Saturday recital will be a treat for flute lovers

By Portuguese flautist David Silva

As someone who grew up on the other side of the globe, Australia had always been a distant and exotic country, which I knew very little of except for its amazing wildlife and, of course, MasterChef.

But nine months ago that drastically changed when my visa was approved and I decided to move to Sydney with my partner. As a freelance classical musician, I was worried about what a big change like this could do to my career, but having lived in several different countries in Europe, I must say that I was never so well received in the musical community as in Australia, and especially in Wollongong.

My relationship with Wollongong started a few months ago, during a trip me and my partner, who is also a flautist, decided to do along the Sapphire Coast. On our first stop from Sydney, we met up with Suzanne Cowan, flute teacher at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, and even though we were supposed to be on holiday, ideas started to bubble and there was no stopping them!

We immediately made plans to organise a recital and a masterclass, a moment where we could all get together with young music students and share what drives us, the love of music. And that day is almost here!

On July 29 we will present a recital that will be the result of this partnership. Divided in two parts, this recital will include one half dedicated to flute and piano repertoire, where I’ll play with Australian pianist Brieley Cutting, and in the other half the WollCon Flute Ensemble, directed by Suzanne Conway, will present a very eclectic program.

Bringing together new generations of musicians and more seasoned ones on stage is an incredibly fulfilling experience. I hope this event not only inspires these young flautists to keep pursuing excellence in music, but also provides them with a positive experience on stage, a place where they can share their voice with others.

And because in the world of art we are always learning, this recital will be also extremely important for me on a personal level.

In a few weeks, I will participate in the National Flute Association – Young Artists Competition in the USA, one of the biggest challenges in my career so far.

As an extra challenge for myself, I’ve decided to use this recital to prepare all the repertoire I’ll have to play in a few weeks for this competition, which means that the audience will have a very important role – they will be my judges! I hope they pass me through the first round.

Come and see it for yourself this Saturday, July 29, 3pm at the Wollongong Uniting Church. More details on the Flame's Calendar.