From North to South

We started our journey with a drive to the ‘Rock Lobster capital of Australia’, Dongara, before a performance at the Dongara Community Resource Centre

The next day WASO performed at Dongara District High School to primary and high school students for the Dongara Education program. Mitsui E&P Australia and Beach Energy partnered with WASO to bring a string quartet to the school for the Program; an initiative developed off the back of the Orchestra’s tour earlier in the year to Geraldton and the organisation’s 15-year relationship with Mitsui E&P Australia.

During the previous tour, Dongara DHS students were provided with the opportunity to experience a full orchestra rehearsal by WASO prior to our mainstage performance in Geraldton.

This time around, over 300 students enjoyed a performance from the WASO String Quartet, before answering students’ burning questions in Q&A sessions. Students, teachers and parents in attendance were then able to “have-a-go” at playing a violin, viola or cello with guidance from the musicians – a very popular way to cap off the program!

After travelling to Geraldton, the quartet performed at St Lawrence Primary School and Geraldton Grammar School for day three of the tour. Across the two schools, over 400 students enjoyed the WASO String Quartet play famous classical works, movie soundtrack favourites and demonstrate different string sounds, before getting the opportunity to ‘interview’ the musicians.

The quartet also performed to residents at aged care centres Acacia Living Beachlands Village and Juniper Hillcrest. These intimate concerts featured music by Mozart, Bach and Gershwin, delighting residents and for some, bringing back past memories.

Performances at Geraldton and Champion Bay Senior High Schools rounded out our busy visit to the Coral Coast.

After a concert week back in Perth performing Bohemian Rhapsodies, we hit the road again, this time heading south to Bunbury. Bunbury Primary School was the first stop of the southern leg, with the quartet playing to 450 students across two afternoon performances.

The next day, we travelled to two aged care homes across Bunbury; Opal HealthCare Bunbury Gardens and Regis Bunbury. The quartet enjoyed morning and afternoon teas with the residents, and even did hands-on instrument demonstrations for residents.

WASO’s performance at Cooinda Primary School was a special way to end our time in Bunbury, with students especially enjoying the contemporary arrangements. Teachers even joined in for a big sing-a-long to ‘Frozen’!

Finally, the quartet travelled to Harvey to perform at Hall & Prior Hocart Lodge Aged Care Home, before heading back to Perth after a very big few weeks on the road.

WASO’s String Quartet performances are part of our WASO in the Community and WASO in Schools programs, which are available to schools and aged care homes across the state (where scheduling permits). We look forward to being on the road again in 2023, performing across Kalgoorlie and Karratha!

Mitsui E&P Australia and Beach Energy are the Major Co-Supporters of the Dongara Education Program.