We would like to wish everyone a
Merry Christmas!!!!
Sunday 23 December 2012
Saturday 22 December 2012
Astar and Rawhinia`s 2012 Update
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| Rawhinia and Astar Jamming |
Thought I would give you a bit of an update on Astar and Rawhinia`s year. It has been quite dramatic and very exciting.
First of all they have LOVED being members of Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO2) . They are already eagerly waiting for orchestra rehearsals to start again in 2013! Fantastic music and a really great bunch of musicians.
Astar & Rawhinia are now very lucky to be studying violin under Spiros Rantos.
This year both girls sat their Grade 7 AMEB - both acquired high distinctions, so now practice, practice for Grade 8. Loads of scales and studies as well as pieces to learn. They love their lessons and continue to be passionate violin players.
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| Rawhinia and Astar Playing in a Nursing Home |
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| Astar and Rawhinia Guest Musicians |
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| Rawhinia and Astar playing to Palliative Care patients |
Special thanks to Trudi Berg, Wouter Spitzers, Sally Buckner & Jarro Rykers for you have helped spread the sound of music near and far.
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| Astar and Rawhinia Dressed To Kill - ready for performance |
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| Astar and Rawhinia Perform During Luncheon for Maleny Garden Club |
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| Rawhinia and Astar Playing Duet for BRYO |
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| Astar and Rawhinia Performing Bach |
Listed below are a few of the concerts the girls have performed in 2012:
March Brisbane Youth Orchestra
March QYO2 Twilight Concert, OMB Brisbane
June QYO2 Twilight Concert, OMB Brisbane
July Buderim Nursing Home, Sunshine Coast
RSL Hinterland, Sunshine Coast - Music for diners
Sept Workshop & performance with QSO, Caloundra Events Centre
Sept QYO2 Twilight Concert OMB, Brisbane
Sept Make A Wish Foundation, Coolum
Oct Daniel Morecombe Foundation, Caloundra
Oct Prince Charles Hospital -Palliative Care, Brisbane
Oct RSL Sunshine Coast
Oct 70th Birthday Party Mapleton
Oct QYO 2 Twilight Concert, OMB Brisbane
Oct Maleny Garden Club`s 60th Birthday Luncheon, Maleny Showgrounds
Nov QYO Gala, QPAC Brisbane
Nov SCYO Gala, Caloundra Events Centre
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| A & R Fund-raising for violins. Biscuits anyone? |
It`s school holidays now, but there is no such thing as a holiday when it comes to violin! Though guess that playing beautiful music on the violin is as good as a holiday!
Here`s to creativity, practice, fund-raising and to the joy of music
Cheers, A & R`s Nana
Sunday 17 June 2012
A Rare Case Of Double Vision
RAWHINIA AND ASTAR CASTLE are not only identical twin girls but they have identical musical talents.
These highly motivated and attractive teenagers are the youngest violinists in the Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO2), and can count internationally renowned violinist, Nigel Kennedy as one of their friends.
The girls and their single mum, Katusha, spoke to HT Editor from their home on the Sunshine Coast.
NOW I have to say, at the outset, that I was never quite sure whether I was talking to Rawhinia or Astar. It was also unnerving that each girl had the uncanny knack of finishing perfectly the other one’s sentences. (To help you out reading this story, Astar is in the pink top.)
“We heard Nigel Kennedy play ‘The Four Seasons’ when we were very little,” said Astar with remarkable poise for a 13 year-old. “We both knew right there and then that we wanted to play the violin, so we started saving, even though we were only two and a half years old. We finally bought our first violins when we were six.”
Katusha, the twins’ mother, has always given the girls her whole-hearted support for their musical aspirations. While she loves to listen to the girls play, she is not musical herself but recalls with a deep sigh the girls’ first response to the sound of a violin.
“When the girls were just two and half and they said they wanted a violin I laughed at them not taking them seriously. But every birthday and Christmas after that they saved.”
Being interested in early childhood herself, Katusha was quick to spot academic intelligence in her twin girls. They were quick to read, and before they were four they had already worked their way through the Enid Blyton library. They also have photographic memories – an ideal asset for learning music.
When they were about eight years old British violin virtuoso, Nigel Kennedy visited Brisbane and the twins wrote to him hoping to meet him.
“We got tickets to Kennedy’s concert,” said Astar, “and he invited us to come back stage after the concert. We cheekily asked him to sign our three quarter violins, and he did!”
“He quite liked their quirky sense of humour,” said Katusha with a sense of pride. “So now, whenever he comes to Australia he will ring the girls and ask them to come to his performances, and his private parties … which are just for him, his band and his friends… very late nights, but what an honour!”
“He came out again in 2010 and we went to one of his parties,” said Astar, “and that’s when he asked us to play for him.” “… Yes but at 1.30am in the morning!” laughed Rawhinia.
Katusha recalls Kennedy was very impressed with the way the girls worked with each other, without either of them realising that’s what they were doing. He has asked the girls to keep in contact with him as they progress, and wants to meet privately with them if they ever go to Europe, in fact Kennedy said “a trip to
Europe would be an asset to the twins musical education”. For the past four years the twins have had private
lessons with Adam Piechocinski, a local Sunshine Coast based violin teacher, originally from Poland.
With so much music practice, it was the girls who suggested home schooling to their mother. They do their lessons from there home through phone and internet conferencing, and they get to see school friends on open days at Brisbane School of Distance Education.
“I got involved last year in the Home Education System, when I wrote the girls school program for Years 8 and 9.
I found that because they have a very high IQ it was hard for me to keep up with them. They are now in Year 9 at BSDE. They’re doing Year 10 science and a very advanced level of maths. In English I decided to keep Astar and Rawhinia in Year 9 so that they wouldn’t finish high school too early. Otherwise they will be too young to move on to university.”
The girls are just as advanced with their music. They are already at Grade 7 AMEB level but their teacher doesn’t want them to sit their exam until they acquire new violins. The entire family… mother, grandmother and the twins… when their tight schedule permits, are street busking, playing at weddings or baking biscuits for local events, to raise at least $10,000 needed for two quality European violins.
Astar and Rawhinia have set up a fundraising account at the Maleny Credit Union for anyone who would like to contribute to their violin quest. (See end of story).
Not surprisingly, Astar and Rawhinia want a professional career in music. They are already the youngest violinists in the Queensland Youth Orchestra 2. Next step though is university. As if their timetable isn’t full enough, the twins have also started a four year business degree which they are hoping to complete by the time they are in Year 12.
“We want to go to the conservatorium,” adds Astar, “but we’re not sure which one, whether it will be Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. “
While professional violinists are rare, Katusha is conscious that her daughters have special talents, quite apart from their looks and their youthful passion to succeed.
When the Castle twins are not playing the violin they are sitting at the piano, playing the guitar, the clarinet, the flute, or composing violin pieces.
“I am very fortunate to be constantly surrounded by beautiful live music,” said Katusha with a satisfied smile. “I have these wonderful passionate musicians that I hear every day, so I count my blessings”.
Lend your support to help these extraodinarily talented locals girls become future world renowned performers…fundraising account to raise money for two violins for
Rawhinia and Astar Castle:
Maleny Credit Union BSB: 704-606 Acc. No: 200101553 A & R Castle
These highly motivated and attractive teenagers are the youngest violinists in the Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO2), and can count internationally renowned violinist, Nigel Kennedy as one of their friends.
NOW I have to say, at the outset, that I was never quite sure whether I was talking to Rawhinia or Astar. It was also unnerving that each girl had the uncanny knack of finishing perfectly the other one’s sentences. (To help you out reading this story, Astar is in the pink top.)
“We heard Nigel Kennedy play ‘The Four Seasons’ when we were very little,” said Astar with remarkable poise for a 13 year-old. “We both knew right there and then that we wanted to play the violin, so we started saving, even though we were only two and a half years old. We finally bought our first violins when we were six.”
Katusha, the twins’ mother, has always given the girls her whole-hearted support for their musical aspirations. While she loves to listen to the girls play, she is not musical herself but recalls with a deep sigh the girls’ first response to the sound of a violin.
“When the girls were just two and half and they said they wanted a violin I laughed at them not taking them seriously. But every birthday and Christmas after that they saved.”
Being interested in early childhood herself, Katusha was quick to spot academic intelligence in her twin girls. They were quick to read, and before they were four they had already worked their way through the Enid Blyton library. They also have photographic memories – an ideal asset for learning music.
When they were about eight years old British violin virtuoso, Nigel Kennedy visited Brisbane and the twins wrote to him hoping to meet him.
“We got tickets to Kennedy’s concert,” said Astar, “and he invited us to come back stage after the concert. We cheekily asked him to sign our three quarter violins, and he did!”
“He quite liked their quirky sense of humour,” said Katusha with a sense of pride. “So now, whenever he comes to Australia he will ring the girls and ask them to come to his performances, and his private parties … which are just for him, his band and his friends… very late nights, but what an honour!”
“He came out again in 2010 and we went to one of his parties,” said Astar, “and that’s when he asked us to play for him.” “… Yes but at 1.30am in the morning!” laughed Rawhinia.
Katusha recalls Kennedy was very impressed with the way the girls worked with each other, without either of them realising that’s what they were doing. He has asked the girls to keep in contact with him as they progress, and wants to meet privately with them if they ever go to Europe, in fact Kennedy said “a trip to
Europe would be an asset to the twins musical education”. For the past four years the twins have had private
lessons with Adam Piechocinski, a local Sunshine Coast based violin teacher, originally from Poland.
With so much music practice, it was the girls who suggested home schooling to their mother. They do their lessons from there home through phone and internet conferencing, and they get to see school friends on open days at Brisbane School of Distance Education.
“I got involved last year in the Home Education System, when I wrote the girls school program for Years 8 and 9.
I found that because they have a very high IQ it was hard for me to keep up with them. They are now in Year 9 at BSDE. They’re doing Year 10 science and a very advanced level of maths. In English I decided to keep Astar and Rawhinia in Year 9 so that they wouldn’t finish high school too early. Otherwise they will be too young to move on to university.”
Astar and Rawhinia have set up a fundraising account at the Maleny Credit Union for anyone who would like to contribute to their violin quest. (See end of story).
Not surprisingly, Astar and Rawhinia want a professional career in music. They are already the youngest violinists in the Queensland Youth Orchestra 2. Next step though is university. As if their timetable isn’t full enough, the twins have also started a four year business degree which they are hoping to complete by the time they are in Year 12.
“We want to go to the conservatorium,” adds Astar, “but we’re not sure which one, whether it will be Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. “
While professional violinists are rare, Katusha is conscious that her daughters have special talents, quite apart from their looks and their youthful passion to succeed.
When the Castle twins are not playing the violin they are sitting at the piano, playing the guitar, the clarinet, the flute, or composing violin pieces.
“I am very fortunate to be constantly surrounded by beautiful live music,” said Katusha with a satisfied smile. “I have these wonderful passionate musicians that I hear every day, so I count my blessings”.
Lend your support to help these extraodinarily talented locals girls become future world renowned performers…fundraising account to raise money for two violins for
Rawhinia and Astar Castle:
Maleny Credit Union BSB: 704-606 Acc. No: 200101553 A & R Castle
Wednesday 11 April 2012
THE GIFT OF GIVING
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Rawhinia and Astar |
Yesterday I had the pleasure of enjoying Rawhinia and Astar's performance at a nursing home on the Sunshine Coast, where the girls played to over 60 residents.
It was amazing to see the difference, first-hand, that music can make in people that are aged. When we arrived at the home, the residents (who are quite old) were sluggish and not interested in communicating with other residents or myself. Then the girls played a variety of classical pieces. Straight away the audience were alert and tapping, singing and swaying to the music. After the girls finished their set the residents cheered and requested an encore. The difference was astounding, we now had a room of alert communicative people. They were so happy and as the girls said "FULL OF LIFE. Completely transformed".
Both Astar and Rawhinia were so pleased that they had the opportunity to give this gift to the residents at the nursing home.
The gift of giving is a wonderful thing!
Cheers Katusha
Sunday 11 March 2012
Alexander Headland Wedding
Hello again,
Astar and Rawhinia, now 13, are still mad about violin and belong to two orchestras one being the Queensland Youth Orchestra. So loads of time taken up with violin as well as the huge amount of schoolwork that is necessary for grade 9 and 10. (A & R are doing grade 10 science).
They did though, manage to squeeze in playing for a wonderful little wedding on the coast last month. This is a sneeky photo of them warming up for the wedding. Hope you like it.
Cheers, Katusha
Astar and Rawhinia, now 13, are still mad about violin and belong to two orchestras one being the Queensland Youth Orchestra. So loads of time taken up with violin as well as the huge amount of schoolwork that is necessary for grade 9 and 10. (A & R are doing grade 10 science).
They did though, manage to squeeze in playing for a wonderful little wedding on the coast last month. This is a sneeky photo of them warming up for the wedding. Hope you like it.
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| Tuning up for The Wedding |
Monday 9 January 2012
Healthy Hints - 2012 List of Important Things To Do
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Let`s make this the best year ever! Plenty of music and plenty of creativity!
Please check out my short list of some important things to do in 2012
Tune in to the Healthy Hints Page,
Cheers Christabel
Let`s make this the best year ever! Plenty of music and plenty of creativity!
Please check out my short list of some important things to do in 2012
Tune in to the Healthy Hints Page,
Cheers Christabel
Sunday 1 January 2012
Happy New Year
We had a wonderful Christmas day. We decided to do something different this year so we found a group that serves a Christmas lunch to homeless and underprivileged people. We were in charge of handing out presents to the children. If you are ever stuck for something to do or you want to do something extraordinary then we recommend that you volunteer to help, like we did. It was the best!!!! There was a little boy that came up to us and told us about his favourite toy. He had been given a Transformer by another child but even though it had no legs it was his favourite. We found 2 new transformers toys and gave them to the boy and his face lit up like the best Christmas Tree ever,
SO COOL!!!!!!!!
We want to wish you an amazing year 2012
Tune in soon A & R
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| Rawhinia and Astar Christmas Day 2011 |
SO COOL!!!!!!!!
We want to wish you an amazing year 2012
Tune in soon A & R
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