Last weekend, former Treloar’s student Alessandro performed with Alton Concert Orchestra in their Winter concert at the Alton Maltings Centre. Alessandro played the premiere of Conductor Chris Gardner’s Clarion Call, written for Clarion® and orchestra.
Alessandro is, as far as we know, the only Clarion player in any amateur orchestra in the country and it is a ground-breaking achievement which all started with his time at Treloar's and the collaboration of Director of Music, Jocelyn Watkins, and a number of different organisations and music professionals, including Open Up Music.
We’d love to share his story and celebrate the role model he has become for our music students today. Having our local amateur orchestra recognise the value of accessible instruments is a key step towards achieving greater inclusion.
Jocelyn went along and wrote this review of the concert:
“Alessandro played in a number of the pieces, starting with The Swan from Saint Saens Carnival of the Animals. It was an excellent choice of piece for the Clarion instrument and it was beautifully played by Alessandro; I’m not ashamed to say I got quite emotional watching him perform!
The conductor, Chris Gardner, composed a piece just for Alessandro which was fabulous and great fun and made excellent use of the Clarion instrument. Some other seasonal favourites, such as Adam’s ‘O Holy Night’ and Prokofieff’s Troika really started the Christmas season off with a musical bang.
We are thrilled that Alessandro is playing with this wonderful orchestra, how welcoming they have been and how much effort the conductor and team have put into integrating a new instrument into their sound. It has a been a huge collaboration between the orchestra, our Clarion teacher Oliver Squibb, Alessandro’s family and Open Up Music, who created Clarion musical instrument.
It is perhaps apt that the place where Treloar's started over a hundred years ago is the very same place that opens it’s doors to new possibilities and experiences for our young people. Alessandro is currently the only Clarion performer in an amateur orchestra in the country and has proved, beyond a shadow of doubt, that it is not only possible, but beautiful.”
Alessandro plays the Clarion, an award-winning accessible instrument that can be played independently and expressively with any movement of the body including eye movement. He started playing Clarion at Treloar’s, using his fingers on an iPad, but now plays with Eyegaze technology using a gyroscopic mouse with a laptop to take advantage of his precision in playing.
Alessandro has always enjoyed music and performing. He has adapted what he can do with changes in his physical ability to play. He started on the piano, has played drums, handbells and explored accessible instruments whilst attending Treloar’s. When playing his instruments became too physically challenging, he was introduced to the Clarion which made music accessible once again.
Alessandro got into the National Open Youth Orchestra just before he left Treloar's and there is no doubt it changed his life and pathway. Music was always a passion for him but until Clarion technology came along, he could not express this fully. As a member of NOYO, Alessandro has toured the UK performing in Bristol, Birmingham, London and Poole.
Whilst on tour with NOYO he performed in the world premiere of Soaring through Sparks, a concerto written for the Clarion by composer Michael Betteridge. Alessandro says:
"It’s fun to play and shows off what the Clarion can do. I enjoy the fast tempo – in the first part the notes are sparky, while the second part is slow and free like a bird soaring over the orchestra. It has allowed me to show my musical ability, and I want others to have that opportunity too."
Alessandro has played a key role in demonstrating the instrument and its possibilities to composers like Michael who are creating new repertoire for the instrument.
Looking ahead, Alessandro says:
"Clarion has given me opportunities I would never have had to meet and play with so many different people in the music world. I took part in Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony from Scratch and a concert with the Winchester A Capella choir where I played a solo. I would love to play at the Royal Albert Hall or at one of my favourite events: the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo."