The Queensland Conservatorium is pairing up with the Queensland Ballet for a sell-out song and dance spectacular.
‘MusicandDance‘ is a ballet-lovers dream, with the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony andQueensland Ballet dancersperforming excerpts from beloved classics like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.
Violinist Eliza Scott, 20, is the concert master of the Conservatorium Symphony.
“It is pretty rare to get the chance to perform with dancers while you are still studying — this kind of collaboration is a fantastic opportunity for all the musicians,” she said.
Tetsuya Lawson, 19, plays trumpet in the Conservatorium Symphony, and said the collaboration presented new challenges for the student musicians.
“This will be my first time playing in the pit, which is a very different experience and a new challenge for most of us,” he said.
“You have to work to balance the sound in such a small space and follow the dancers phrasing, so you really have to keep your eye on the conductor.”
Guest conductorAndrew Mogrelia has worked with theQueensland Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and many of the world’s leading orchestras.
He said it was inspiring to work with young musicians.
“It is very enlightening to see young musicians discover elements of their craft for the first time and much of this concert is about just that,” he said.
Students’ passion and energy
“It is amazing to see familiar repertoire through the eyes of performers learning it for the first time. The talented students at the Queensland Conservatorium have great passion and energy which is inspiring in itself.”
Queensland Conservatorium Director Scott Harrison said collaboration with professional arts companies was one of the unique opportunities on offer at the Queensland Conservatorium.
“This is the first time we have paired up with the Queensland Ballet and it is an incredible opportunity for our students,” he said.
“We aim to provide students with a range of different experiences and working in the pit with a renowned international conductor with professional dancers is a real highlight.”
The concert will take place at the Conservatorium Theatre, South Bank on Friday 21 October.