Mark Meekin is a multi-talented man with many hats. If you look for him, you will find him at every NRSO concert, quietly working behind the scenes – unlocking storage, gathering equipment, setting up the stage, putting out audience chairs, and doing it all again in reverse at the end. On stage he is either in the violin or the viola section, bowing and plucking away under the conductor’s baton. In between concerts he is paying the bills, preparing financial reports for meetings, handling government compliance, sending out emails, answering phone calls, arranging venue and organising marketing material. Every organisation needs a Mark and the NRSO is very lucky to have him. Here, we ask Mark a little bit about himself.
1) How long have you been with the NRSO, and how did you get involved in the first place?
I joined the orchestra in 2004 after being asked by Lyn McBurney, a founding member of the NRSO.
2) Could you please tell us a bit about your music journey? When did you start learning an instrument, which one was your first and what do you enjoy playing now?
I started playing guitar when about 10 or 11 years old, and later progressed to the violin after doing some AMEB music theory exams. After studying the violin for several years with various teachers, one of them loaned me a viola to try, and as a consequence I learned to read the alto clef and played in various ensembles. When I joined the NRSO I played in the 2nd violin section for many years until switching over to the Viola section about 4 years ago.
3) You play several critical roles in the NRSO committee – from being a treasurer and public officer, to database control, to venue management – at each and every concert, you’re always the first person to arrive and the last to leave! What keeps you going as a volunteer, and what would you like the public to know about the NRSO that they may not be aware of?
I have been the treasurer for about 17 years, and stepped in when someone was desperately needed to replace a retiring treasurer. I also set up the stage with chairs, music stands etc, helped by other members of the orchestra namely Reuben McLean, Alison Fletcher, Lyn McBurney, Hugh and Nispa and family, and also volunteer Jill Garland. I also have to do the bookings to hire the Civic Centre for our rehearsals and concerts and liaise with the Tweed Shire Council staff. Lyn and I also organise the printing of flyers and programmes with critical input from Nispa and David McNeven. I guess what keeps me going is dedication to a group of highly motivated musicians and also front of house volunteers, wanting to give something of themselves to enrich our community.
One of things the public may not know about the NRSO, is that the grand piano we use belongs to the NRSO, and not the Tweed Shire Council, who very kindly provide the orchestra with storage space for the piano and other equipment, so it is we, who are responsible for tuning and maintaining it.
4) This concert we are performing Dvorak’s New World Symphony – one of the most loved and famous symphonies of all time. What do you like about it and how many times have you performed this with the NRSO?
Dvorak’s New World Symphony would be familiar to most concertgoers and I think this is the 3rd time I will be participating in a performance with the NRSO. The symphony has a freshness that is not lost, no matter how many times one hears or plays it. On the other hand, each new performance opens the possibility of experiencing new insights.