The seventh annual Crossroads festival was held over the weekend of August 23 and 24 with the highlight of the weekend, ‘Heavenly Harpsichords’ at Greenway Chapel.
Erin Helyard
The concert began with Senator for NSW Deborah O’Neill highlighting the importance of music for the Central Coast community. Senator O’Neill also introduced the solo performer for the concert, Mr Erin Helyard, Sydney Conservatorium graduate with first-class honours and the University Medal. She said she was excited to meet and hear him perform as she had heard so much about his international achievements through his proud parents. Featuring in the concert was the Adderley harpsichord, known for its creation by Mr Otto Adderley in 1964 purely from Australian wood. Mr Peter Adderley, son of Mr Otto Adderley, attended the concert. Mr Adderley was invited to speak before the performance took place and in his speech said: “I’m proud to say that most of the harpsichord was made in my bedroom.” Before performing, and throughout the concert, Mr Erin Helyard gave a brief history on the harpsichord, playing techniques and the pieces performed. “I could bore you for hours,” Mr Helyard said. Mr Helyard also stated that in the process of making the program, the pieces he chose by C. P. E Bach were featured in recognition of the 300th anniversary of C. P. E Bachs’ birth this year. The concert consisted of pieces performed on both the Adderley harpsichord, which is designed similarly to the Italian-made harpsichord, as well as a German-made harpsichord. In the transition from performing on the Adderley harpsichord to the German-made harpsichord, the difference in the sound between the two was heard by the audience. Not only did the sound differ, but during the interval of the concert, where refreshments were served, audience members were invited to view the design of the instruments and play them. Audience member Mr Mitchell O’Donnell said: “It was interesting that the performers’ hands were covered on the German-make rather than the Adderley harpsichord. “You could see the engineering principles of the culture of the time.” The concert atmosphere was described by Mr O’Donnell to have a “community feel”. Throughout the performance, tears were seen in audience members’ eyes. Mr Adderley said the concert was “resplendent, there’s no other word for it”. Another audience member Mrs Margaret Cook said the concert was “just divine”. “I’ve been doing this for years [attending concerts], it’s just magical.” Mrs Cook admitted that while she hadn’t attended the other concerts, she “found out about the harpsichord and had to”. Youngest audience member of ‘Heavenly Harpsichords’ was Mr Ethan Shadbolt-Connors who at the age of 10 says his favourite place was the Laycock St Theatre. “My favourite harpsichord was the last one [Germanmake]” he said and was seen ‘playing along’ to the performance with a drawing of the harpsichord he had drawn on the program. Mr Shadbolt-Connors attended the concert with his grandmother, Ms Naonie Livingstone who emphasised the importance she felt classical music culture had and made sure to introduce the culture to her children and now her grandchildren. Before performing a piece by Handel, Mr Helyard said: “Handel invites the performer to improvise; I try to do something different every time I play this piece so we’ll see what happens.” Mr O’Donnell noted in regards to Mr Helyards’ speeches throughout the performance: “Erin is very knowledgeable, not only about the instrument but the timing of them, which was interesting.” This was another successful year for the Australian String Academy with the hopes to use the funding raised by Crossroads to purchase a harpsichord, after having the Adderley harpsichord given to them on a longterm loan.
Victoria Power,
27 Aug 2014
Interviewees: Mitchell
O’Donnell, Peter Adderley,
Margaret Cook, Ethan
Shadbolt-Connors
& Naonie Livingstone