Cellist enjoys teaching, playing

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 22

Cellist enjoys teaching, playing

By

KAY FORRESTER

Penelope Lynex enjoys playing the cello — an advantage for an international cellist. Her enjoyment is obvious watching her unpack the instrument from its travelling case and set it up. She first encountered the cello as a seven-year-old on a wet summer holiday in England. Her parents did not know what to do with the children and packed them off to a concert. Young Penelope' fell in love with the sound of the cello. The tall English musician says it was inevitable that she should grow up with an interest in music. All four grandparents played the violin. So too did her mother, who was also an opera singer. “I expect it came from always having music about the house. But I really love playing the cefto and the sound it makes.” Now travelling more than when her own children were young, the cellist, is enjoying performing. “It is very competitive

in London with four colleges churning out students, four orchestras and everyone else passing through London anyway.” But there is enough work to make it worth while. She also enjoys teaching. She teaches at two London institutions and also has private pupils. All in all, she is someone thoroughly happy with her lot. “Yes, I suppose I am. It’s nice to be able to do what you enjoy doing. “I always tell my students honestly about the risks of a professional music career. Before I encourage them to try it, I tell them about the unemployment lines. It would not be fair not to. “But then it’s most important that someone is happy. If they are doing what they really love then that is half the battle.” Getting back Into performing and teaching after a short break for her children’s sake was not easy. “I built the teaching up first. The performing was a little slower. But people remembered me and wondered where I had been.”

Ask the cellist about her background and she dismisses the cello scholarships and prizes with a wave of her hand. “You are more' interested in the present, aren’t you?” : She does bring up the names of Paul? Tortelier and Pablo Casals, however. She studied with both cellists. She has also written about her favourite instrument. The three books are of technical matters, Christmas Carols and cadenzas for classical con-. certos. She arranged her New Zealand tour herself, writing to venues and accompanists. It was the first time she had done the organising for anything of that scale herself. - Her motive for the tour, which included two Christchurch concerts last week, was to see the country.. Her own strict schedule for rehearsal and “brushing up” on works in her repertoire put paid to too much sightseeing. Her intention on her return to London is more of the mix of teaching, writing, and playing that she enjoys so much.