MBOMBELA – Terence Bishop, who lives in White River, belongs to the Lowveld Community Orchestra (LCO) and joined three years ago as one of its founding members. On Wednesday evening, he, Jané Cilliers and Anneke Coetzer (violinist and director of LCO) played at the Huisgenoot Afskopkonsert alongside ADAM and MoniQue. The main JacarandaFM event will be held on Saturday, where two cellists and five violinists from LCO will join the other artists on stage for 20 songs.
“I always loved the cello and its deep sound. It’s just a fascinating instrument,” Terence said.
“But I struggled to find someone in the Lowveld to teach me how to play. Paul Savage is the first cellist in the orchestra and he has been giving me lessons and guidance for the past few years.”
Before that, Terence taught himself how to play one of the most difficult string instruments using the Internet.
“I told my wife I was going to buy a cello and learn how to play it over time. I am not a musical person at all,” said Terence who moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe in 1984.
“This is the first major concert I have played in. I am excited but also incredibly nervous.”
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Terence works as an aircraft engineer and he had to take off work to go to the sound rehearsal on Wednesday. Because he is English-speaking, many of the songs he has had to learn have been unfamiliar.
“Fortunately, many of the songs are often broadcast on Jacaranda- FM. I now recognise the tunes and even listen out for the bass line!” he said.
Anneke said it was wonderful to have the opportunity to promote the orchestra, which operates under the proprietorship of the Casterbridge Music Development Academy.
“We are a community orchestra, so we see this as doing our bit for the people of the area. But it is also very exciting and we hope it will be the start of something bigger,” she said.
The LCO consists of approximately 25 members of all ages and covers all four major groups including strings, woodwind, brass and percussion.
The LCO musicians performing at the JacarandaFM concert are Barbara Turpin, Thembile Mahlangu, Shan-Rich Lemmer, Rozanne Jordan, Jan Neethling, Terence and Anneke.
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