Jennifer Russell is stepping out of her role as Chief Medical Officer of health to show off her passion for music.
She’ll perform with the NBYO this weekend in Moncton and again next weekend in Saint John.
Russell grew up playing the piano and saxophone. She says music has always been a way of recharging, but it was difficult to do during the pandemic.
She is excited to be able to be on a stage again, “Obviously, when it’s part of something that you do to recharge you know, if it’s a hobby in that way, then it’s lovely to be able to do it. There are obviously people who earn their living as musicians. And so it’s been extremely difficult for those people. Lots of my musician friends, you know, it’s been really challenging, so it is nice to be able to get on stage again for sure. I did have a few short shows that I was able to do last summer and early fall. But then things took over at work and that wasn’t possible again.”
Russell explained how the opportunity to play with NBYO came about, “I didn’t have to audition, they just asked me to play. And I was really flattered and honoured because this is a very talented group of people. So I feel it’s quite a privilege to be able to step on stage with them. They, they they’re really phenomenal with the concept that I went to in Fredericton. The repertoire was amazing. The quality of the music was just outstanding, so I don’t have enough positive things to say about them. They’re I’m excited, really excited to be able to participate.”
She says the past two years have been very tough for full time musicians, ” All of the hardships that people have had to endure during the pandemic and certainly as a musician, and even when I think back of when I first started playing the saxophone if somebody had told me that I, I couldn’t play or I couldn’t perform, in my younger days, I think it would have taken a really huge toll on on my mental health. So I know there are people struggling with mental health issues and whatever supports they can access. I think it’s really important and as soon as you can get back into the hobbies and things that enrich your life, and it’s really looking forward for people to be able to do that.”
The New Brunswick Youth Orchestra will perform at 6pm Saturday, March 26 at the Moncton Wesleyan Church, with special guests David Myles and Jennifer Russell.
They’ll perform again the following weekend on April 2, at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John.
