It's a year since I packed up the car in Blenheim, complete with cat (but leaving cell phone on the living room floor) and drove south to start my life in Dunedin. We took two days to get here, staying overnight with Mum and it's been one of the best moves ever.
When I arrived back in the city of my University years, I had a notebook of ideas and some wonderful people to make contact with. A year on and it's amazing to think what has happened.
Education Liaison for the Southern Sinfonia was one of the first additional roles I took on - although the work didn't start until the following year. After my work with the Auckland Philharmonia as Education Coordinator, this was a role I have thoroughly enjoyed. Alongside the running and tutoring of the Sinfonia Academy there was the Play with the Orchestra project, introducing secondary school students to concerts as well as scholarships to promote, instruments to hire and all the report writing. One of the most exciting things about this role is that next year I get to implement a number of ideas of my own. Starting small, but eventually there will be more.
Chamber Music Contest Coordinator is a role that kind of just happened. Kirsten was getting married weeks before the event, so her brain was completely occupied. Over the June weekend more than 40 groups from Otago participated in the event with Graham McPhail adjudicating. I was most excited to see that the group that won, two of my former pupils playing.
Saturday Morning Music Classes was another, 'just kind of happened' roles. A week before classes were due to start I got a phone call asking whether I could teach. Initially it was a beginning traditional class and a more advanced violin class. However on the first day there, I was also asked to teach a Listen and Learn class. Surprise!
For two terms this year I taught two groups at Halfway Bush School. I supplied the instruments and the time and they turned up with energy and enthusiasm. The concert we performed at the end of the second term was wonderful. They were focused and prepared, and even enjoyed themselves!
My own pupils this year have been a lot of fun. We've played a lot of games including numerous bow exercises every week. My formerly broken right hand pinky is stronger than most, but still has that odd-looking bump at the knuckle. Countless Twinkles later we are almost finished for the year. The end of term concert hasn't quite happened, which is a shame, but no doubt we will be ready to go next year.
I have had the wonderful opportunity of working with some viola players this year. It is always fun to develop tone with these students, and this year we have also looked in to being flexible players. Treble clef and alto clef at any given moment (I'm not mean, really), harmonies for violins and violas, different keys (sorry about the five flats...) we will be the most diverse violists in Dunedin ever.
My own viola playing has been fun. I helped with the Columba production of Oklahoma and also played in the Dunedin Musical Society's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. As the only viola player with limited rehearsals due to other commitments - this was especially exciting on opening night! My mission for this summer is to continue with my playing and audition (cough cough) for the Sinfonia. There is a little phobia to overcome here, but the plan is in place.
As exciting as projects are, they would never be as exciting, challenging or enjoyable if it wasn't for the people. A huge thank you to you all for making this year.
Bring on 2013. There are still a number of things in my little notebook I want to do...
