3:13pm Thursday 18th June 2009
By Melanie Dakin
To practise every day is the credo for most musicians, but for 20-year-old Watford violinist Matthew Bethel with two appearances coming up in the next few weeks, it’s vital he puts the hours in.
“Playing the violin is all about regularity,” says Matthew, who has just finished a string of recitals as part of his music degree at Royal Holloway, part of the University of London.
“If I leave it even for a day people start to notice and when you’re playing different pieces you’ve got to be on top of your game all the time.”
Matthew will join Watford Symphony Orchestra next weekend, as soloist on Sibelius’ 2nd Symphony and Mozart’s Violin Concerto. He will then team up with Watford Youth Orchestra at his old school Watford Grammar later in the month.
The son of two performers, former Hong Kong Young Musician of The Year, Winnie Wu and Royal Opera House cellist Mark Bethel, Matthew has been playing the violin since the age of five.
Matthew’s parents weren’t sure they wanted the precarious life of a musician for their son, however.
“Both my parents tried to persuade me not to become a musician as it’s a very hard profession but there’s nothing I like more.
“I decided on a music degree that would cover performance, composition, history and analysis as it gives me more options.”
Alternating study with performance certainly seems to be working out for Matthew and he’s looking forward to the contrast between the two works.
“The Mozart piece is very different to the Sibelius though equally as challenging. It’s very technically difficult incorporating characters in music as though it’s an opera. To the listener, the way it’s written might sound simple, but it speaks volumes; it’s definitely a case of less is more.”
Watford Symphony Orchestra play Clarendon Muse on Saturday, June 27, at 7.45pm. Tickets: 01923 244196, www.watfordsymphony orchestra.co.uk (£8)
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/trade_directory/