by Richard Bruinsma

A cello handcrafted in Italy in the early-1700s has been safely buckled into its own seat for a flight from Germany to Montville, where it will be played in the coming-home concerts of locally-born classical musician Sam Lucas.

The circa 1720 Nicolo Gagliano cello, on loan from a Rhineland Music Academy, will star along with Sam at concerts at the Lucas Parklands auditorium later this month and in early March.

“It’s a real honour to play it,” Sam said, a day after arriving in Montville. “It’s quite different both physically and geometrically to my own cello, when you play it and feel it, and when you compare the two, it’s a little smaller, and slightly narrower.

“However, the important thing is, I don’t have to try as hard to make the sound I like – it has 300 years of cellistic sound waves passing through it, from 300 years’ of being played by great players. This has given the cello a beautiful sound and made it very diverse for the player, and it is simply very lovely to play.”

Coincidentally, Sam first heard the instrument when he moved to Germany several years ago; later his teacher suggested his need for an exquisite new instrument, and he was eventually honoured to take possession of the Gagliano.

“I was always intrigued, not only is it a rare instrument, but it has incredible sound – with a different quality to my own. I wanted to have the experience of discovering how my playing would develop, I guess you could say, in the hands of another cello,” Sam explained.

“I’d heard others play the Gagliano – my teacher and some staff, for example - and I was very intrigued. I was at a stage in my playing where my teacher realised that I should upgrade to a world class cello.

“We were lucky and found this instrument; it has been loaned to me for the next couple of years - hopefully longer - and I’m delighted.”

The rare instrument will be vital for Sam as he prepares for the finals of the Queen Elisabeth International Cello Competition, held in Brussels from May to June. It is the biggest competition of its kind in the world this year, patronaged by the Belgium Royal Family, with a grand prize of 25,000 Euros plus worldwide concert engagements. Sam is the only Australian invited into the event, which is open to the world’s 50 leading cellists aged under 32, selected from 350-plus applicants.

His pending performances at Lucas Parklands will in part help him prepare for his performances at the event finals as well as providing locals with some beautiful music.

“It’s important to perform as many practice performances as possible… They allow you to take interpretive risks that may lead to some errors, teaching you what needs to change to prevent them reoccurring, but, equally important, see how your interpretation and preparation stands up to the pressures of performance. From all this you learn how to improve a piece by doing things slightly differently.”

“So when you’re under the real pressure - in front of 18 members of the jury and a full audience, and being televised and broadcast on radio - that pressure doesn’t get to you as much because… you’ve had the experience of exposure.

“Coming here is always a joy, and it’s also very difficult as the audience is very near you, and you can almost feel their breath on you, so it’s the right kind of pressure you need to see where you’re at as a player.”

On February 25, Sam and the cello will perform with South African-born pianist Berta Brozgul at Lucas Parklands. She appears thanks to the strong personal recommendations of internationally-renown Australian piano maestro Piers Lane AO.

Then on March 6 at 4pm, Sam will headline a matinee ensemble concert with South African born pianist Peter de Jager, Hungarian cellist Gyuri Deri and violinist Yena Choi, who performed at Lucas Parklands last year.

The repertoire will include piano trios, duets, and other exciting pieces, including Brahms Piano Trio No. 1, movement 1; Dvorak Dumke Piano trio movements 5 and 6; and a single movement from the Arensky Piano trio no.1.

For Sam’s parents, Ian and Lee, it’s a wonderful homecoming for their son, who was last able to spend real time at his childhood home in 2018.

“Lucas Parklands was always intended to help the young, we are returning to our original vision,” Ian said of the upcoming concerts.

“I always wanted to provide young high-achieving musicians, who spend much of their youth alone in practice rooms, somewhere special to play.

“I guess having Sam here typifies our intentions when we built Lucas Parklands all those years ago, and it’ll be our first concerts where a member of our family is the featured artist, so it’s quite a thrill.”

Sam grew up in Montville, attending Montville Primary School, but is today based in Germany, where he has a recording contract and studies at the Robert Schumann Conservatorium, Dusseldorf.

His return to Australia, with a rare musical instrument that will also intrigue audiences, was not without its challenges.

“The insurance company doesn’t allow this cello to travel in the cargo hold, so dad bought a seat for the instrument; however, it’s always funny for the other passengers to see that,” Sam explained.

“Usually, I don’t advocate for it very much, but this particular time I was very hungry on the flight, and because the cello’s seat comes with food, I just took advantage of that.

“But it’s always an emotional trip returning home. The immediate thing I noticed is the amount of pollen in the air, the scent of the eucalypts and all things uniquely Australian.  

“Australian sounds and smells are a real welcome home - it’s quite nice - and the humidity, the wildlife, the birdsong and the chirp of the crickets tell me I’m home.”

For performance and ticketing enquiries, phone 07 5478 5667 or 0409 623 228. Due to Covid-19 physical distancing guidelines, seating for the concerts will be limited.