A fine time to sharpen musical skills
Brass was one of the two electives on offer at Winter Music Intensive in Sydney. (Photo credit: Major Lyn Edge)
Young people spent three days sharpening their musical skills at the first Winter Music Intensive at Sydney Congress Hall.
Twenty-two young people from Sydney Congress Hall, surrounding corps and the local community took part in the music workshop from 2 to 4 July.
Sydney Congress Hall Corps Officer, Major Lyn Edge, says the weekend intensive honed personal musical skills and performance skills.
"It grew out of the passion of some people at [Sydney] Congress Hall for music and the desire that we offer our young people as much encouragement as we could for musical excellence. We were very much focusing on helping the kids really develop well. This included their personal musical skills as well as their performance skills,” said Sydney Congress Hall Corps Officer, Major Lyn Edge.
The students, aged from seven to 25, chose from two electives. Vocal electives were taught by professional singer Sharon Raymond from Adelaide, while brass classes were led by Brian Hogg, Music Consultant for The Salvation Army's Australia Southern Territory in Melbourne.
“It was excellent to have leaders who stretched the kids,” said Major Lyn. “We were specifically look at helping the kid’s abilities.”
The intensive also included a group vocal workshop and a worship session led by Lieutenant Peter Gott, Divisional Youth Secretary for the Sydney East and Illawarra Division.
Three musicians from Sydney Congress Hall, Sue Anderson, Phil Rees and Ash Sellers joined the workshops to offer further teaching assistance.
The participants put their new skills into practice in a concert at Sydney Congress Hall for their family and friends at the end of the weekend.
Young participant Jordan O’Brien performed an etude at the concert, a piece he will also play for his Higher School Certificate later this year.
Major Edge says she received an overwhelming positive response from the delegates and hopes the successful intensive was the first of many.
“Every kid said they would come back and invite their friends,” she says.
By Esther Pinn
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