We are thrilled to announce that AIM Masters student, talented violinist Aurell Marcella Felicia, has just performed with the G20 Orchestra at the G20 Presidency, a global leadership summit held at Borobudur Temple – Indonesia’s largest and most spectacular Buddhist temple.
It’s an incredible honour to be invited to perform with young musicians at the highest level and we couldn’t be more excited for Aurell Marcella, who has been playing the violin since the age of six. She took on a new challenge for her position in the orchestra – playing her secondary instrument, the viola.
Aurell Marcella’s selection was especially important due to the unique nature of this youthful and multicultural orchestra. Renowned composer, pianist and G20 Orchestra founder/artistic director Ananda Sukarlan has said his orchestra is “a disruption in the classical music world” with its unusual gender balance and the young age of the musicians who performed. “Our target of equaling the number of men and women was only slightly off – 34 male and 26 female [musicians],” he said. All the players are “born in or after 1990, so we can call it a “millennial” orchestra.” The G20 Orchestra’s 60 musicians hail from 18 countries. Watch Al Jazeera’s feature on the orchestra’s performance at the link below.
Aurell Marcella’s two-week trip to Indonesia saw her immersed in rehearsals with the worldly group. Her musical adventure was a deeply memorable one, not least because of the human element. “It was really great. I got to meet great friends and the experience was amazing,” Aurell Marcella told AIM. “To play the beautiful pieces with the best musicians from the G20 countries and be friends with them, it’s like a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can’t experience it all over again. So I’m really grateful to be given this opportunity!” she exclaimed.
Aurell Marcella’s fellow musicians were a very special group of classical performers. “The young, highly energetic musicians contribute a high degree of artistry to the G20 Orchestra, not only through their technical prowess and accomplished musicianship, but with their warm and kind personalities as well,” Ananda Sukarlan told AIM. G20 Orchestra performers include Russian violinist Antonina Popras, a student of violist Yuri Bashmet, regarded as one of the world’s leading violinists.
The G20 Orchestra performed a piece especially dear to Aurell Marcella’s heart and her Indonesian Australian heritage. “The Voyage to Marege” is a piece composed by artistic director Ananda Sukarlan that is a deep reflection of Australia and Indonesia’s centuries-long relationship, based on the book by Campbell Macknight. It also features a didgeridoo player. Commissioned by Darwin Festival and the Australian Embassy of Indonesia, it was first performed in 2017 and featured Aboriginal artists Djakapurra Munyarryun and Kevin Yunupingu. For this performance, Ngulmiya (Grant) Nundhirribala and his son Nayurryurr Nundhirribala took the stage. “In contrast with my previous works, this was quite challenging because Aboriginal music has fewer melodies,” Ananda told the Jakarta Globe. “Their music is known for texture and rhythm, so I had to learn to adjust,” he said. “It took time to work on it, but I love to do things differently anyway. Challenge is good.”
What an incredible achievement for Marcella, all whilst still studying for her Master of Music! We can’t wait to see what she does next. If you’re currently a musician wanting to take your music to the next level, find out how a Master of Music degree can elevate your music career, or learn more about the Master of Music course here.
