BY ALISON PARIS, LEAD WRITER (CHILDREN AND EARLY LEARNING)
The life of a student is a busy one: alongside school, homework, and chores, kids’ schedules are often jam-packed with sports, extra-curricular activities, part-time jobs, and music lessons.
Twelve-year-old Arabella Logan is no exception.
Even before starting high school this year, Arabella’s calendar was already packed with violin lessons, orchestra rehearsals, performances, and even rowing and swimming. And she’s got some big gigs coming up this May and June.
“Fortunately, I have a great Dad who spends much of his time helping me to be organised, achieving a good balance in my daily life. Both my parents are very supportive,” Arabella tells us.
“I am equally passionate about sport and music, and I love everything about school also! Making it all happen – and fitting everything into my week with assignments, homework, school, sport, music, swimming, rowing, and Sydney Youth Orchestra – is about managing my time carefully and using a timetable,” she explains.
“[I look] for the opportunity to find what works best with the time available to get the best outcome.”
Arabella, from Kurrajong, began playing the violin at 5 years of age after receiving her first violin as a gift from her grandmother. “My grandfather also played violin; he passed away before I was born, so playing violin I think gives me a wonderful connection to him.”
Since then, through hard work and daily practice, she has had a chance to perform with many different orchestras, collecting great memories along the way. Some of her favourite achievements include her first SYO Summer School when she was in Year 4, performing as concertmaster in SYO Corelli Orchestra Summer Showcase in 2018, joining the Western Sydney Youth Orchestra with conductor James Pensini, and many, many more.
“I enjoy playing my violin because I love music,” Arabella states.
“Performing makes me feel good inside as I focus only on the music. I feel a great sense of freedom and enjoyment when I play the violin. I can express my creativity to others. I feel very happy that the audience might also feel this enjoyment, and find it relaxing.”
Arabella is gearing up to perform with WSYO this May, and as the principle violin of several ensembles at a Joan Sutherland Centre event this June. But for this musician, practising is about more than the next performance – it’s a marker of her continued music education.
“As I practice, it becomes easier to play and sounds even better. Learning to play this instrument has meant I can read music, so I can use this knowledge and skill to have fun on other instruments such as the piano and ukulele with some of my friends and in music class at school, which is kind of cool!”
Arabella sees her opportunity in music, and the support she’s received, as great privileges.
“My parents and family have always provided support, keeping me focused and appreciating every note I play. In the beginning, some [notes] were rather scratchy, but I have always had great encouragement, even when it probably sounded a bit rough.”
If there’s something we can take away from Arabella’s journey into music, it’s the enormous value of those who have provided her – and other young artists – with the opportunity to receive this education.
“I must thank my violin teacher and my school music tutor for being amazing and inspirational musicians. Both have totally believed in my potential and ability, and provided great guidance and support,” she says.
“Others have helped in other ways; my first violin teacher made lessons so much fun, I didn’t even know I was learning! My coaches for sport have assisted with flexibility […]Even my class teachers over the years have been flexible with school work or homework deadlines so I could fit everything in.”
For Arabella, this is just the start of what promises to be an exciting life of music. In the meantime, she is continuing to focus on her school work, studying for her AMEB exams, and continuing to row and swim.
“My music is always ongoing with so much going on at school, WSYO, rehearsals, concerts, choir, tours, camps, and the SYO Big Busk coming up. Always busy!
“Orchestra rehearsals commence next term for a new school musical of Bye Bye Birdie. I am playing first violin in the orchestra.”
We wish Arabella all the best for her future, and the best of luck for all her pursuits!
See Arabella perform on 25 May in the WSYO Meet the Orchestra concert series, Pioneer Theatre, Castle Hill.
She will also perform at the St Paul’s Grammar School Music Academy Soundscape concert as principal violin of several ensembles, 3 June at Q Theatre, Joan Sutherland Centre.
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