Priscilla Lee, a third-year Bachelor of Music student studying cello performance in the Fountain School of Performing Arts, has recently won the coveted apprenticeship with 鈥� at just 18 years old.
鈥淲hen I first heard I won the apprenticeship, I was absolutely excited!鈥� says Priscilla, the youngest student ever to receive this honour. 鈥淭o be able to play with such amazing musicians in an orchestra that produces a high-quality level of concerts is such an amazing opportunity.鈥�
The Fountain School recommends only one outstanding third or fourth-year student per academic year to audition before a panel of Symphony Nova Scotia members for this apprenticeship. If successful in the audition, the apprentice will play multiple concerts alongside professional musicians over the Symphony鈥檚 next season.
Before COVID-19 changed how we interact with one another, Priscilla鈥檚 audition was meant to take place near the end of March in the 新澳门六合彩开奖 Arts Centre before a panel of Symphony Nova Scotia (SNS) members.
鈥淲hen I heard SNS had cancelled the end of their season,鈥� she says, 鈥淚 was anxious to know whether auditions were still going to happen.鈥�
Her cello instructor, Shimon Walt, had spent many hours with her preparing for the audition, and they were hoping for the best. 鈥淎s musicians, we depend on our audience. When gathering restrictions are limited to less than five people, it takes a big toll on us. For me, loving to collaborate, it is hard not to be able to do that in person anymore.鈥澛�
Priscilla鈥檚 audition would now be online, adding many new factors to take into account when preparing, such as how online streaming would affect the quality of sound of her cello playing. Accuracy and quality are two major components the panel would be looking and listening for.
鈥淭o do that live is difficult in itself,鈥� says Priscilla. 鈥淭o do it online adds a lot more unpredictabilities. Shimon was very encouraging and worked with me to prepare for this audition.鈥澛� 聽
Keeping connected
Shimon Walt, who teaches cello performance with the Fountain School, is the assistant principal cellist of Symphony Nova Scotia and one of its founding members. He explains that from the minute they found out that they weren鈥檛 allowed to get together in person, he jumped to supporting his students through other forms of communication and media.
鈥淲e used Facebook Messenger, FaceTime, Zoom, every possible thing,鈥� adds Shimon. 鈥淏ut that can be difficult when playing live music because the sound and the visuals don鈥檛 always correspond. Sometimes the sound freezes for a while and then the computer tries to speed it up to catch up to the video. So it can be very, very difficult for performing live.鈥� He adds that a positive thing about being at home during this pandemic is it allows him to be completely available for his students to help them with their studies and rehearsals.
For Priscilla鈥檚 preparations for her audition, she got dressed up in her performance clothes and recorded a video of herself perform