Murray Allen has skills on the sax
Murray Allen started playing the clarinet after pulling his daughter’s old instrument out of the attic.
He searched for someone to teach him the clarinet and found the Hamilton Community Centre of Music (HCCM).
After 10 years playing the instrument, the Hamilton man turned his attention to the saxophone.
His talents on the woodwind instrument were showcased at a recent concert by Sinfonia, of which Allen is a member.
Sinfonia is HCCM’s in-house orchestra, and the public concert was performed at the Gallagher Performing Arts Centre on April 9.
Allen said the HCCM didn’t have the funds to hire the centre, so as a birthday present to himself he decided to sponsor the event.
Under the direction of Oliver Barratt, the orchestra played well-known movie music as well as classics and a little Led Zeppelin.
It was one of the ‘‘big zero birthdays’’ and the evening went ‘‘extremely well’’, Allen said.
The show had a full house, with more than 200 guests in attendance.
It was the first time Sinfonia had played formally for three years.
Allen said the orchestra had members aged from 10 to adult and that for many of them it was their first time on stage.
‘‘Performing in a concert is an achievement in itself,’’ he said.
Allen practises most mornings before work.
He is a former member of the Hamilton Jazz Club and meets up with the HCCM once a week.
He said 60s, 70s and 80s rock was more his type of music, but that playing the saxophone has extended his music range.
Allen has played the sax for four years and said he’d really like to get into playing jazz.
Hamilton Community Centre of Music meets every Saturday morning at the University of Waikato. Murray Allen said they were always looking for new members. Check out: hccm.ac.nz Termtwo at the centre starts on May 7.