AMATORI ORCHESTRA
IAN KNOWLES, DIRECTOR
A wonderful selection of works from the classic Orchestra repertoire presented by Amatori.
Special featured in this concert is the young violinist Olive O’Reilly who not only shows her virtuosic playing in Vivaldi’s ‘Autumn’, but also her poignant sensitivity in Beethoven’s Romance in F.
David O’Meara is treating us to the vibrant Rondo from Mozart’s 4th Horn concerto.
The second half of the program will be the great ‘Eroica’ Symphony of Beethoven. This is a mighty work encompassing the whole gamut of a human’s inner world: warfare, longing, suffering, reflection, triumph, even tenderness. It is all there, and you are invited to be engaged with Amatori Orchestra for 55 overwhelming minutes in this great work.
DATE & TIME
SUNDAY, 30 JUNE, 2024, 3:00-4:30 PM
TICKETS
NORMAL $35 CONCESSION $30
‘The Pitjantjatjara showed me that to sing and dance the lives of one’s ancestors and to pass these forms on to others is a meaningful way to live a life’.
‘By virtue of the singers, players and audiences who share this music appreciation, I have a very happy life, much of it as a community musician.’
IAN KNOWLES – DIRECTOR
Ian played piano from the age of seven, gained a B.Mus. in music Education at Adelaide Conservatorium and studied cello for many years afterwards to pursue chamber music, especially the large string quartet repertoire.
Following an opportunity to work on a cross cultural music program via Adelaide University’s Dept. Ethnomusicology, he spent many years learning to sing and dance Pitjantjatjara corroborees.
However, after many years learning from his Pitjantjajtara teachers, it became imperative to find his own totemic ancestors and thence he plunged back into the culture through which one can grow most deeply, the culture of one’s birth and training, which meant Bach, Beethoven and that tradition of the most demanding and rewarding of Western music masters.
Hence the starting of the Amatori singing group and later Amatori orchestra in Mullumbimby, with the two aims of providing an opportunity for singers and players to enter more deeply into the better known works of the top composers, and to provide local audiences with opportunities to hear this wonderful music live.
OLIVE O’REILLY, VIOLIN
Olive is an 18 year old violinist based in the Northern Rivers. Beginning violin at age 5 she has always immensely enjoyed playing in ensembles and orchestras. She has been a participant in the NSW Regional Youth Orchestra since 2019, performing in prestigious venues such as Sydney Opera House and ABC studios with world class musicians and orchestras including Sir Simon Rattle, London Symphony Orchestra and Australian World Orchestra.
Olive has also been an active member of the Lismore Conservatorium, performing in the Northern Rivers Youth Orchestra and Northern Rivers Chamber strings for over 10 years. She is an avid singer and has performed in many choirs including national choral camp Gondwana.
Olive is very passionate about continuing violin and aims to eventually work in an orchestra full time.
DAVID O’MEARA, HORN
David began learning the trumpet as a teenager and began playing the horn when he joined the Royal Australian Navy Band soon after leaving school. He played on Navy Band recordings and served on shore establishments and the fleet aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. Upon leaving the RAN David auditioned and was accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts ‘Diploma of Music’ course. He studied horn performance, orchestral repertoire, conducting, music history and during this period played first horn with the Australian Youth Orchestra. He undertook Post Graduate studies in ‘Community Music Projects’ and ‘Solo and Orchestral Repertoire for the Horn’. He has played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, the Sydney Opera House Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and various Theatre Orchestras.
David has also been a member of the Victoria Police Band playing horn, trumpet and keyboards, and was the Assistant Conductor.
David then completed a ‘Diploma of Education’ at Monash University and commenced a rewarding teaching career. He was appointed Director of Music in various private secondary colleges in Victoria and NSW. For thirty years he managed music departments: writing, developing and teaching music curriculum, directing school musicals and establishing and developing successful concert band programs. Since moving to Goonellabah David has been appointed Brass Tutor at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium and is enjoying returning to his first love – the horn. He is a great supporter of Community Music and plays horn with the Lismore Symphony, the Northern Rivers Brass Quintet, many amateur orchestras, bands and ensembles throughout the Northern Rivers. David plays a German made Alexander Model 301 triple horn.