MetSO's Norbert Gabriels - Life Member
MetSO Norbert and Eva
What instrument do you play with the MetSO?
Violin
Why do you play the violin?
The choice was piano or violin. At age of 7, picked the one with only one clef.
Do you play any other instruments?
Viola – when I get the opportunity. Nice to sit in the middle of orchestra and the harmony. And when the Viola gets the tune you can be really ‘Bolshie” and play out! Yeah
What instrument would you secretly like to play?
Piano accordion – It’s a fun, but serious instrument. You can lug it around to wherever, and don’t need any accompaniment. Imagine the fun playing all those lovely Italian songs, Santa Lucia, O Sole Mio, O Mein Papa, you know the ones.
How many years have you played with MetSO?
22 years. That’s longer than a life sentence – But it’s a really fun group!
How do you support your musical life?
My day job is in Acoustics.
Very lucky to have had the opportunity to work on the acoustic design of some music performance spaces.
This is where my consuming hobby and work meet.
Favourite 3 Symphonies
My favorite Symphony is the one I am practising for the next MetSO Concert.
Currently it is Dvorak 7. After the concert my favourite symphony changes.
Favourite concerto?
There have been many.
The Beethoven triple concerto with
Emmalena violin(14), Max cello (11) and Kai Ning piano (12) as soloists and
Chris Dragon Conducting in 2016.
Wow what a performance. Just look at these guys now.
Favourite Western Australian composers?
Luis Tasso Santos (Wytai) and
Suzanne Kosowitz (Jacobs Ladder).
These young composers are going places. Hope to be hearing more from them in the future.
Favourite 3 MetSO concerts?
31 August 2008 - UWA Winthrop Hall
Dvořák Stabat Mater
Conducted by - Burhan Güner
with the UWA Choral Society &
Perth Undergraduate Choral Society (PUCS)2008 Artie Shaw jazz clarinet concerto
with Jessica Andrew clarinet and
Noel Mattocks doing a stand-up Viola ad-lib
Conductor Bruce Herriman2013 Mahler Symphony No.4
Conductor Chris Dragon 2013
Favourite MetSO moment?
2018 The Standing Ovation for Shuan Hern Lee
after his performance of the Rachmaninoff No. 3 Piano Concerto,
at All Saints College Auditorium 2018 with
Raymond Yong Conducting.
Favorite scale?
What?
Get real !!!
MetSO Norbert and Eva
Best practice tip?
Just do it - Athletes have to Train, Musicians have to Practice .
To quote Pablo Casals, one of the greatest cellists of our time -
at the age of 80 still practicing 4 hours a day
“I feel that I am making daily progress”.
What is your most useful bit of kit in your instrument case?
A Rubber to change marking on the music, bowings, fingerings etc.
Best violin tip in general?
Start by putting a pencil on your music stand.
When do you like to listen to music?
All the time. It’s part of my life.
What musicians inspire you most and why?
The Australian Chamber Orchestra. A bunch of seriously amazing musicians.
But it’s the eyes.
They watch each other so closely and the precision and detail in the playing is scary.
Yet you can see the fun they are having.
What makes you the happiest in your musical life?
Playing in a quartet with my wife Eva,
Rachel Clark on cello and
Vikki Upton on viola - every (well most) Friday afternoons.
What is the hardest thing you have ever played?
The current Symphony Dvorak No 7 comes close.
The notes are so high on the violin - to avoid high altitude sickness -
I am practising with an oxygen mask.
And yes, “making daily progress”