Schola Musica celebrating musical achievement at NCMA

from The Guardian - 11 December 2019

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Everyday NCMA string teacher

Margarita Jackson sees the dedication and commitment of her students in action. “These kids are just incredible. They are practising and rehearsing as often as they can. But how often are these efforts recognised?” she says.

“We are great at recognising the sporting achievements of our youth in our region, but it’s not often that we get to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements made in the field of musical endeavours,” says Margarita.

Dedicated teachers, Margarita and Lissa Cowie are determined to change this. The duo tutor Schola Musica – a youth chamber orchestra and are taking the group on tour to showcase all the youngster’s talents and hard work.

“The rewards for young musicians playing in such a group are numerous. They learn about leadership, they learn to communicate within a musical set- ting, how to coordinate bowing and sound and how to develop the music imaginatively. The orchestra also features young soloists, and these roles are shared as the students gain confidence,” says Lissa.

All students study through NCMA and range in age between

11 and 17 years. There is no conductor and the students take turns leading their sections. Schola Musica perform concerts at NCMA and various schools and retirement homes in the region every year.

This December the group will be giving a series of concerts in

Nelson, Tasman and Golden Bay. They will perform a selection of different works including Bach, Mozart, Bartok, Gershwin, Boccherini, Ravel, Karl Jenkins, Celtic folk music, and some popular tunes.

Venue: St Thomas’ Anglican Church, 101 High Street, Motueka