Media Release
MSO Jams at Shell's School of Refined Rock
25/03/2009
Relaxing their usual classical style, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) rocked out at Shell Geelong Refinery with northern suburbs secondary school students in a jam session/workshop earlier this week.
The opportunity of working with members of the prestigious orchestra drew teens from Corio Bay Senior College and Western Heights College to the refinery.
The aspiring musicians spent the morning composing riffs and themes, skilfully combining their efforts at the end of the workshop into a final performance for the pleasure of refinery employees and teachers attending the concert.
Shell’s Community Development Officer, Natale Lewington, was among the admiring audience.
“I was amazed to see how quickly the teenagers, many of whom didn’t know each other before today, worked so well together to create a piece of music from scratch,” Natale said.
“We were privileged to see the musicians of today and tomorrow working so well together.
“In previous years of the Shell MSO Outreach Programme, MSO musicians visited only one secondary school a year. This year Shell wanted to get as many secondary students involved as possible, and to create an environment for young musicians to meet their peers from other schools.”
Katherine Kerezsi, MSO’s Manager of Education and Community Outreach said “MSO are delighted to be part of a process which brings the community together in such a positive way. The collaboration with Shell Refinery has been nothing but a positive experience and it has been wonderful for our musicians to be part of this fantastic initiative”.
The Shell-sponsored MSO Outreach Programme has been running in Geelong since 2003, and continues in 2009, again including inspiring musical workshops at local northern suburbs primary schools, an art workshop in the Geelong Gallery and free concerts at community centres and neighbourhood houses.
ENDS
For information contact: Joan McGovern - Tel: 5273 8410 Mob: 0404 088 758