SWEET dreams are made of this - for students who will perform at a beautiful coastal venue next month, this is both a piece they'll play and their feelings on being selected.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Disa Smart of Armidale will play cello for Bravissimo on February 12.
The showcase of HSC top performers from the Northern Tablelands and Mid-North Coast will be staged in the theatre at arts and culture venue Glasshouse Port Macquarie.
Disa, who also sings, has had many opportunities to travel and perform as a result of her music studies.
They have included taking part in Gondwana National Choir twice, Victoria's State Music Camp annually, and the Australian Honours Ensemble Program in Brisbane in October.
"I perform a lot, but you still get nervous every time," she said.
This year, she will study a bachelor of music at the University of Melbourne.
"It would be a dream career if I could get into the industry and play professionally in an orchestra, but I think I'll just finish my degree and see where I'm going with it," she said.
Another New England student, Lauren Jessup-Little of Tamworth, will play euphonium.
Lauren, 18, said it was "the accomplishment of something I set out to do in year 9".
"When I first saw the concert, I hoped to be part of it someday and get to do that there," she said.
It comes after the Calrossy Anglican School graduate was nominated for Encore, a state showcase of outstanding performances and compositions by students from the HSC music exams.
She ultimately decided not to audition to secure her place: she's been working three jobs to save money for university.
Disa, 17, said it was "very exciting".
"I've been to watch the performances before and they're very good."
READ MORE:
The instrumentalists will each perform one piece with accompaniment, and the Eurythmics song as an ensemble.
Disa said she'd been playing for about nine years.
"My brother was playing piano and my mum used to take us to the Armidale Symphony Orchestra concerts," The Armidale School graduate said.
"She was going to get me to start on piano as well, but the piano teacher recommended we don't both play the same instrument, so we could play together."
Her pick was the cello: "I was attracted to the sound of it, from watching it being played."
The musicians will gather in Port Macquarie in the days before the concert so they can all rehearse together.
Carolyn Millet
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
