Annie Duncan
This Sunday afternoon will see a special event at the Daylesford Town Hall. Internationally renowned Canadian violinist Alexandre Da Cost will perform with the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra.
Alexandre Da Costa is a French-Canadian violinist who is visiting Victoria as the soloist with the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra (ZMSO). He is one of the most sought-after violinists in the world and on Sunday, March 26, is playing in Daylesford Town Hall with the ZMSO in “Stradivarius in Vienna”.
U3A Hepburn Shire was thrilled when Alexandre and George Deutsch, president of the ZMSO, made an extra visit to Daylesford last Monday to join us for a Viennese afternoon tea. This was sponsored by the Daylesford Bendigo Bank and the lucky members of the audience came from U3A, Daylesford Primary and Secondary Schools and Loreto College, Ballarat as well as their parents.
We enjoyed delicious Viennese food (thanks, Kim Clifford), Viennese coffee but most of all we enjoyed listening to Alexandre play three different violins and talk about his violin, his career and his plans. His 1701 Stradivarius is priceless and we were all lucky enough to be able to see it close up and hear Alexandre play Vivaldi’s “Summer” from his “Four Seasons”.
Alexandre, who has a nine year old son, was happy to talk to the students after the tea.
Tickets are still available for Stradivarius in Vienna to be held at the Daylesford Town Hall on Sunday March 26 at 2pm. Tickets ($45 – children free) can be bought online or, if any are left, at the door on Sunday.
Annie Duncan is president of Hepburn U3A
