Montville cellist defies critics and war

MONTVILLE-born cellist Sam Lucas has endured setbacks and politicised pressure to achieve his life-long goal to perform at the world’s most prestigious cello competition - the Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition - in Russia.

Sam was one of just 25 cellists out of 741 entrants globally to qualify for the career-defining competition. He is the only qualifier from Australia, and from the Southern Hemisphere. His entry was somewhat hamstrung from the start – he was unable to bring his beautiful 270-year-old cello, which he has played exclusively for the past twoand-a-half years, forcing him to revert to his backup student’s cello just days before competition began.

Sam also endured pressure and criticism for his decision to compete due to Russia’s global political position and its war with Ukraine.

“I’ve learned to disassociate the competition from what’s happening at the moment in the world, whether it’s war or politics or sport, anything that’s going on,” Sam said from St Petersburg, after his firstround performance.

“It’s a competition that has a legacy for many decades now, since the 50s, and hopefully it’s going to continue going on for the next 100 years as well, and maybe 200 years more if all goes well.

“In order to help the classical music scene survive in all parts of the world, especially the most prestigious competition ever, it requires participants and support. I don’t want to see this competition die, and I’m not here for political reasons,”

Performing at the Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition has been the subject of many years of dinnertime conversions between Sam, his parents Ian and Lee Lucas, and twin sister Meg.

“I might have been 15 or something when I started looking into the history of the competition and all the absolute best players in the world, at least in the last few decades, that have all won the competition and continued to do well,” Lucas said.

“When I got the email of confirmation that I was allowed to come, yeah, I think I was very nervous but incredibly excited; nervous considering what’s happening at the moment but super honoured at the same time.” Lucas said ‘The Tchaikovsky’ was among the two classical music competitions most revered by classical musicians – the other is the Queen Elisabeth* International

Cello Competition in Belgium, at which for ‘The Tchaikovsky’ has dominated the thoughts this week of his parents in

“Over the years there’s been this great excitement, that it was THE competition to get into, and Sam always talked about it as a kid, and then as a teenager, and then when he got serious with his music in recent years,” Sam’s mother Lee said about her son’s dream.

His father Ian added: “To be invited sort of sets your standard without you even having to actually play an instrument, because if you are deemed good enough to play at ‘the Tchaikovsky’ then it’s automatically an indication of your standard.

“It’s the tier one of the tier one competitions; most people who are invited in the top 24 or 25 in that particular year, use it as a catalyst for a big ongoing career, so it’s a wonderful start.”

Unfortunately, due to insurance

Tassie memoir launched at Beerwah

OVER 50 people attended the launch of Joanna Barrett’s memoir ‘They said we were isolated’ in Beerwah recently.

The book was launched by Lea Parkes, and tells the story of Joanna’s and husband Peter’s adventures on the Tasmanian west coast in the 1970s.

The memoir was published using Joanna’s nom de plume and maiden name, Joanna Talberg, by Ginninderra Press, an independent, commercial publishing firm based in Adelaide.

Joanna said she was thrilled to welcome so many interested people to the launch of her book. She extended her special thanks to Lea Parkes and Greg Brown (Brownie) for their help before and during the big day.

As many people may remember they are the former owners of Glasshouse Country and Maleny News.

Copies of Joanna’s memoir are available at Beerwah Newsagency and Rosetta Books in Maleny.

‘They said we were isolated’ is also available at www.ginninderrapress.com.au, www.barnesandnoble.com, and Amazon Books. Bookshops are also able to order the book, if requested.

back the day after to collect it – both days included six hour’s worth of travelling and administration - so I had no preparation on the replacement cello at all; my only real preparation on this cello was when I arrived in Russia, which was cutting it very thin.”

Having faced that hurdle, he said his round one performance (Wednesday June 21, 4am, Queensland time) went well.

“I’m thankful to be here, I’m loving the city – St Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen so far, actually it’s super beautiful, so I’m very thankful to be here.”

For more information about Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition, visit: https://tchaikovskycompetition.com/en/ To find out more about Sam visit www.samlucas-cellist.com

Local Maleny artist Katie Wells exhibits at Vianta Arts

KATIE Wells is an accomplished Mixed Media Artist living on small acreage near Maleny Township Queensland. Her passion for painting includes creating intuitive portraits, landscapes and still life. Working on small canvas boards or medium to large, stretched canvas.

Experimenting with “collage” work creating variety and unique original artwork medium selected are Acrylic, Pastel, Charcoal, Watercolours, on various papers.

Studying and viewing historical and recent art plus listening to interviews and public talks by remarkable prize-winning artists fulfills her passion to absorb knowledge and skills that assists her daily art practise. Katie enjoys experimenting and trying new ideas which she incorporates in her artwork.

She has been featured in local and overseas papers and magazines.

Katie has held both solo and group exhibitions in New Zealand and Australia and will be exhibiting her art works at Vianta Arts 70 Simpson st Beerwah till Monday 27 August. All works are for sale. Enjoy a light lunch, with friends and admire Katie’s art work with friends.

2023 24 TODAY music

THIS month’s article is more of an update to readers on the latest music events that the Glasshouse Musos run locally, especially as we have a new event beginning in July, our inaugural ‘Three act night’.

If you are interested in making music or simply supporting it in your community, then attending concerts such as those we run, is a good starting point.

As from July we will be running two events a month in Beerwah – both at the Beerwah hotel, and, in case you are wondering, these are family friendly shows. The evening runs from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, (regulars might note the new beginning time) and along with the music you will find impressive and reasonably priced meals served by the hotel.

Our new event will run on the 4th Tuesday each month at the Hotel, beginning July 25. It will feature three professional acts, one at 6.30pm, one at 7.30pm and the third at 8.30pm. For this first ‘Three act night’ event we will have the Levee, who feature the music of Led Zeppelin and other 70s guitar-icon bands in their repertoire. Their lead guitarist – Dan McNamara is one of the best you will ever see and hear - guitar pyrotechnics are his speciality! On the subject of impressive guitar players, another act on this opening night, the jazz-based Swing Brothers with Sista Paula, also featuring a very fine guitar player in Peter G. Guitar lovers make a note of the date – July 25! The opening act for this evening and a regular at the Musos, will be Deni and the Doc and friends such as saxophonist Roger Beare, Mike Duggan and Tony Vobr. Deni and

Dr Michael Whiticker with

the Doc are stylistically inclined toward folk and blues, but piano ballads and jazz are also on the cards.

On the 2nd Tuesday of the month, so on July 11, we have our on-going regular event in Beerwah. It is our so-called ‘Open Mic night’ which is very popular and has been running for 12 years, most of them at Beerwah Hotel. It has featured over 700 hundred different performers and about 400 acts over those years. If you’d like to play, email us at whitickerm@bigpond.com to book yourself a spot as there is rarely room on the board. We have about 12 different acts each night, so plenty of variety for audiences who of course are an essential part of the evening! The Beerwah events are free.

The third event that the Musos run each month is Muzika Maleny, held at the Maleny RSL Hall on the first Thursday of the month and again starting 6.30pm. It features 5 professional acts and for July 6 it will have singer guitarists Owen Gray and Gary Shepherd, poet Rosie Waters, youthful acoustic duo Sol River, and the incredible bluegrass guitar player and singer Steve Sparrow, accompanied by acoustic bassist Mark Webber. One will note with admiration that Steve’s blindness has not affected his musical talents and career. He and Mark are travelling up from Brisbane for this show so a great opportunity to catch them. Very reasonably priced meals and drinks are served at the RSL and entry is only $10. Do email us if you’d like to go on our emailing list. It is a monthly reminder of what we are doing for the month. Hope to see some of you in July.

Rosetta’s Great Reads

Fourth Wing

Reviewed by Tiffany Szerenyi

Rebecca Yarros’ novel is a captivating and intriguing fantasy with slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance. The main character Violet Sorringail strengthens her mind and body when put into the ‘fourth quadrant’ to train in dangerous trials alongside her teammates in hopes of becoming a dragon rider. If they fail these trials, they die in the process. Once bonded to a dragon, riders must learn to wield newly bestowed powers and continue to train in deadly exercises and combat. With multiple subplots within the major storyline, the book constantly keeps you wanting more. Fourth Wing is the first of an ongoing series, the second releasing October 2023. RRP $32.99

FRIDAY 7 JULY 10.30am

Stronger. Better. Sustainable.

Services, community and sustainability are at the heart of this year’s budget, with projects, programs and events being delivered across the region.

We are preserving our environment and supporting our local economy and our growing communities.

We are committed to shaping a stronger, better and more sustainable region.

Sunshine Coast Council’s $1 billion budget includes:

$366 million to develop a strong community

Community and cultural development and partnerships; community venues; disaster management; libraries; lifeguards; roads, cycleways and pathways; public lighting and sporting facilities.

$327 million to maintain and enhance our environment and

Liveability

Beaches, foreshore, coastal infrastructure and canals; bushland conservation and habitat; recreation parks, trails and facilities; rivers, streams, estuaries and water bodies; stormwater drainage; sustainable growth and network planning; waste and resource management.

$41 million to build our resilient economy

Economic development; investment attraction; tourism; major event sponsorship and holiday parks.

$156 million

To Deliver Service Excellence

Development services; cemeteries; local amenity and local laws; public health; quarries; customer and community relations; property management and road network management.

Council also receives community assets from developers as well as paying back debt through annual repayments.

Find out what’s happening in your area

Foreshore and streetscape transformations, traffic-busting road improvements, starting construction of a new regional library, world-class sporting precincts and preserving and celebrating the environment are key inclusions in the 2023-24 budget.

To help our pensioners, Council is increasing pensioner concessions by 7%.

Valuable tips on pet ownership and safety will be highlighted during Sunshine Coast Council’s Dog Safety Week, taking place from July 3-9.

Council has developed a range of useful teaching tools and resources aimed at promoting responsible pet ownership among families and educators, with the goal of fostering a safe and harmonious coexistence between people, pets, and public spaces.

As part of Dog Safety Week, the council will organize several responsible pet pop-ups and library sessions. These events will offer dog owners valuable insights into their responsibilities, such as walking on a leash, using off-leash parks and sharing public spaces.

Additionally, the importance of teaching children how to interact safely with dogs will be emphasized, including the four steps to greeting a dog.

These four steps on how to safely greet a dog are; to first ask a parent or guardian for permission to approach the dog; second, politely ask the dog owner, ‘Can I please pat your dog?’; third, allow the dog to come to you first, keeping your hand low and in a fist for the dog to sniff; and finally, to gently pat the dog on its back or shoulder. Children should also be reminded not to approach dogs that are tied up and alone, as well as to be mindful that some dogs may