AYO Winter Season 2023
From the 3rd to the 11th of July, I had the pleasure of performing with the Australian Youth Orchestra for their Winter Season concert series, held in both Sydney and Canberra. The week-long program was an intensive experience packed with rehearsals, sectionals, and tutorials, based around the Sydney metro area.
Our repertoire for the week focused on works by Australian composer Nigel Westlake, including The Glass Soldier Suite, Beneath the Waves from Blueback, and Ngapa William Cooper. Most notably, our performances of Beneath the Waves and Ngapa William Cooper were the official orchestral premieres of both works. Beneath the Waves featured cellist Sharon Grigoryan as soloist, while Ngapa William Cooper was performed alongside vocalists Lior and Lou Bennett.
Each day typically began with a Violin 1 tutorial from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Australian Performing Arts Grammar School, led by the extraordinary violinist and creative artist Madeline Easton. Under her guidance, we refined our ensemble playing, deepened our understanding of the repertoire, and explored new techniques. It was rewarding to see how cohesive our section had become — especially after many of us had worked together earlier that year during the Autumn Season program in April.
After the morning tutorials, we would head out for lunch before making our way to the ABC studios for our afternoon string sectionals, held from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. These rehearsals were led by Fabian Russell, principal conductor of The Orchestra Project. They offered a valuable opportunity for each string section — Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Harp — to come together and apply what we had developed in the smaller tutorials. Under Fabian’s baton, we refined our ensemble playing, focusing on precision, blend, and musical cohesion. His insightful feedback helped us elevate the overall sound of the string section.
Following sectionals, we usually grabbed dinner before returning to the ABC studios for our evening tutti rehearsals from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. While Fabian conducted the early rehearsals, we were later joined by composer and conductor Nigel Westlake, who would lead us in the final concerts.
Nigel Westlake — an acclaimed Australian composer known for his film scores (Babe, Blueback, Paper Planes) — brought a powerful creative presence to the room. His rehearsals brought everything together, transforming the individual sectional efforts into a unified, full orchestral sound.
Later in the week, our tutti sessions increased in frequency, and we were joined by soloists Sharon Grigoryan, Lior, and Lou Bennett. The first time we rehearsed with them was truly breathtaking — hearing the full orchestration come to life with their contributions gave us a glimpse of what the final performances would become. These rehearsals were some of the most rewarding moments of the week. After long days of focused work, hearing the orchestra come together with such clarity, power, and professionalism made it all feel worthwhile.
At the end of a week-long intensive program, we presented two concerts showcasing our repertoire. The first performance took place on July 9th at ANU Llewellyn Hall in Canberra, followed by a return to Sydney that evening. The second concert was held the next day, July 10th, at the Sydney Opera House. Both performances were met with enthusiastic applause and marked a powerful conclusion to an unforgettable season.
Performing with the AYO was a significant milestone in my musical journey. It was a rare and exciting opportunity to premiere newly commissioned works — music being heard live for the first time. Throughout the season, I connected with passionate young musicians from across the country, rekindled friendships from previous AYO programs, and gained valuable experience playing in a high-level orchestral setting.
Looking back on my experiences with the AYO Seasons programs, I feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to perform with such a highly skilled and inspiring orchestra. These programs have been more than just performance opportunities — they’ve been transformative musical journeys that have shaped me as both a performer and a collaborator.
I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to The Hothouse Company for their generous support through the JM Wright Fund grant, which made this experience possible. Their contribution played a crucial role in helping me take part in this incredible opportunity.
AYO Seasons was a musical experience unlike any other — intense, challenging, and deeply rewarding. It remains one of the most formative and inspiring highlights of my musical journey so far.
Concert Program:
Ngapa William Cooper
