ARARAT’S Marian College has hosted two internationally renowned musicians to run classes with students.
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United States Seattle University chamber and instrumental music director and violinist Dr Quinton Morris visited the school as part of his third tour of Australia.
Pianist Amir Farid, who studied at the University of Melbourne and is now based in New York, also took students through exam preparation.
Marian College head of music Stephen East said it was a great opportunity for the school’s music students.
“It’s just fantastic to have these international musicians come in to work with the students and help them improve,” he said.
Year 10 student Harvey Evans, from Stawell, said Dr Morris had led him and fellow students through rhythm exercises.
“Quinton has been getting us to keep more in time with each other,” he said.
Year 9 student Georgina Greene, from Elmhurst, attended the piano class with Mr Farid.
“He helped us to fix a lot of little things,” she said.
Dr Morris said he had been working with Marian College students and students from other areas as well and would hold a professional development seminar for teachers and staff.
“We have gone through a combination of rhythmic exercises to try to get students to feel the rhythm,” he said. “We have worked on matching pitch and blending together as a group.
“I went through some of those exercises with the kids to ultimately try to get them to play more confidently and get the students to just have fun making music, which I think is very important.”
Mr Farid has studied at the Australian National Academy of Music and Royal College of Music in London as well as in Melbourne.
Mr Farid said he had done some indirect exam preparation with students.
“They each played me their repertoire that they had prepared and all their songs.
“We worked on a few things and they are hopefully going to perform them on Monday afternoon.”
Mr Farid said the lessons had gone wonderfully.
“I had a great time with the students, there’s such a broad range of standard but I could tell every one of them really enjoy what they do.”
Dr Morris and Mr Farid will be performing a recital at The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Ararat at 7pm on Tuesday.
Dr Morris will tell the story of the celebrated athlete, concert violinist and composer Chevalier de Saint-Georges through the performance of St. Georges’ violin sonatas and a presentation of a new film capturing key aspects of the musician’s life.
Tickets cost $20 for adults, $10 for concession card holders and children and $50 for a family of four.