Young symphonists sound in the city

SIXTY national-level teen symphonists are set to make some music in Ballarat this weekend.

Australian Youth Orchestra’s 2022 Young Symphonists will play a concert at the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts on Saturday, 1 October.

This will mark the first get-together of the program since 2019, led by conductor Fabian Russell.

The Young Symphonists is AYO’s beginner’s program for orchestral students, and after 30 years with the organisation, Russell said it’s the launching pad for pre-professional players.

“This week is designed to give young musicians from 12 to 17 their first step of participating in an AYO program,” he said.

“These are students across string, woodwind, brass, and percussion coming from pretty much every state in Australia.

“They’ll be playing quite advanced works from a standard repertoire for the people of Ballarat. They’re works that can be considered great classics that we pair with a piece from an emerging Australian composer.”

The nearly-one-hour performance will feature Antonin Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, and Crossway written in 2017 by Sydney-based composer Harry Sdraulig.

Rehearsals have been underway at Ballarat Grammar since last week, with a tutor assigned for each instrument group.

Russell said the students will have completed about 50 hours of study by the concert, so the audience will be able to see the results of a “highly-intensive musical adventure.”

“You’d be hard-pressed to find many schools in Australia that would provide such a quality ensemble I expect we’ll have this year,” he said.

“This is a unique offering for Ballarat in that being able to play a concert for everybody of these particular works is not something that happens every week here.

Although the concert will be free, seats can be booked by visiting bit.ly/3S8mKN0.