Riverbend Ensemble

Why is a great question..there are other ensembles out there, I know, and how is Riverbend Ensemble different? Let me take you back; for eight years I was Concertmaster of Ipswich City Orchestra, founded way back in 2004 by Gemma D’Aubbonnett as a professional orchestra based in Ipswich. Gemma was a local music teacher and her dream was for the orchestra to provide a place for professionals to play instead of being lured away to the bigger cities. The (marvellously slightly batty) Gemma was driven by her vision. For many years she and her husband Peter fought an indomitable fight, staging concerts mainly at the Ipswich Civic Centre. They brought on board a young up and coming Brisbane conductor called Patrick Burns, who remained as chief conductor until this year. The way was rough; money was tight and only sporadically incoming from funding bodies, but there were successes.

Skip forward to 2018, when Gemma was suddenly diagnosed with cancer, with an awful prognosis. Her main thoughts as expressed to me in the hospital were about the Orchestra; how could she ensure its continuation with only a few weeks left? I spent some time with Gemma towards the end, and this is what she said: “I want an orchestra of people who love to play together.” Well, I think we had that. After Gemma’s death and memorial concert in 2019, efforts were made to continue. A committee was formed, and Patrick stepped into the role of Artistic Director. Then came COVID. I think we know what that did to the arts. Towards the middle of 2020, when the Queensland government was funding arts projects in an effort to not only stimulate the industry but to encourage regional events, Patrick came up with the idea of forming a quartet from the Orchestra, to tour a program which would act as a sort of spearhead for further events. We were successful in gaining funding for a six concert tour. The original line-up of that quartet was myself, Alex McPherson on cello, Laura Thomson on viola (up till now primarily a violinist), and Sam Andrews playing second violin. We worked hard, we got on well, we clicked as an ensemble. It was a joy.

Fast forward to the end of 2021, and Sam felt he was overcommitted, and left us. As it happened, we had a natural replacement in Alys Rayner, a marvelous violinist/violist/composer. The chemistry was just as good. When I severed my association with Ipswich City Orchestras Inc. in May 2022, this marvelous bunch came with me, and I resolved not to let the good times die, so to speak. You don’t abandon that kind of musical cohesion.