Instrumental Music

On the 17th of May 2022 at 7:30 pm, 11 piano and violin students from the Instrumental Music program were accompanied by Ms Tracy Lee and Mr Danny Dedes to the Hanson Dyer Hall, watching the Piazzolla Centenary Concert. Students caught the train from Watergardens station to Flinders Street station and were allowed to have dinner along Elizabeth Street. We walked along St Kilda Road, admiring the artworks of the National Gallery of Victoria and the beauty of the Yarra River. When we arrived at the Hanson Dyer Hall, we were greeted into the lobby and waited to enter the main Hall.

Students were mesmerized by the stunning performances by Melbourne Conservatorium of Music staff and students from the brass, string and piano areas, featuring Ken Murray (Guitar), Wenhong Luo (Viola), Richard Narroway (Cello), Kurt Thompson (Violin) and Jerry Wong (Piano). They performed a selection of pieces from across Piazzolla’s career.

The concert venue, Hanson Dyer Hall is located in The Ian Potter Southbank Centre, which is the new home of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. It houses the world's-leading acoustic spaces. Students were given a tour around the concert venue back in 2019. They did not get to watch a performance, but did get to see the life of music students attending the University of Melbourne.

Upon entry to the Ian Potter Southbank Centre, we walked pass the ‘Kenneth Myer Auditorium’, housing one of the world’s largest oculus windows, being six meters in diameter. As an open space rehearsal hall, we were allowed to observe the orchestra rehearsal by university music students and their conductor. The public get to see how a rehearsal is conducted and how each instrument has their part to play. We were amazed by the hard work of the university students as they rehearsed till late evenings.

This concert showcased a variety of Astor Piazzolla’s music, who is an Argentine composer that is renowned for revolutionizing the traditional tango into a new style. This new style was called Nuevo Tango, which combined elements of jazz and classical music.

The performance was spectacular, producing sounds and emotions that truly touched the hearts of their audience, reaching dramatic peaks and melodious troughs, the musicians were able to express and convey the ideas that Astor Piazzolla initially designed. The hall was well organized, with arrangements placed intentionally to create a professional atmosphere, and produce clear and powerful sounds. The dedication and concentration could be seen in the performers, as they dove into another world, expressing the emotions of Astor Piazzolla. The students of Taylors Lakes Secondary College were amazed and inspired by the performances, as a student opines, “you could feel the hard work put into the performance.”

Vincent Tu 11J

Indeed, this excursion to the Piazzolla Centenary Concert has motivated and inspired the students of Taylors Lakes Secondary College to perform to their best ability and express themselves, using music as a vessel. As a student, the performances have inspired me to produce the same quality of music that was expressed on the night.

For future endeavours, this concert has motivated me to continue pursuing the performing arts and refine my instrumental music skills. This excursion has truly encapsulated the beauty of live musical performance, with how expressive and detailed it was. As such, in light of this event I want to seek out future instrumental music performances within Melbourne. Likewise, this has encouraged me to look into the subject of music for future pathways and community driven musical performance events.

Jeremie 12D and San-San 12C