About Us — Goulburn Valley Concert Orchestra

About the GVCO

For 28 years, Goulburn Valley Concert Orchestra has been inspiring, delighting and entertaining audiences with its music in the Greater Shepparton community and surrounding rural areas.

The orchestra we have today was founded by Wendy Oakes OAM as a small Shepp Strings ensemble in 1992. Wendy continued to develop the strings group, which eventually grew in both membership and diversity of instruments until it emerged as Goulburn Valley Concert Orchestra (GVCO) in 1997. In that year, GVCO gave its first public performance at the opening of the Westside Performing Arts Centre. Shepp Strings also continued as part of the orchestra.

For 23 years, Wendy inspired, nurtured and directed the orchestra until her retirement in 2020. During her time as Principal Conductor/Director, the orchestra has given many wonderful performances in Greater Shepparton and regional towns. The Annual Concert at Eastbank Centre in Shepparton has become a much anticipated event by the community. Under her watchful eye, GVCO has grown in both experience and reputation and has become a well loved and respected institution in the community.

At the end of 2019, Wendy handed the baton over to Steven Sargant to lead this thriving 40-plus member orchestra. Under his capable leadership, GVCO will continue to provide our community with high quality performances well into the future.

OUR TEAM

Meet Our Music Director - Steven Sargant

Steven Sargant studied at the Victorian College of the Arts and earned a Bachelor of Music in orchestral instruments and majored in F Horn. He went on to obtain a Diploma of Education and in 1991, began teaching music at Wanganui Park Secondary College.

In addition to teaching for the past 30 years, Steven has refined both performance and conducting skills through his connection to many of our community music ensembles. Steven is both past president and former musical director of the Shepparton Brass Band. He is a current player and former president of the Shepparton Brass and Wind. He was a foundation member the ‘Blasser Fleigen’ Brass Quintet and currently he performs with the ‘Oxalis’ Woodwind Quintet and the Slide ‘n’ Swing Big Band.

Steven has been guest conductor and has performed as a soloist with GVCO on numerous occasions and is now well placed to lead the GVCO as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director.

When he is not making music, Steven is a keen woodworker, gardener and motorcyclist.

Meet our Concertmaster - Peter Read

Peter Read achieved a Bachelor of Education in Classroom and Instrumental Music from the Melbourne College of Advanced Education, and has an AMusA in viola.

For 30 years Peter has been a strings specialist in the Goulburn Valley area and taught at Shepparton High School. He also taught brass and wind and conducted the junior concert band at various competitions. In more recent years he taught at Kyabram School P-12 & Greater Shepparton Secondary College. Peter continues to teach privately at his studio in Mooroopna.

Peter has been a member of GVCO since its very beginning and has lead the violas for many years. He is now Concertmaster of GVCO and takes strings workshops and string development sessions within the orchestra. In his spare time, Peter also plays viola or violin in a string quartet.

In addition to his music, Peter builds and installs precision telescopes in Australia and around the world.

Meet our Director of Chamber Concerts - Leona Sterling

Leona has experience across all artistic genres. She has conducted the Shepparton Symphony Orchestra, was appointed Musical Director for three STAG productions (Shepparton Theatre Arts Group) and has directed multiple school productions at both Shepparton High School and Goulburn Valley Grammar. She was Artistic Director for the GVCO in 2020/2021.

Alongside her role as the Director of Chamber Concerts, Leona is an active cellist with GVCO. She has also been a guest cellist for many STAG and Turaton performances.

Leona has created some inspiring and exciting programs for GVCO and our popular Annual Chamber Concert series. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Leona was instrumental in delivering our premier Digital Live Stream concert at Riverlinks in June 2021.