the most casualties of any item in the concert. Toby arranged “Black Thunder/Sugaan Essena”, from the Mongolian metal band THE HU … thinking he had 11 players in this ensemble. Through withdrawals and losses due to illness (including core guitarists and lead drummer), the final lineup looked like 6 players … but on concert day, disaster struck. We lost our drum teacher and 3 more players. The teachers stepped in and assisted. The final result was amazing. A huge credit to the 3 students remaining – they stepped up and delivered – well done! I’m sure the experience replicated being in a real band – a glimpse into the future for them, no doubt!
Nicholas Young presented piano students from our CBD studios. His pair of young boys worked well together to perform the “Theme from Pokemon.” This was their first live concert performance and they showed no nerves as they worked through the pressures of combining as a team to produce this duet . A great effort! Nicholas’ adult student, began learning on a set of lessons gifted by her son last Christmas. She showed her developing pianistic skills with a spirited performance of “Chariots of Fire.”
Our Overseas students presented in video format. From HongKong we saw brothers who began learning with us on drums at the Kew studios when visiting in the pre-lockdown summer of 2020. They continued online once they returned to HongKong … and switched to guitar. They showed us via Metallica’s famous power ballad – “Fade to Black” – that they are a force to be reckoned with! From Singapore we saw that Elton John’s “Rocket Man” is in good hands with the young fans of today. It is enduringly popular and was performed on keyboard with skill and zeal.
Nicholas Young began the Staff Performances with a solo. We are most fortunate to have Nicholas on the teaching staff. He is a gifted pianist who receives rave reviews wherever and whenever he performs. He chose to play “Prelude No.2 in C minor” from The Well Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach, who wrote this set of 48 Preludes and Fugues to demonstrate that a well-tuned keyboard instrument would be capable of playing in any major or minor key. This Prelude reflects Bach’s exceptional craft and his reputation as one of the finest organists and improvisors of his time. Nicholas’ virtuosic performance reflected that he too, is exceptional!
The final item, as per tradition, was the Staff Band who came together to bring us “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, written in the 1960’s by George Harrison/The Beatles. Since we had lost our drum teacher, Pelayer, to illness, Toby switched from bass guitar to drums. Zac led the band on vocals and acoustic guitar. Kieran delivered with achingly soaring and wailing lead guitar. Was he channelling Eric Clapton?? Nicholas demonstrated his versatility by switching to rhythm guitar and Yi-Ling playing, the part recorded by Paul McCartney, joined on piano. It was a treat to witness these talented musicians at work.
To mark our gratitude for their work throughout the year and for this concert, students made presentations of bouquets of flowers to the staff. Toby who, in Pelaya’s absence wore two hats, was presented with two bouquets! We were certainly appreciative of his extra efforts to salvage the situation on concert day. Our thanks went also to special friend and supporter, Samantha Szeredi, who managed the foyer and the flowers. She has been with us at every concert – her daughter Ria being, along with Daniel Riley, our initial piano student.
and finally … Yong assisted the staff to present Congratulations Cards and Performance Posies to the students who made this concert such a roaring success. We congratulate all our student performers for their wonderful contribution to this enjoyable and successful end of year Christmas Concert.It will be remembered henceforth for its pressures … but well over and above that – for the pleasure it brought to all who attended. Thank-you one and all!!
