{"id":9964,"date":"2020-04-02T15:35:45","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T14:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/music-matters\/?p=9964"},"modified":"2020-04-02T15:35:45","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T14:35:45","slug":"scholars-spotlight-olivia-condliffe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/music-matters\/2020\/04\/02\/scholars-spotlight-olivia-condliffe\/","title":{"rendered":"Scholar’s Spotlight: Olivia Condliffe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Continuing the series profiling this year’s new University Music Performance Scholars and Award Holders. This week, first-year bassoonist reading History, Olivia Condliffe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve been encouraged to play music from a young age, coming from a musical family. At first, I started on the recorder in Year Two, of which I played throughout primary school in various local recorder festivals, however I have always wanted to play the bassoon. I\u2019m not sure entirely why, but the fact that it was such an odd and rare instrument, plus coming from a woodwind-based family, I felt a connection towards that section of the orchestra. Before I discovered the bassoon, I played the clarinet for a year and started learning piano, to show to my parents my commitment that I would have for the bassoon, and partook in a local clarinet group.<\/p>\n

\"\"My high school had an excellent music department and I was really lucky to take part in the ensembles there. I played in the concert band and choir, going to Paris on tour in 2014, where we even played at Disneyland! I was also a founding member of the Bassbusters<\/em> ensemble; made up of bass instruments which often aren\u2019t showcased as much as melody instruments, such as the bassoon, baritone sax and cello. During school I was also part of the theatre pit band, performing musicals such as Les Mis\u00e9rables<\/em>; this was an exciting way to play the bassoon with actors and artists.<\/p>\n

\"\"I also had the chance to play in the junior and senior concert bands of local performing arts scheme in Staffordshire for eight years. I was also lucky enough to be part of the local bassoon ensemble; six of us at one point, a rarity in itself! I grew up in a tiny village and there was a myriad of musical activities there, I joined the community choir and was part of the village orchestra, which for a village of 1000 people, had 3 bassoons!<\/p>\n

Outside of my area, I\u2019ve also been privileged enough to be part of national orchestras such as the National Children\u2019s Wind Orchestra and National Schools Symphony Orchestra; these were nonstop weeks of immersion with players from all over the country! I was part of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra for three years until I moved to university. I enjoyed playing with members of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in venues such as Sage Gateshead and playing first bassoon in Scheherazade<\/em> in July last year!<\/p>\n

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Since joining the University of Kent as a History student in September, I\u2019ve tried to immerse myself in the wide range of musical ensembles that make up the department. One of the reasons I chose Kent was for its great facilities and the warm atmosphere in Colyer-Fergusson. One of the highlights of my first year was the production of Alice in Wonderland<\/em> in February, in which I performed in a solo quartet with a full choir!<\/p>\n

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The woodwind section for the December concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am a member of the Orchestra and Concert Band and hold a Music Performance Scholarship, which gives me the brilliant opportunity to continue bassoon lessons. Since receiving this, it\u2019s given me a chance to be much more confident in my playing, and I\u2019m excited for all the music to come.<\/p>\n