Camp to nurture talent
The Alnwick Music Camp ( UK) provides opportunities for young musicians to learn from the best.
PLAYING in an orchestra or ensemble helps one develop lifelong skills and friendships, believes Kevin Field, artistic advisor of Bentley Academy of Music.
This past week, the academy hosted the second Alnwick Music Camp ( UK) in Malaysia, which is an orchestra and choir workshop open to people of all ages.
The music camp comes under the supervision of conductor Field and vocal professionals Ruth McCall and Jenny Duck- Chong.
Due to a glitch in transportation, contemporary music ensemble Kokoro was not able to make it. Thankfully, musicians Tan Suyin, Keiko Nakagawa, Brian Larson, Dylan Lee and John Bourque were able to step in at short notice to fill in as replacement coaches for the camp.
Similarly to last year, the coaches and students worked together for six straight days, on everything from the rudiments to performance. All of this will culminate in a performance by the orchestra and choir today, to display the fruits of their labour.
Besides classical music from the likes of Bach and Beethoven, the orchestra and choir will also perform contemporary pop music by David Bowie, Prince and Adele.
“Orchestral musicians and singers nowadays have to be skilled and well- versed in all styles,” said Field in an interview in Petaling Jaya recently.
The six- day intensive orchestra and choir workshop provides young and emerging musicians the opportunity to work with professionals and perform as an ensemble.
In this digital age we live in, where electronic gadgets are a distraction for children, the coaches chimed in agreement that music is important for them to exercise their brain.
“Personally, there are so many aspects to making music. The most interesting and enriching aspect is the idea that we’re connecting ourselves to the history of the world. It also teaches you that you must work hard to do well,” said cellist coach Lee, who just graduated from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore.
Nicholas Chang, a 15- year- old percussionist and violinist who attended the Alnwick Music Camp last year, said that he is back this year because he is looking forward to another opportunity to work with Field, former principal conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
He added that Tan Suyin is a source of inspiration for him because of her exemplary rate of improvement and success as a percussionist and pianist.
The Alnwick Music Camp was brought to Malaysia from the market town of Alnwick in Northumberland, Britain, last year under the auspices of cultural exchange specialists Spectrum.
The purpose of this initiative was to create a cultural exchange programme between musicians in Britain and Malaysia.
The Alnwick Music Camp is expected to head to Australia in July next year, and plans to reach out to other Asian countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines.
“With all of the contacts I’ve set up in the Asian region, we hope to form an Asian Community Youth Orchestra, and music camps like these help scout and search for emerging musicians,” said Field. the Alnwick Music Camp ( UK) in Malaysia Concert 2016 will be held at Bentley Music Auditorium in Petaling Jaya ( Wisma Bentley Music, No. 3 Jalan PJU 7/ 2, Mutiara Damansara) tonight at 7.30pm. tickets are rM30 ( rM31.80 with GSt) and are available at the venue. Further information at bma. com. my.