Player Profiles – Past and Present
Simon Allston - Cello
The plan to play resurfaced after I retired in February 2012. I was inspired to think of learning an instrument again after a conversation with Don Challen, who told me how he had taken up the clarinet after his retirement from the position of Secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance. Like me, Don thought that learning an instrument would be a good way of maintaining the mind and body in later life.
Ronald Cruickshank - Viola
Ron Cruickshank joined the Southern Tasmanian Community Orchestra (formerly Derwent Strings) in 2010 and plays Viola. Ron also contributes to the Management Team providing insight into the financial situations as Treasurer for both the Derwent Strings, and the parent orchestra, the Derwent Symphony Orchestra, and now the Southern Tasmanian Community Orchestra.
People who have enjoyed playing with us in the past:
Weihang Li - Violin
Born in China, Jason started learning violin when he was 4 years old. He finished his masters degree of Music Studies (Conducting) in Sydney Conservatorium of Music. During this period, he studied symphonic conducting with Maestro Eduardo Diazmunõz, Choir conducting with Neil McEwan and opera conducting with Dr Stephen Mould. He conducted Beethoven Symphony No. 6 with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Symphony Orchestra (SCMSO) in 2015. He was then invited to be the guest conductor of several community orchestras in Sydney and was assigned as the guest conductor of Tianjin Conservatory of Music in China. He is enthusiastic and passionate.
Gail Foster - Violin
My grandfather played the violin and I always loved it. I still have his violin. I started off with some Suzuki violin and some group classes at Adult ED. I left it for a few years then had lessons with Doris Kouw after my youngest child was in school. I also had some lessons with Christina Sigrist.
