Heather Gontier is a Victorian champion flute player. 68043
By Danielle Galvin
HEATHER Gontier is a champion of champions.
On Saturday 23 July, the Kooweerup girl won the Victorian State Band Championships Flute Solo in the under 19s category.
She can also walk away proud as the Junior Woodwind Champion of Champions.
The year 10 student at Kooweerup Secondary College has been playing the flute since she was seven years old.
She also plays the piccolo and can sing and play piano.
To say that Heather is musically inclined is an understatement.
“My sister plays violin too,” she said.
Claudia Barker is the music teacher at the college.
“Heather’s obviously a very dedicated young woman.”
While she may have a couple more years to decide, Heather knows her future will somehow involve the music that she loves.
“I don’t know what I want to do yet, but I know it has to be with music,” she said.
In April Claudia will accompany the senior band to London and Paris on a historical, musical tour never to be forgotten.
“The kids are getting excited which makes me excited. We’ve got some fundraisers coming up too,” she said.
While Heather is a bit disappointed that she won’t be going, she still has a lot to look forward to.
“With the senior band we do a lot of outside performances,” Heather explained.
Claudia says it’s important for the students to have an educational aspect to their trip as well.
“People don’t know that 5500 Australian soldiers died at the Battle of Fromelles.
“I didn’t know it until earlier this year and I want the kids to get an appreciation for it,” she said.
The students in the senior band will perform at a range of memorial sites in London and Paris.
