Hitting all the Right Notes with Victoria Teo

What is your earliest musical memory?

I started with the Suzuki method; my teacher actually brought that method to Australia. The first thing that we used to learn is how to stand properly; I was maybe 3 years old and my teacher would make a cardboard mat and he would trace out your shoes so you could learn the different positions to stand; I had stickers all over the card and that was one of the greatest memories. I remember I did lessons before school in a small church in Wahroonga. In the Suzuki method you have group lessons where you play with a bunch of people and you play the same piece so it’s not about playing as a soloist, it’s about playing as a community. All these little kids around you, just playing the exact same piece and smiling together.

Do you remember your first performance?

I was about 4 or 5 and I went to Matsumoto in Japan for a summer convention with the Suzuki method. I was combined with people from all over the world. With the Suzuki method, there are different books and you all play the same pieces so basically these kids from all over the world met in a big gymnasium hall and played together. It was absolutely fantastic to see everyone; all these different teachers with their little classes.

You build wonderful friendships that are so close because you travel and you learn everything together. I’m still best friends with the friends that I made when I was 3. It’s really nice.

And did you have a very tiny violin?

Yes, I think it was an 8 th , but I had friends with a 30 th which wouldn’t have been more than 30cm I don’t think. It was very tiny and barely made a sound.

Are you from a musical family?

My parents do not know anything about music, but they spend lots of time making sure we get to lessons and things like that. My sister plays; when I started playing the violin, my sister came to my group lessons and she started playing the violin as well. Later on, she started the double bass and she actually plays a viola a bit as well. So yeah, that’s nice.

Earlier this term, you were named a Music Captain; what are your plans for the music program next year?

I’m really looking forward to the House Music Festival. It’s one of the biggest events in the school calendar and I really want to get every single person in the school involved. I have to compose and arrange different pieces so that everyone, with or without musical experience, can be part of it and love music culture like I do. It’s competitive, but it’s friendly and I love that, especially after this year when we haven’t been able to play together or sing because of COVID-19 lockdown.

Playing with other people seems really important to you; is that why you auditioned for the Rising Stars program at the Conservatorium of Music?

When I was in Year 3, I auditioned for the Rising Stars program because a few of my friends were trying out.

I got in! Every Saturday we go to the Conservatorium of Music and lesson participate in tutorials or lessons with amazing teachers. We do theory, technique, and performance. A lot of professional musicians that are quite well known came out of that program which is inspiring. It’s the community that is just wonderful; I think the music community is one of the strongest because you have to see each other often and you work hard. It’s my 7th or 8th year this year. When I joined, I was the youngest girl and then I’ve gone through and evolved and now I’m an old hand. They’ve added a junior section, so there’s a lot of younger kids coming up which is awesome. I know there are some other Queenwood girls in the younger years who will be joining the program in 2022 which is exciting.

So, you’ve been doing this since you were 3 years old; are you going to stay part of the music community after school? What are your future plans?

I would like to continue music, but it’s kind of hard because of COVID-19, and we’ve seen the effect that it’s had on the music and arts industries. If things recover, I would like to travel and work with different coaches and teachers. Travelling and playing is amazing because music is an international language. You can play and share and communicate through music with people from all over the world. And that’s why going overseas and doing all those conventions really helped me to connect with other people; I want to keep doing that.

You mentioned lockdown; how did that impact you personally?

I have quite an old music tutor at the Con who didn’t really cope with technology. I got into habit of recording videos and then sending them for feedback. I’m usually really scared of making recordings because if you mess up, you’ve got to start from the beginning which is different to a live performance where you just keep going – this means you always do worse in a recording. So, lockdown has helped me overcome that fear, just through having to confront it regularly.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I like my pop, but then I have those times where I just want to listen to classical. I like YouTube for listening to classical music more than Spotify, because then you can see the actual performance and you can see all the emotion in their movements and that’s what I love. My most favourite right now is the Mendelssohn String Octet , and it’s a piece that I’m actually analysing for my IB Extended Essay. Mendelssohn is my favourite composer; he composed this piece when he was 16 which came as a shock to me. I’m playing this awesome piece as at the same age that he composed it with the friends that I’ve known since I started learning the violin – I love it!

What do you do for fun when you don’t have a bow in your hands?

Well, music does take up a lot of my time; and that’s what I do for fun. I have different lessons, not just with violin, but piano and then orchestra. These things take dedicated work, commitment. Now I’m in Year 11, I have to balance practicing at a serious level and studying at the same time. For me, it’s like, I still need to keep up the practise otherwise I’ll lose the skills and being good is the fun part.

But I also like volunteering. We have a house up near the Hawkesbury and there were really big fires that devastated the community in that area in 2020. Our land wasn’t affected, but lots of people were. We saw that money donated didn’t always go to the volunteer firefighters who were on the ground so my family went to Coles and filled up car loads and car loads of food and power bars and energy drinks (and chocolate) and we helped make sure everyone had what they needed to just keep going.

I’m part of Social Justice Club too and my friends and I try and think of other ways to help, like when we wrote to the farmers during the mouse plague because we read about the crops that were destroyed and their houses that were invaded. But that problem seems to have eased through the winter. It was interesting to talk to people and connect with them as it’s so different to where we live.

As we speak, HSC examinations are about to begin. Do you have any advice for Year 12 Music Students?

Music is a very emotional art form. Once you’ve put in the work practising timing, intonation, trust that you know what to do and don’t worry about all the techniques. When you’re performing, it’s all about just showing what you’ve done and being proud that you’ve come this far. Just enjoy the emotion of the performance.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Everyone should just try and have a go at music. Join a choir, perform in an ensemble, listen to music, play music with friends. Music is a great way to meet people in your year group but also to bond with other years too. •

Visit Esther Road to view Year 12 major works, sign up to convert the QUTE to solar power, read through Kindergarten reflections, learn about Cleanwood’s new recycling program and be inspired. There has been a lot happening both inside and outside of the classroom; here is a quick look at what the students have been up to…