At the invitation of her old school, a local lass took time out of her busy career to return to her roots and perform on home turf.
Domini Forster might live in Melbourne growing her musical life, but Byron is home, and at Saturday’s annual Cape Byron Spring Fair, not only did the school have the pleasure of listening to their 2009 graduate, Ms Forster was also one of the judges in the tightly contested songwriting competition.
Domini says it feels super nostalgic to come back to Byron and play at the school. ‘It’s really special to see all my old teachers, and perform with the strings teachers who taught me for years’, she says.
‘I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up in that community, and felt particularly supported by the school in my music-making. Tom Whitaker [head of high school music] even used to play drums for local gigs with me! So it feels like a lovely opportunity to offer something back through my music.’
Even though she has a hectic schedule in Melbourne, Domini says she still takes an interest in the music students who come out of the school?
‘There’s some incredible musicians coming out of Byron Steiner. The Parcels boys are over in Europe doing amazing things as we speak, and Cecilia Brandolini and I have done some gigs together recently. She’s a total powerhouse.
‘Tom is wonderful in terms of offering opportunities to stay involved with the school too. He invited Cecilia and I to coordinate the Song Harvest at Mullum Music Festival last year, a collaborative performance showcasing past finalists of the Youth Mentorship program. There were a bunch past and current Steiner students involved in that, so it was another reminder of the volume of musical talent that comes out of the school.’
Adding to that list of musos to watch out for will be Eva Priestly from Byron High School whose song Guilty won this year’s songwriting competition.
Domini says that apart from the music, it’s also great to come home just to be part of the school’s annual seasonal event. ‘There are so many memories – candle-dipping, making flower garlands, singing, playing in Ensemble Della Mar.
‘I miss spring fairs!’
To keep up with Domini’s career, visit www.dominiforster.com.
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