By Margaret Maccoll
Sacha Gibbs-McPhee has two months to raise 25,000 pounds (about $42,000) or risk losing out on lifelong dream to study at London’s Royal Academy of Music.
The gifted Peregian Beach clarinettist flew to London in December to audition and won one of only a handful of places in the coveted Academy’s master’s orchestral music program.
Sacha is working hard performing in concerts and taking music classes to raise the money.
The son of well-known local piano teacher Tara McPhee earlier this year stepped in and took over her lessons while she underwent surgery for breast cancer.
“He is such a gifted musician,” Tara said.
“He has a knack for teaching and did a wonderful job of looking after my students while I was ill. I would love to see him achieve his dream.”
Sacha has only eight weeks to take up his offer at the academy beginning in September, or lose it but he remains positive.
“I am so excited about studying in London,” he said.
“This field of the arts is very competitive, but I am confident and very determined.”
A recent graduate of the University of Queensland, Sacha has performed in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s concert season, including opera and ballet shows.
As a soloist, Sacha has performed with the UQ Symphony and the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra, and in 2016 he was the winner of the Donald Tugby Performance Prize, the highest award for music at UQ.
Sacha is performing as a soloist in Noosa Orchestra’s next concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran College on Sunday 20 August at 2.30pm along with highly acclaimed violinist Warwick Adeney, concertmaster of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
The performance also features the Noosa String Ensemble and Noosa Mini Strings.
For more information, visit www.noosaorchestra.com.au
