EIGHTEEN-year-old Wil Oldaker gradated last year from Ballarat Grammar with a perfect score in VCE VET music performance and his plans to peruse music haven\u2019t stopped there.<\/p>\n
He is currently undertaking a year 13 at the school where he will complete a certificate IV in music industry and assist as an academic mentor for students.<\/p>\n
Part of the certification involves a major project and Oldaker plans to release his own music this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe project is of my choice and because we have awesome facilities I am going to hopefully release an EP,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be songs that show me, because I haven\u2019t really released something yet and I\u2019d really like to make a strong entry to the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Oldaker appeared on Australian Idol and he said the experience was a great opportunity to learn from judge Marcia Hines.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learnt that the music industry is so hard and so intense, but I did really, really enjoy it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an awesome experience meeting Marcia in Ballarat and it was great to meet some likeminded people around me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMarcia just had really deep chats with us of camera about confidence and growing as your own artist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oldaker\u2019s love of music began with his involvement in musicals in Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI kind of grew a love of music through doing musicals, it\u2019s not so much what I enjoy the most now, but it kind of got me started,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery single musical has a different musical director and the musical director, what they did was something they really aspired to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir love for music, and sometimes they\u2019re volunteering, was something I looked up to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of Oldaker\u2019s reasoning to return to Ballarat Grammar was the support provided by his music teacher Sarah Barlow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main factor in me coming back was Sarah because she\u2019s honestly mentored me throughout me whole life and been involved in musicals I\u2019ve been involved in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had this relationship that\u2019s been really awesome and she\u2019s been my mentor and someone I look up to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Barlow said she is looking forward to seeing what Wil achieves across the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve taught Wil for a very long time, since he was about 10, and I\u2019ve seen him grow into an incredible artist across lots of mediums,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what gets me continuing to teach, it\u2019s really incredible.<\/p>\n
\u201cTeaching has so much benefit because you get to see things like this.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
EIGHTEEN-year-old Wil Oldaker gradated last year from Ballarat Grammar with a perfect score in VCE VET music performance and his plans to peruse music haven\u2019t stopped there. He is currently undertaking a year 13 at the school where he will complete a certificate IV in music industry and assist as an academic mentor for students. […]<\/p>\n