Music students from Daylesford Primary School, Daylesford College, and Ballarat’s Loreto College
were thrilled to meet Canadian superstar violinist and conductor, Alexandre Da Costa, and his 1701
Stradivarius violin, at an afternoon tea in Stanbridge Hall, Daylesford in recent days.
One of the questions from the young students was “Have you ever dropped it?”, to which the answer, luckily, was no!
The event was organised by U3A Hepburn Shire and funded by the Community
Bank Daylesford District.
Students Lucy Martin-Lucoszek, Arlo Schwarz-Deakin and Olive Schwarz- Deakin with Alexandre Da Costa
Words & image: Sandy Scheltema

“When I play, my instrument becomes the extension of my soul.”
This is a quote from internationally acclaimed solo violinist, Alexandre Da Costa, currently
one of the top and most sought-after violinists and soloists in the world and headed
to Daylesford to perform this month.

Da Costa and his 1701 Stradivarius violin will join the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra in the Daylesford Town Hall to celebrate the magic of the era of the great Viennese balls, combining tradition and elegance in a matinee performance 2pm, Sunday March 26.
Winner of numerous major international prizes, Da Costa is a violinist of
international reputation, which led him to be a guest soloist and guest conductor
on four continents, in 30 countries and in more than 2000 concerts in the most
prestigious orchestras in the world.
At a very young age Alexandre showed an extraordinary interest in the violin
and piano and gave his first concerts at the age of nine, earning him a reputation as
a musical prodigy. He had the astonishing ability to perform his first concerts with
stunning virtuosity on both instruments, rarely seen before. At the age of 18 Da
Costa obtained a master’s degree in violin and a bachelor’s degree in piano.
Da Costa has played widely as a violinist, appearing at such major venues as
New York’s Carnegie Hall and Vienna’s Musikverein, and with the most prestigious
orchestras in the world such as London’s Royal Philharmonic, the Montreal
Symphony and the Vienna Symphony.
The mesmerising program will include immortal works by Johann Strauss II such
as The Beautiful Blue Danube and the Emperor Waltz.

U3A Hepburn Shire is hosting The Stradivarius in Vienna Concert.
Ticket link: www.trybooking.com/CFONT