As part of Queensland’s Senior’s Week celebrations The University of Queensland will host a unique tea concert featuring one of the School of Music’s most celebrated violinists.
Organised by UQ’s Australasian Centre on Ageing (ACA), the event will showcase the extraordinary talents of Master of Philosophy student Melinda Stocker.
Born in Switzerland, Ms Stocker performed with the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zürich and the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany when she was just seven-years-old.
Media are invited to attend the event, which will take place at the heritage-listed Brisbane Customs House at 10:30am on Sunday, August 22.
“The last time I played at Customs House was about a year ago in October, which is why I’m excited about the prospect of playing there again. It’s one of the most gorgeous venues, which has a well-balanced acoustic,” Ms Stocker said.
Senior’s Week is organised by the Queensland Government. It celebrates the diversity of older people in Queensland and promotes positive ageing to the broader community.
The ACA integrates and focuses research expertise in human ageing from across UQ and links it with government and community priorities to form a world-class international centre of research excellence.
ACA Director Professor Helen Bartlett said she expected the invitation only concert to be packed with around 200 invited guests.
“The concert provides an opportunity to acknowledge and thank the many people who have helped support the centre and research into ageing at UQ,” Professor Bartlett said.
“These include our 50 plus Registry participants who take part in projects on a range of important health and social issues and also the volunteers who are invaluable to the work of the centre.”
Ms Stocker will be performing various classical pieces including Mozart’s Sonata for Piano and Violin in A major, KV 526.
“I always love to transform hours of practise into a concert, especially when there’s a big audience. It’s a moment I truly relish,” Ms Stocker said.
Through her Masters degree Ms Stocker is investigating the development of solo violin literature. She is studying under the supervision of lecturer in violin Spiros Rantos and lecturer in musicology Dr Samantha Owens.
Ms Stocker, a UQ Medal winner who graduated with a Bachelor of Music with first class honours in 2002, began studying the violin when she was four-years-old.
In 2000 she was a national string finalist in the ABC Young Performers Award and in 2001 she was the winner of The North Queensland Concerto and Vocal Competition.
In 2003 Ms Stocker became one of three recipients of the Lord Mayor’s Performing Arts Fellowship.
Media: For more information, contact Melinda Stocker (telephone 07 3371 2323) or Professor Helen Bartlett (telephone 07 3346 9080) or Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email: c.saxby@uq.edu.au).
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