Semester 1 Recital Program

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) composed his violin concerto for two violins Op. 3 in 1711. Vivaldi wrote an estimated 500 instrumental concertos, and approximately 40 of these concertos were double concertos (for two solo instruments). 

Vivaldi was particularly renowned for his contributions to the development of the concerto form. A concerto is an instrumental composition for solo instrument(s), and is often structured in three movements with the sequence fast-slow-fast. The accompaniment for a concerto typically is an orchestra. Prior to Vivaldi, many elements of the concerto were not standardized. Vivaldi helped establish the three movement form of the concerto, as well as inner features of the movements.

Op. 3 was titled "L'estro armonico" which means "The Musical Inspiration" or "The Harmonious Fancy." It is a collection of 12 concertos for solo violin or groups of violins with a small orchestra. "L'Estro armonico" had a tremendous impact on composers in Northern Europe. After this work was published, several composers traveled to Italy to take lessons with Vivaldi, while others paid him the more subtle compliment of making arrangements of his music (such as J.S. Bach, who arranged five of Vivaldi's concertos from "L'Estro armonico" for keyboard).

Featuring Roy Zhang as first violin soloist

Roy is currently in grade 6 at Carey Grammar.

Roy started learning the violin in 2018 in Prep. (Audrey To 2018 - 2019) (Christine 2020 - 2022) (Trent 2023  - present)

Roy has been a member of the Junior Chamber Orchestra since 2021

Roy''s past solo performances include:

- Eisteddfod prize winner -  Millionaires hoedown by Herman Clebanoff (2023)

Roy performs on a violin made in 1923 by Ernst Heinrich Roth.

Featuring Oliver Lu as second violin soloist

Oliver is currently in grade 6 at Blackburn Lake Primary School.

Oliver started learning the violin in 2021 in grade 3. (Rebecca Abramoff 2021) (Trent 2022 - present)

Oliver will attend Kingswood College in 2025 on a music scholarship. 

Olivers's past solo performances include:

- Eisteddfod prize winner -  Chanson Triste by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (2022)

- Eisteddfod prize winner -  Theme From Schindler’s List by John Williams (2023)

Oliver performs on a 3/4 size KG #300 violin made in 2021.

Of Georg Philipp Telemann's surviving concertos, his Viola Concerto in G major, TWV 51:G9 is among his most famous, and still regularly performed today. It is the first known concerto for viola and was written circa 1716–1721. Telemann focused on composing for lesser-known instruments, resulting in the composition of this Viola Concerto. 

Telemann's Concerto for Viola represents a major Baroque concerto, as he explored the soloistic sound of the instrument, allowing it to be viewed as more than just an ensemble instrument. Unlike J.S. Bach and Vivaldi’s standard concerti of three movements, Telemann’s Concerto in G major for Viola contains four movements, and follows sonata da chiesa form, alternating between the tutti and solo sections, a common practice during this period.

Featuring Hazel Shu as soloist

Hazel is currently in grade 6 at Yarra Valley Grammar.

Hazel started learning the violin in 2018 at Rangeview Primary School in Prep. (Trent 2018 - present)

Hazel has been a member of the Junior Chamber Orchestra since 2019.

Hazel's past solo performances include:

-  Casadesus Viola Concerto C Minor with the JCO (2023)

Hazel performs on a KG #400 15 3/8 inch viola based on a Gasparo da Salo viola of 1580.

 The Four Seasons is the best known of Vivaldi's works. The inspiration for the concertos are the countryside around Mantua  where Vivaldi was living at the time, which could have been written as early as 1716–1717, while Vivaldi was engaged with the court of Mantua only in 1718.

They were a revolution in musical conception: Vivaldi represented flowing creeks, singing birds (of different species, each specifically characterized), a shepherd and his barking dog, buzzing flies, storms, drunken dancers, hunting parties from both the hunters' and the prey's point of view, frozen landscapes, and warm winter fires.

Unusually for the period, Vivaldi published the concerti with accompanying sonnets (possibly written by the composer himself) that elucidated what it was in the spirit of each season that his music was intended to evoke. The concerti therefore stand as one of the earliest and most detailed examples of what would come to be called program music —in other words, music with a narrative element. Vivaldi took great pains to relate his music to the texts of the poems, translating the poetic lines themselves directly into the music on the page. Vivaldi divided each concerto into three movements (fast–slow–fast), and, likewise, each linked sonnet into three sections.

Featuring Hailey Leng as soloist

Hailey is currently in year 7 at Caulfield Grammar.

Hailey started learning the violin in 2018 at Rangeview Primary School in grade 1. (Xenia Albanis 2017 - 2019) (Trent 2020 - present)

Hailey's past solo performances include:

- Haydn violin concerto No. 4 in G major with the JCO (2021)

- Vivaldi Concerto for 4 violins in E minor RV 550 with the JCO (2022)

- Vivaldi violin concerto in G major RV 310 with the JCO (2023)

- Bach violin concerto for two violins in D minor BWV 1043 with the JCO (2023)

- Eisteddfod prize winner -  Csárdás by Vittorio Monti (2023)

Hailey performs on a violin made in the early 20th century (before WWII) by Ernst Heinrich Roth.