Music returns to the Valley
The Monash Medical Orchestra’s concert in Gippsland - Music for the Valley - successfully returned to the region for the first time in three years. More than 60 members of the Monash Medical Orchestra made the trip from Clayton to Churchill on Saturday 20 August for the much-anticipated concert, a highlight in the Orchestra’s performance calendar.
Latrobe City Council Mayor, Councillor Kellie O’Callaghan and Associate Professor Jenny Mosse from Federation Univesity welcomed guests.
The evening’s performance was filled with an air of celebration, and the event acknowledged a number of significant milestone anniversaries with the tenth anniversary of the Monash Medical Orchestra, the thirtieth anniversary of Monash Rural Health and the fiftieth anniversary of Federation University's Gippsland campus.
The concert marked the Orchestra’s sixth visit to Gippsland, acknowledging the important role of the region in the Monash medical program. The region hosts over 200 Monash medical students on clinical placement each year and is the home base of the first-year graduate entry students.
The Orchestra, led by conductor Gyula Cseszkó, showcased highlights from Saint Saens Organ Symphony and Elgar’s Enigma variations, as well as more contemporary sounds from Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. The Monash Medical Jazz Band also made their Gippsland debut, with a set conducted by Monash medical alumnus, Dr Kevin Shi.
A small group from the Orchestra also played two free performances at the High Street Community Hub in Moe, the day before the concert.
Monash Medical Orchestra co-chairs, Leon Yeung and Xenia Zubenko, were thrilled to be able to bring the event back to Gippsland.
“We were excited to finally return to Churchill - after being unable to hold this concert for the last two years,” said Leon.
“It was a pleasure to be able to give back to the Gippsland community with these performances, and we are deeply grateful for the support of Monash Rural Health and Federation University in delivering this concert,” added Xenia.
Professor Shane Bullock, the Head at Monash Rural Health, provided closing remarks at the performance, praising the Orchestra for their ongoing commitment to the Gippsland community and thanking the audience for their support and attendance.
“It was marvellous to have the opportunity to host the Monash Medical Orchestra in Gippsland again after a pandemic-related hiatus. We are grateful that the students were able to put aside the demands of the studies to perform for us. It was great to see some students currently on rural placement participate. I hope that the warm reception from the community that attended will encourage other students to take up rural placement with us during their course.”
