5.2.14viva1402 netherfield
Local Family Treated to ConcertPerformance
A brother and sister from Netherfield Primary Schoolwill be treated to a concert performance by Nottingham’s Handelsbanken as part of their on-going support for East Midlands professional orchestra Sinfonia Viva.
Stan (11) and Erin (8) Tonkin will meet Viva players and then enjoy a performance at the Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday February 12.
The performance will be extra special for the pair and their mum Katie as their father Graham will be part of the Nottingham Harmonic Choir who are performing alongside Viva at the concert.
Graham, a supply teacher in the city, explained: “When I heard that Erin and Stan had been chosen by the school to have tickets for the concert I thought the date rang a bell and then realised that I would actually be performing at the concert!
“I have been a member of the Nottingham Harmonic Choir for a year but this is the first time I will be performing with Viva.
“I am very much looking forward to the concert and it will be extra special that the family are now able to come and watch.
“This will be a very special treat for Erin and Stan as they are both learning the piano and the school itself is very musical with loads of opportunities to learn instruments and perform.
“I hope that their concert experience will increase their love and enjoyment of classical music – watching a full chorus and a professional orchestra on a huge stage.”
Stan and Erin were nominated for the tickets by their teacher at Netherfield Primary School, Paula Taylor, who was awarded Music Teacher of the Year at the Classic FM awards last year.
She said: “Both pupils have gone the extra mile at school in recent months – particularly Stan who is a member of our Student Parliament - and we wanted to reward their hard work. The whole family is very musical and we thought that they would really enjoy this concert.”
Darren Fretwell, Individual Banking Manager at Handelsbanken in Nottingham, which has sponsored Sinfonia Viva performances for the past two years, continued: “I was very impressed by the school and its active participation in the local community which is similar to Handelsbanken principles. I was therefore delighted to support them in their Integrity scheme which acknowledges children ‘who do the right thing evenwhen nobody is looking’ and is core to the school’s aims.
“Including the parents in the awards also reinforces the school’s desire to involve parents in the education of their children.”
The programme for the Sinfonia Viva concert on February 12 includes music by Sibelius and Medelssohn and features soloists Katherine Broderick, Lydia Teuscher and Andrew Staples.
Audience members will also be treated to an after hours performance by pianist Tom Poster of Finzi's poetic Eclogue and Judith Weir's time-travelling Piano Concerto.
Sinfonia Viva Chief Executive Peter Helps concluded: “Handelsbanken is a valued supporter of the Orchestra and we were delighted when they announced that they would be donating some of their ticket allocation to local schools.
“As the East Midlands’ only professional orchestra, Viva has a national reputation for both high quality concert performances and our education work across the region so it is wonderful to bring these together through the Handelsbanken support.”
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Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/ 07951 945665;
Picture shows: Stan and Erin Tonkin with Darren Fretwell (left) from Handelsbanken and Peter Helps from Sinfonia Viva