Musical connection hits all the right notes

PAULA HULBURT

Husband and wife musicians Elgee Leung and Josie Yau have a unique connection, both musically and romantically.

After collaborating on more than 50 concerts around the world, the talented Blenheim-based duo is preparing for a concert closer to home.

This is the couple’s first formal cello-piano duo recital, one they are well prepared for, Elgee says.

“As a husband-wife duo we normally spend more time rehearsing a programme than normal duos would use to prepare for a concert.

“Most professional groups spend two to four rehearsals to get a programme concert-ready, while Josie and I usually have a few more rehearsals to generate musical ideas together.”

Born in Hong Kong to a family where classical music was highly valued, Elgee Leung began learning the Cello at the age of nine. After studying at the Arts Faculty in Hong Kong University, Elgee continued to study cello performance with Yi-Bing Chu, Catalin Ilea, and Jens Peter Maintz in Berlin and Beijing. He has worked as a cellist in

Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Pan Asia Orchestra, and Hong Kong Bach Choir Orchestra, while retaining a keen interest in chamber music and conducting.

Performing with his wife is very special, Elgee says.

“I found performing and rehearsing with Josie very different from working with other musicians, as we have been struggling to find the balance between musical professionalism and the basic rule of marriage that the wife is always right.

“Now that we have performed together as a duo and worked with other musicians in bigger chamber music groups for over a decade, we have developed a unique musical connection that shaped us both musically and romantically.”

Featuring works by Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, the concert is titled Peace in Chaos

The name reflects how music can help people find tranquillity amid uproar Elgee says.

“I can’t imagine our life without music.

“Like many long-established chamber music groups, having performed together for years allows us to better anticipate each other’s musical directions.”

Josie studied piano performance with renowned Chinese composer and pianist, Shi-Guang Cui, and vocal performance with Jeffie Leung in Hong Kong Baptist University.

After completing her Bachelor’s in arts with honour, she served at the government-run Hong Kong Music Office as a pianist, cho- ral conductor, and musicianship teacher more than a decade, performing regularly in Hong Kong, Austria, Germany, Italy, and China.

The couple will be performing at St Andrews’ Presbyterian Church on April 29 between 3 and 5pm.

For more details and to buy tickets visit www.eventfinda. co.nz/2023/peace-in-the-chaoscello-piano-duo-concert/blenheim

CHATS TO LOCALS AND ASKS...

What are your thoughts on the council’s revamped recycling bin initiative?

Ginny

I’m confused, if you’re a low volume waste producer, why do we need all three bins?

Tim

I’m surprised we don’t have to pay for the existing system of bags, but we will have to pay to update to the new bins no matter what size we choose.

Lucy

Couldn’t be happier, we don’t have any recycling in Renwick so it’s fantastic the Council is finally expanding it.

Gail

It’s a good change. I think we’ll be getting the regular one – we need to get a bit more knowledge on the sizings.

Marlborough police investigate spate of vehicle & dishonesty crimes

RUSSELL SMITH Senior Community Constable

Jen and Eloise

It’s pretty standard elsewhere, and it’s much better than having the bags rip.

A spike in crime that has occurred in Nelson Bays, Blenheim and Picton since midMarch, included some 50 vehicles being entered or interfered-with, and some being stolen. These, along with a ramraid on a Blenheim vape store, petrol drive-offs and thefts from some stores, has culminated in the arrest of five young people. Many of the vehicles targeted were parked on the roadside and a number had valuables in them, making them attractive to thieves. The vehicles that were stolen were mainly older Japanese makes of car that sustained costly damage to their ignition systems because of the offending.

Local police have committed significant time and resources to identifying those responsible and apprehending them. They will each go through a formal process that will hold them accountable for their actions.

Opportunist crime often flourishes when people don’t think about keeping their property safe.

Police are urging drivers to remove valuables from their vehicle when parking up, always close windows, lock the vehicle and take the keys with you.

If you own an older vehicle, it is at higher risk of theft if left unattended in a public place.

Consider parking it up a driveway or in a garage. If you must park on the street, install an alarm, immobiliser or steering wheel lock-bar to make the vehicle less attractive to a thief.

Finally, the police are most effective in dealing with crime when members of the public take some responsibility for keeping their community safe. If you see something suspicious, call the police using 111 and report your concerns. If police know about criminal activity sooner, rather than later, the outcomes are almost always better.

A biologist who found her passion through a school project that won a Cawthron Marlborough Environment Award is nearing the end of a 20-week scholarship.

Demi Fearn is one of seven tertiary students who gained a place on Cawthron’s 2022/23 summer scholarship programme.

Working on sea grass research and restoration around Nelson’s estuaries, the scholarship was a perfect fit for her, Demi says. “About half way through last year as uni was coming to an end, I was figuring out what I wanted to do next and I saw the scholarship advertised. I thought ‘wow – this is so me’.”

Demi’s scholarship saw her mentored by scientists from Cawthron’s Restoration Ecology Team, working on a seagrass restoration project.

The project aims to fight climate change and improve ecosystem health with seed-based restoration.

This involved surveying seagrass at three different study sites around Nelson, picking the flowers at an optimal time, designing systems for seed extraction and storage and trialing germination.

“We got 10 per cent germination in the first trials which is very postive. It shows there is potential for seed based restoration within New Zealand.’’

The chance to work on seagrass restoration appealed to Demi because it combined her affinity for the marine environment, conservation and her interest in plants.

Five years earlier Demi was part a Marlborough Girls’ College Year 13 sustainability class that proposed special legislation to better protect the Marlborough Sounds marine environment.

They presented it to council and government ministers, including Hon Jacinda Ardern, Hon David Parker and Hon Eugenie Sage.

“Everyone was super excited and keen but like a lot of things in government, it never came to anything,” she says.

It provided ”a massive learning curve” and saw Demi’s group win the marine category in the 2019 Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards.

“That’s when I first heard about Cawthron and how cool it was.”

Demi says she didn’t excel in high school and was “here and there” about science until she found her passion in her Year 13 sustainabilty class.

This led her to gain an Untouched World Scholarship which “solidifed” her decision to do a Degree in Biology at Canterbury University, she says.

“I did way better there than I ever did at school. I really suprised myself.”

The scholarship programme at Cawthron had taken that learning to next level, she explains..

“It’s been really good to be able to work in an environment where actual science is taking place. It enables you to put what you’ve learned in lectures into a real world situation.’’

Demi says she doesn’t know what the future holds. The last three years have been “pretty crazy” so she’s planning to take some time before determining her next move.

But there’s one thing she is sure of. “I’ll definitely be looking for opportunities in environment and conservation areas.’’ And she has some advice for other high school students who aren’t sure what they want to do in life.

“Just go with what you’re passionate about, even if you’re not the best at it.”