Lunchtime Concerts are already a popular Friday afternoon activity for many pupils and members of staff. Recently, Director of Music Mr Richard Curran has increased the popularity of these concerts by inviting professional musicians to perform. Today, it was the turn of jazz musician Nora Germain, who joined the Shiplake community with her trio to entertain attendees with some toe-tapping tunes.
The Lunchtime Concerts are no strangers to professional musicians; recently, Hungarian session drummer Gabor Dornyei visited to perform to pupils and then deliver a masterclass in drumming. This Friday, the pupils were joined by jazz violinist Nora Germain, accompanied by Terry Gregory on bass and Rob Luft on guitar. 25-year-old Nora has been playing violin for over 20 years and performing professionally for the last decade. Having studied at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, Nora already boasts an impressive cv. She lives in Los Angeles, and has played alongside great musical talents such as John Altman, Sam Smith, Jacob Collier, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Casey Abrams and Zane Carney, and frequently plays recording sessions for film and television. Currently on her UK tour, Nora made a special stop at Shiplake in order to play at the Lunchtime Concert and deliver a music masterclass in what it takes to be a professional musician.
The Lecture Theatre was packed, and the audience were absolutely blown away by Nora, Terry and Rob. The trio admitted to the crowd that they have not prepared a set list for the concert, and were going to see how things went. However, as they played, it was clear that the abundance of talent between the three of them was more than enough to create an entertaining, high standard of concert. Taking well-known songs, such as Beyoncé’s Love on Top, or even Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Nora showed how applying a swing rhythm and some improvised melodies creates jazz. Pupils were encouraged to aim any questions at her and the band, and learnt about the discipline it takes to be a musician, the social side of playing the violin, and even harmonies on a guitar. It was a very varied session, allowing the pupils to explore a myriad of subjects.