The event that shows young musicians what’s possible will return to Albury for the 44th time next weekend.
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Border Music Camp takes place between July 8 and 14, with 233 campers and about 60 staff members to enjoy a week of rehearsals, workshops and performances.
Booked out since early May, the camp attracts music lovers from the Border, North East and as far away as Darwin, Queensland and south east Australia.
A community organisation that hires facilities at The Scots School Albury, Border Music Camp offers a residential program as well as shorter day or morning sessions.
Camp chairperson Peter Cerexhe said the six major ensembles catered for musicians of varying standards and experience.
“It’s not just for the best and the brightest, it’s for everybody,” he said.
“People are slotted into where they’re at and where they’ll get a bit of a push.”
Mr Cerexhe said being around other musicians at camp often inspired students wondering whether to continue learning.
“They see the future, if they can stick at it, what they’d be able to do,” he said.
This year the camp’s percussion resources have been boosted by two timpani bought for a bargain $2500, money donated by the Rotary Club of Albury.
Camp director Alastair McKean welcomed the new instruments and thanked the donors.
“Timpani are the backbone of the percussion section and the percussion section is the rhythmic backbone of the ensemble,” he said.
“Having a set of really good timps makes a huge difference to the players, it is so much easier to create great music if you’re using a good instrument.”
Rotary Club of Albury director Charlene Gleeson said members had been happy to help Border Music Camp purchase the timpani.
“These will last for a long time and be used by a lot of people,” she said.
Mrs Gleeson herself attended Border Music Camp once as a teenager.
“It was a bit daunting because I was on the cymbals, I’d never really done those before,” she said with a smile.
“It all fitted in, I’m pretty sure I did it at the right moments.”
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