Concert Performance Day 1

Flinders St Baptist Church

By Wendy Heiligenberg and Sofie Arhontoulis

When: 22 April 2023

On Saturday 22 April the MTASA held the first Concert Performance Day for 2023.

Session 1 was quite lengthy, featuring a total of 33 performers, including 26 pianists, 4 cellists, 3 guzheng players, and a drummer. Despite the extended duration of the session, both the performers and audience members remained fully engaged and enthusiastic throughout. Congratulations are in order for all of the performers who managed to deliver such impressive performances without the benefit of a warm-up, and some of whom had to wait for an extended period of time. Additionally, we would like to extend our apologies for any inconvenience caused by the wait. Nonetheless, the turnout was fantastic, and we are grateful to everyone who participated. was the appearance of three Guzheng players, all dressed in stunning traditional attire. Their performance was a feast for the senses, with evocative and fascinating tone colours that left the audience spellbound. Additionally, a brother and sister duo, Sasha (Guzheng) and Jordan Sun (Drum), delivered a thrilling rendition of Battle Against Typhoon by Weng Chang Yuan. Their performance was dramatic and exciting, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. Due to time constraints, our reviewers were unable to provide general comments on the performances. Nonetheless, it was an afternoon filled with exceptional talent and unforgettable moments. During Session 2, there were a couple of violinists and several pianists, with similar excellent performances.

Despite a few performers experiencing moments of insecurity, the entire group persevered and fearlessly completed their chosen pieces. It’s no secret that memorising music can be a daunting task, and some players weren’t quite ready to perform without their sheet music. However, they still managed to play certain passages from memory, even if they occasionally stumbled. This particular session showcased a predominantly young group of performers, with some pieces lasting only 20 seconds. As a result, our reviewers had to stay alert and attentive throughout the entire performance.

Moving on to Session 3, we had a flautist and a violinist, along with a diverse group of pianists of varying ages and skill levels. Yong Cheong the session, encouraging performers to take the suggestions of the reviewers into account in order to improve their future performances.

We would like to extend our gratitude to Kaye Fitton, Zuoyu Liu, and Wendy Heiligenberg for their contributions during the first session. For Session 2, we had Kathleen Lawler and Wendy Heiligenberg, and for Session 3, Yong Cheong Lye and Yuxin Men. Their expertise and insights were invaluable in making these sessions a success. Deep thanks go to Masako Kondo for the programming, a massive task, and our Secretary Elena Shakallis for expertly handling the large groups for the afternoon.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of CP Day 1, the sessions ran well over the limited time allowed, and therefore we have decided to limit the entries for CP Day 2 in June, so best to enter as soon as possible, via our website, before ticket entries sell out!