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Ronald Woodcock, first ever concert of Western classical music in Thimphu
Ronald Woodcock, internationally-known Australian concert violinist, recently gave the first ever concert of Western classical musician Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, to an enthusiastic audience of high school students, local Bhutanese teachers and musicians, expatriates and a visiting group of Australians. The performance was donated by Ronald Woodcock, who was accompanied by his wife Louise Woodcock on the keyboard, to support the Australia Bhutan Friendship Association which was established in March 2003 and is chaired by former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Mr Tim Fischer, in Australia and includes on the board the Honorary Consul to Bhutan in Australia, Ms Catherine Harris.
Ronald Woodcock’s performance on 18 October was given in the hall of the Royal Academy of Performing Arts in Thimphu and included short classical works from 18 th century Europe through 19 th century Romanticism to folk and gypsy music from China, Hungary and Roumania. A highlight of the programme for the audience was his performance of Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe’s “Alone” for solo violin. Ronald and Louise both talked to the young students about the violin and the music they were playing and took questions from the audience.
After the performance, TV Bhutan recorded one work from the programme and interviewed the musicians. This programme went to air the following night.
Ronald Woodcock had arrived in Bhutan from Europe where his most recent concert had been given, with the support of the Australian Embassy, in the 18 th century Palacio Foz in Lisbon, Portugal. He has given concerts in 94 countries during a distinguished career, many in world centres of musical culture and some in remote areas where audiences have never seen or heard a violin before. In 26 of these countries, his concerts have been arranged under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
