11 December 2023
Year 11 music scholar Fiona R, who studies bassoon, enjoyed a wonderful masterclass with Rachel Gough, Principal Bassoonist with the London Symphony Orchestra, on Saturday 9 December, organised by Woldingham’s Interim Head of Music, Ms Ives.
Rachel Gough kindly invited Fiona and her mum to her house where, in addition to focusing on Fiona’s grade 8 pieces, she talked about life as a member of a world-famous orchestra. Fiona was fascinated to discover that the London Symphony Orchestra recorded the music for two of the Harry Potter films as well as the first two trilogies of the Star Wars films. In fact, Rachel Gough's first day at the London Symphony orchestra was to rehearse the music for The Phantom Menace.
During her amazing career, Rachel has also been a professor at the Royal Academy of Music, where Fiona studies bassoon on Saturdays in the Junior Department. Fiona was thrilled to meet such a world-class bassoonist and receive expert advice on careers in the music world.