Two of North Shore’s Finest Return For Concert
Pianist Simon Tedeschi, currently based in the United States and violinist Madeleine Easton, who is based in London, will return to the North Shore where they grew up, to perform together at a concert to be held at St Ives Uniting Church, cnr Mona Vale Rd & Douglas St on Saturday 20th March. Proceeds from the event will help fund Community Outreach programs currently focused on encouraging respect for seniors in the community.

Madeleine, who attended Lane Cove Primary School, started playing violin at age 5 and graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium with first class honours. She is currently the Concert Master with the Hanover Band in London.

Simon Tedeschi, described by pianist Leslie Howard as one of the finest musicians of his generation worldwide, spent his youth in the Lindfield area.  Simon first performed a Mozart Piano Concerto at age 9 in the Sydney Opera  House. He has won numerous prizes and piano scholarships. Simon performed in the Sydney Opera House in September 2007 as part of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Cultural Event, for major world leaders.  In early 2009, Simon performed at the Gday USA Celebrations in Carnegie Hall, to celebrate Inauguration Day.

St Ives Uniting Church’s has for many years given encouragement and support to local young musicians and at this concert has invited St Ives local, 17yo soprano Rhian Saunders to perform two pieces with Simon Tedeschi.

Program
Song to the Moon from Rusalka – Dvorak, Rhian Saunders/Simon Tedeschi, 5.00
Piano solo – Various, Simon Tedeschi, 15.00
A major “Duo” D574 – Schubert, Simon Tedeschi/Madeleine Easton, 21.50
I - Allegro Moderato
II - Scherzo Presto 
III - Andantino    '
IV - Allegro Vivace  

Interval

Les Filles de Cadix – Delibes, Rhian Saunders/Simon Tedeschi, 5.00
Rondo Brillante in B minor D895 – Schubert, Simon Tedeschi/Madeleine Easton, 14.50
Fantasie in C major D934 – Schubert, Simon Tedeschi/Madeleine Easton, 25.00

For More Information Contact
Stephen White
Event Management St Ives Uniting Church
02 9943 0876       Mobile 0413 271 913
white_1@optusnet.com.au

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Mahatma Ghandi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world”, but all too often we want our lives to stay the same and expect other people to do the changing for us. Life imposes so many changes upon us, we are constantly in a process of transformation, but why do we find this process so difficult, and how can we make it easier?

The changes that most of us face revolve around work, our environment, relationships and health. Children will start school, others will leave home, and some will return to work, change jobs or retire. We may face health issues, meet new partners or move house. Here are some ideas to help you adapt to some of these situations.

Be Patient with Yourself
Don’t expect to feel comfortable with new conditions immediately. It takes time to establish new patterns of thinking and behaving; even adjusting to new work hours can take three to four weeks. Slow down and looking at things one at a time, minute by minute and hour by hour. At the end of each day, review how much you have adapted and congratulate yourself on your progress.

Understand Your Reactions
Change means letting go of the past and saying farewell to familiar places, people and habits. Allow yourself a period of grieving, don’t dismiss your emotions; they are there to help you process your thoughts and feelings. Everyone responds differently to change, notice how you are affected and acknowledge it as part of the process.

Learn from Others
Our personalities determine how much stability we need to feel safe and secure, but behaviour is not fixed and we can increase our adaptability by learning from others. Consider how someone you admire would handle this situation and emulate their behaviour. Remember that you are not the first to go through this and you won’t be the last.

Get Help
People often want to help; they just need to be asked. Seek out friends, family and professionals who can support you and point you in the right direction. A second pair of eyes will always spot something you are missing and another pair of ears will allow you to bounce your ideas around to get clarity.

Enjoy the Transition
Pablo Picasso said that you need to go through chaos to create a masterpiece. Chaos is the transition stage when you are learning and feeling your way. Whatever your age, it’s OK to be a beginner again; it allows you freedom to make mistakes. Also, remember, transition is a stage, it is not forever, it will pass.

Reframe
Even if the change was imposed on you, by reframing it you put yourself in control of what happens next. For example, retrenchment may be difficult to accept, but it provides a great opportunity to re-evaluate your life and follow unfulfilled dreams. By taking responsibility for your actions you will feel stronger and more excited about the future.

Keep It Simple
In times of transformation, retain what you can of your routines and don’t make too many changes at the same time. Starting a new job, moving house and having a baby would be overwhelming. Only do what is absolutely necessary and take it one step at a time.

Look After Yourself
Coping with change can be emotionally draining and physically exhausting. Make sure you take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest and sleep; maintain a regular and healthy diet and exercise.
Finally, remember that we are organic creatures. Every part of us is constantly changing as we are growing and becoming stronger. The best way to cope with change is to learn from it and use your newly gained wisdom to help others.

Beverly Nerden helps people to clarify their goals and develop strategies for dealing with difficult situations.
She also helps people who are struggling to build new lives in new places, encouraging them to develop new skills and make the most of who they are. To find out more, go to www.lifeis4living.com.au or email beverly@lifeis4living.com.au.

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Ku-ring-gai municipality owns a prime example of the Arts and Crafts architectural style in Tulkiyan, a former private residence now NSW State Heritage listed and managed as a house museum by Ku-ring-gai Council.

Situated at 707 Pacific Highway, Gordon, Tulkiyan was designed by BJ Waterhouse and built in 1913 for William and Mary Scott Donaldson, whose families had migrated from Scotland in the mid 1800s. When the family took possession of the house the parents were in their fifties, and their children were aged 21, 16 and 10 years. None of the three married; all lived out their lives at Tulkiyan, until the last survivor bequeathed house and contents to the Council for use by the community after her death. The contents are now also heritage listed, as a collection in their own right.

The uninterrupted Donaldson occupation of the house over 80 years has maintained the original structure and furnishing style, and the accumulation of family artefacts outlines the lives of the occupants over this period.

The Friends of Tulkiyan volunteers conduct group guided tours through the property by arrangement. We also hold Public Open Days, the next to be held on Sunday, April 18, 2010 as part of the National Trust Heritage Festival. On that day visitors can walk in off the street and enjoy the same tour experience. Tours are approximately one hour inside the house; morning/afternoon tea is included in the entry fee, and the garden with its unusual rainforest plantings may also be enjoyed.

We would also like to hear from potential volunteers to help run tours and generally further the public life of Tulkiyan. To book a tour, ask about becoming a volunteer, or for more general information, please phone 9498 3754, email us at friendsoftulkiyan@kmc.nsw.gov.au, or see the Council website, www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/tulkiyan.

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It’s never too soon to introduce children to learning another language. Experts agree that the earlier a child is exposed to and begins to learn a new language the better. Each language that a child is exposed to is believed to stimulate a particular part of the brain. These ‘neural pathways’ for language learning are best activated from an early age, tending to fade away over time. That’s why it is far more difficult to tackle a new language as an adult!

Even short periods of interpersonal exposure to a new language can have a significant positive impact on brain development. Studies of young children who are learning a foreign language confirm that they have enhanced listening skills and memory, greater cognitive development in areas of creativity, divergent thinking, higher order thinking skills, and mental flexibility. Additionally, these children have an improved self-concept and sense of achievement.

That’s why Michele Adamson launched The Language Company after moving to Sydney in 2008 with her family. Michele’s passion for languages was sparked by regular holidays with her family to France and Italy. She graduated from Cambridge University with an honours degree in Modern and Medieval Languages and trained as a Modern Languages Teacher at London University. Michele has over 16 years’ experience in schools and education in the UK including the post of Principal at one of London’s top state schools. Michele has the experience and enthusiasm for languages that engages and delights her team at The Language Company and their young students.

“I have seen first hand how valuable and enriching learning another language can be for children. I have three young children of my own and they are all learning another language. Even though my youngest is only 2 years old, he sings along to the Italian nursery rhymes in the car and is learning to count to 20 in Italian, as well as in English!”
To give your child the gift of speaking another language and to find out more about the local language clubs in St Ives and Gordon contact Michele on 0450 694 608 or visit www.thelanguagecompany.com.au

Win Free Tuition, a Madeline Doll and More!
The Language Company has a beautiful Madeline Doll and storybook to give away, plus a free term’s tuition at one of their local language clubs of your choice. Click here for entry details.

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St Ives Toastmasters Club offers you the popular Toastmasters International Speechcraft™ course, which will teach you public speaking skills and allay those fears, over four consecutive Tuesday evenings: February 2 and 16, March 2 and 11, 2010 in the Kuringai Neighbourhood Centre’s meeting room just outside St Ives Woolworths. The total cost to you is only a few hours of your time and $220.

Speechcraft is a program designed for beginners in public speaking. The hands-on program provides the "how-to" and the practical experience so critical to progress. During the four sessions you will learn how to write three short speeches and then have the opportunity to present them, introduce other speakers and evaluate other participants' speeches. You will also gain experience with impromptu speaking which can be very helpful in such situations as job interviews. The Speechcraft program is cost effective as volunteers who are training to be better communicators provide the course, in this case St Ives Toastmasters Club's experienced members will be there to guide and advise you at every step of the way.

An atmosphere of professional camaraderie makes each course a unique learning environment dedicated to personal improvement. At the completion of the four session course, you will be confident to give your own speeches and be able to evaluate other people's speeches which involves not only listening to the content but also examining other speakers’ style and delivery.

The skills learnt at a Speechcraft course are very valuable in management, and many companies actually put their staff through the courses because in the end the companies benefit too. Increased confidence in addressing groups of staff or potential customers, improved presentation skills, clear use of vocal intonations, hand gestures and body movement can all lead to increased sales and better management of staff.

For employers, Speechcraft is high quality training at a price that every firm can afford.
You will also be welcome to join St Ives Toastmasters if you would like to continue your speaking and leadership experience.
To sign up just contact Bob Ronai on 8004 9270 after hours or email him at sitcvppr@yahoo.com. For more information about Toastmasters’ Speechcraft program go to http://www.d70toastmasters.org/short_courses.htm.

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The support of Davidson MP, Jonathan O’Dea for the construction of a purpose built structure for “The Shed” at St. Ives Showground has resulted in a $65,000 boost for the project. The funding followed a strong recommendation by Mr O’Dea under the State Government’s Community Building Partnerships program.

“The Shed is a worthy recipient of the funding as it provides a valuable community resource, particularly for retired men, seeking a place to turn their hand at a variety of hobbies. The Shed can also provide a significant camaraderie and support network for participants, which is particularly important as older people face major changes in their work and social environments,” Mr O’Dea said. “I have seen the success of The Men’s Shed program at Belrose and welcome the success of the application. It will cover half the construction cost of the new St Ives facility, with the other half to be supplied by Ku-ring-gai Council,” he said.

Contact Jonathan O’Dea, 0418 241 500 or St Ives Shed Project Co-ordinator, Kevin Callinan on 0412 488 742.

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The Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra launches it’s 2010 ‘The Love of Music’ Season with a concert of optimism and light. The Radiant Melody concert on Sat 13th March will focus on joyous and tuneful music for the New Year. As a professional orchestra, The Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra focuses on bring new music experiences to all audiences and allowing a platform for new soloists and performers.
The concert will be the first for Ron Prussing as the new Artistic Director of the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra. Announced last year, Mr. Prussing has had some time with the orchestra and has found that it needs more players.

“We especially need string players, it’s time to dust off the violin and start the New Year as a Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra player,” he said.

This year’s season is extremely exciting and the orchestra is gearing up for a fantastic series of concerts. Stories of love and romantic composers are central to the 2010 concert series. 2010 is also only the second year that the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra is offering subscriptions to all of its’ major concerts. By subscribing and saving, you receive a guaranteed seat and preferred seating at all major concerts. The full season’s brochure can will be received by all those on the Village Life mailing list.

The Radiant Melody concert program includes Beethoven’s ‘Triple Concerto’ for violin, ‘cello and piano; performed by the Apollo Trio. Benjamin Britten’s ‘Four Sea Interludes’ from Peter Grimes takes the audience to the different moods of the sea, from crashing waves to calm crystal waters. Celebrating the Bicentenary of Shuman’s birth, performing his ‘Symphony No. 3 Rhenish’ will allow the orchestra to explore the tuneful soul of his music.

The Sat 13th concert will launch the Ku-ring-gai Orchestra’s 2010 season and more information can be found at www.kpo.org.au

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Madeline and Elizabeth Gooley of North Turramurra say 'You will be surprised what you will find at a St Ives Lions Club garage sale!'
The St Ives Lions club will be holding a garage sale at the Community Access Services Centre 6, Stanley St.

St Ives on Saturday 27th March. Gates open 8.30am. All proceeds raised will be going towards needy beneficiaries in the local area. Suitable goods may be delivered to the centre on Friday 26th March or a pick up may be arranged.

The St Ives Lions club holds dinner meetings on the second and fourth Monday of the month at the St Ives Bowling Club, Killeaton St. St Ives and we invite you to come along and listen to one of our very interesting guest speakers.

For further details please phone Michael 94494377 or Linda 94495054.

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