Local violinists hold concert
It is indeed wonderful to have the talent to be able to pluck from thin air, music full of beautiful melodies and purpose. For two local violinists, Daniela Gongora and Davina Loskot, that ability has become second nature. Both young women are currently attending universities in the United States, pursuing music degrees. Tonight, the silence that has dominated the Palotti campus now that school’s out will be replaced by classical music as the violinists take center stage. This morning, News Five had the privilege of attending a private concert preview.
Davina Loskot, Violinist
“There are Belizeans who appreciate classical music and enjoy playing a string instrument or any other instrument.”
Daniela Gongora, Violinist
“For us to grow, Belize on a whole, we need to be more open-minded to all sorts of music and not just be one track minded and as with everything new, and classical music is something new to a lot of people, but we shouldn’t just shut it out, give it a chance. It does have a lot to do with the developing child and it helps a lot with the child’s work in school. So I am very positive when it comes to classical music and the violin. It’s a really, really good thing.”
“We don’t have enough Belizean teachers that teach violin, so this is a good opportunity for us to go, study and come back and help. The music school has started a little over ten years now and it has slow process of growing, but it is growing and that’s one of the reasons why this concert is important. We can show the Belizean audience what we are capable of, not only Davina and myself. There are other promising students in the chamber group that are really good and very talented and they are only teenagers and are looking for a good teacher.”
Janelle Chanona
“When you are out there playing, are you just thinking notes and getting the piece done? What’s going through your mind?”
Davina Loskot
“What I’m thinking is that I hope people enjoy what I am playing as much as I do. Of course, I’m thinking one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four. You have to count and you have to focus because it is easy to get distracted once you are up there. Any movement, a flicker in the corner of your eye and you kind of want to look and see what it is. But focusing is really a very big thing and definitely I want the audience to really enjoy what I’m playing. I am hoping that everything that I am playing they will appreciate. Classical music is something that grows on you. Sometimes at first you might think that you don’t like it, but the more you listen to it, the more you begin to appreciate it.”
Daniela Gongora, Violinist
“I want my audience to feel what I am playing. I want to bring across what the composer is trying to say through this piece of music. But I also want to bring in my own feelings and how I interpret his interpretation. It’s kinds of redundant, but I want to bring that across to the audience. If I could just make somebody feel something, that’s the whole purpose of my playing.”
“Actually, we are raising funds to help with all our expenses because it is really expensive to go and study. We have a partial scholarship right now from the university, but travel expenses are really expensive and so we are asking as many who can help.”
Davina Loskot
“Partial scholarships only cover things so far. You really have to look at other avenues to raise funds to cover the rest of your living expenses, cause boy is it expensive to live on your own over there. It is a lot of money involved.”
The show starts 8 o’clock tonight at the Palotti Auditorium. Tickets are fifteen dollars each and can be purchased at the door.
