Perth prodigy violinist and composer Ellie Malonzo, 16, is heading to London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama in September and needs your help to do it.
The teenage sensation was accepted by Britain’s Yehudi Menuhin School aged 13, and enrolled at UWA aged 14, but Guildhall is a step beyond and she will need extra financial support, being underage and ineligible for student accommodation.
“While it is an amazing opportunity, being both an international student and 16 years old, it is a very costly venture,” Ellie says.
“I’m doing everything I can to raise money for my tuition and living expenses, which is why I’ve created a campaign on the Australian Cultural Fund. It allows for tax-deductible donations that will be used to support my living expenses and tuition.”
She was given the choice of the Royal College of Music or Guildhall, but knew exactly where she wanted to be.
“I chose Guildhall because I was accepted into David Takeno’s studio,” Ellie says, referring to the Tokyo-born virtuoso and globally renowned teacher.
“From the first consultation lesson, I felt very inspired and comfortable around him. I wanted to study in the UK because London’s music scene is incredibly large, diverse, and vibrant. It has several professional symphony orchestras, and a huge network of internationally renowned teachers, composers, soloists, and ensembles.”
Despite her youth, having accelerated through the grades at school, Ellie is confident of her timing.
“I think going to study abroad will be very formative, because at my age, I’m still in the thick of both my technical and musical development,” she says.
“Exposure to the broad perspectives and opportunities at a place like Guildhall will give me a new outlook on my playing and composing. Being in a competitive scene motivates me greatly, and youth is often an advantage in the music industry, especially if you are aiming for a solo career.”
To kick start the fundraising, Ellie will give a recital with pianist and promoter Mark Coughlan at The Orangery Gallery, Shenton Park, on Sunday, July 19.
Tickets are selling fast for a program of Bach’s Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Kreisler’s Three Old Viennese Dances, Beethoven’s Romances in G Major and F Major, and Waxman’s Carmen Fantasy.
Then on August 1 and 2, Ellie will play Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, one of the greats of the repertoire, with Fremantle Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble that has helped launch her career both as a soloist and as a composer.
“Sibelius has been my favourite concerto since I was probably about nine years old, when a friend showed me a video of Hilary Hahn playing the third movement!” Ellie says.
“It is surreal to be finally working on it, and a dream to play it with the FCO, especially with my teacher Paul Wright conducting. Learning a cornerstone of the violin repertoire is daunting, because it’s so easy to just copy a recording you admire.
“After all, as a young violinist, you hear these concertos incessantly, and the conventional way of playing them gets very ingrained. I’m having so much fun working on Sibelius because I am trying to think for myself and make decisions by analyzing, rather than by blindly following someone else’s ideas.”
For all the excitement, Ellie remains grounded in her education and her art.
“I’m not really seeing my move as leaving Perth, but rather as experiencing new musical perspectives in a different city,” she says.
“I will still be back to Perth in each of the three breaks every year, to contribute to the Perth community. Everyone here has supported me so much, and I would not be where I am without my amazing teachers, mentors, friends, family, and colleagues.
“I want to be able to give back to both young musicians and those that have helped me get to this point.”
To contribute to Ellie’s fundraising, go to https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000iBX7N/a-journey-of-passion-ambition-in-music
Tickets to The Orangery on Sunday, July 19 are at trybooking.com/events/landing/1606804.
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