WANGARATTA resident Sally Ross began her commitment to music at the age of four, when she started taking violin lessons.

She went on to gain a music degree and has played in Victorian orchestras in Bendigo, Frankston, Shepparton and the Murray Conservatorium in Albury.

Sally has also freelanced in Melbourne playing the violin for a variety of shows and concerts.

Sally founded the Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra (WSO) in 2021, bringing joy to music lovers and visitors in the local area.

She played first violin in the WSO and also plays the flute and piano.

Sally felt responsible for the WSO and was concerned that the orchestra would never find an oboe player, so she decided to lean to play it herself.

The oboe is a costly and challenging double-reed instrument to learn and maintain, but she committed to many hours of practice.

Eric Anderson has been Sally’s oboe teacher for two years.

He served as Officer Commander/music director of army bands in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne and was also head of the Defence Force School of Music for five years.

He plays oboe in the Goulburn Valley Concert Orchestra in Shepparton.

Eric also plays the clarinet, and a longer oboe called the English horn.

Eric’s dedication to music is evident in his patient and careful approach to teaching Sally.

She is very grateful for his musical expertise.

Sally has found that as an older person it was challenging to learn something so different from violin, even with her long experience playing other instruments.

“Just because we are older doesn’t mean we can’t learn new things,” Sally said.

Every day she wakes up thinking about the day’s oboe practice.

Sally said this is not the wonderful, relaxing retirement she had imagined.

“Even though I had to push away other things, it is definitely worth it,” she said.

Eric will play with Sally in the WSO at concerts in Mansfield on 24 August in the afternoon and at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre in the evening on 7 September.

They will play the whole of Dvorak’s New World Symphony and other inspiring pieces.