One of the Shoalhaven's outstanding young musicians is set to be recognised during Music Shoalhaven's 75th anniversary celebrations on Sunday, September 17.
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During the afternoon 13-year-old Albert Au of Vincentia will receive the Hugh Macken Award - presented annually to a young Shoalhaven resident showing great promise as a pianist.
The year eight students at Smith Hills High School in Wollongong has been immersed in the world of music since infancy.
His musical journey officially began when he learned about musical notes from his mother at the tender age of three.
Albert's formal training started in 2015 with piano lessons under the guidance of Olivia Corish in Vincentia.
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This training continued until he reached grade two in the AMEB curriculum.
In 2017 he started studying under Tania McGrath from grade three, leading to a range of accolades including being recognised in the 2018 Shoalhaven Eisteddfod as a promising Shoalhaven resident in the under 16 string section, and the same year he was invited to perform with the Illawarra On Pointe Productions for the Symphonic Epics Orchestra and Fantastic Orchestral Beasts.
The accolades have kept coming in more recent years, including winning the St Cecilia Piano Classical Music Scholarship, holding the position of concert master in the Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra for two years, playing with the BlueScope Youth Orchestra at Wollongong Conservatorium, winning junior and teen piano championships at the Shoalhaven Eisteddfod and receiving the Gerringong Music Club's Gem Buck Memorial Award, acknowledging his promise as a young violinist.
Despite his success, Albert remains grounded and compassionate, hoping to spend the school holidays sharing music's therapeutic power by performing in aged care and nursing home facilities.
The Hugh Macken Award's presentation will be one of the highlights of the 75th anniversary celebrations for Music Shoalhaven - the oldest regional music club in NSW.
It started life as the Nowra Music Club in 1948, attracting a number of world-class performers including Dame Joan Sutherland, conductor Simone Young, oboe player Diana Doherty, cellist David Pereira and pianist Gerard Willems.
The gathering in the Nowra School of Arts at 2pm on September 17 will be no different, with violinist Esther Schopf and pianist Norbert Groh from Germany performing.
The club is also hosting the Arcadia Winds at 2pm on Sunday, October 1, with Music in the Regions, an initiative of the State Government, to further celebrate this milestone in the history of Music Shoalhaven.
