Musician sisters rock the National Youth Orchestra
Auckland musician sisters Joella and Joanna Pinto are often mistaken for twins. The Mt Roskill siblings are members of the National Youth Orchestra, run by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Joella, 21, plays first violin, while 19-year-old Joanna plays the cello. The sisters have been playing music since age 7. Music is a family affair for the Pinto sisters. Their father, Joseph, plays violin and both girls picked up the instrument at age 7. Piano was a staple instrument for both, and Joanna moved on to the cello at age 12.
Older sister Joella actually does have a twin - 21-year-old Joshua, who also plays music. The siblings formed a piano trio in their high school years. All three also played together in a combined school orchestra while attending St Mary's and St Peter's Colleges.
Joella has been with the NYO for five years. She is also pursuing a bachelor of music with honours and is looking ahead to a career in music. Joella has already done a fellowship programme with the NZSO, and has achieved the rank of concertmaster with the NYO.
"In my first year [with the NYO] I was quite lucky to have toured three times," she says, recalling an opportunity to play in a fundraising concert with Placido Domingo in Christchurch in 2011.
Joanna on the other hand, plays music as a hobby, although it's a hobby she intends to pursue. This is the second-year medical student's introductory year with the youth orchestra and she already plans to re-audition for the next intake. "I definitely want to keep playing," she says. The NYO is an opportunity for instrumentalists under 25 years to experience working with world-class conductors and soloists. It is made up of 60 talented individuals from across the country. They meet up twice a year for a week-long training camp.
"It's great to be around people who love music like we do," Joanna says.
"We get to do professional programmes and repertoire. And it's a really cool way of getting to know people," Joella says.
This summer's NYO camp in the Waikato, led by acclaimed Australian conductor Richard Gill, culminates with shows in Hamilton on February 5 and Tauranga on February 6.
First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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