This term 11 Central Coast Youth Orchestra students and alumni completed a week-long intensive performance project with Regional Youth Orchestra NSW and musicians from Sydney Symphony Orchestra, culminating in an exceptional performance at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
More than 50 selected musicians from 11 regional conservatorium around the state – from Coffs Harbour to Wollongong – took part in the program (the first RYO NSW project for 2024) and were conducted by Central Coast Con’s Artistic Director, Patrick Brennan.
The budding virtuosos took part in sectionals, tutorials and rehearsals with Sydney Symphony musicians as their mentors, all culminating in a side-by-side performance for friends and family at Sydney Con’s Verbrugghen Hall.
Listen to Patrick Brennan talk to ABC Radio’s Ian McNarama about RYO NSW below:
The students were Elana Sydenham (piccolo), Mitchell Frith (French horn), Emma Deed (flute), Krys Cox (cello), Dana Hamilton (bassoon), Ellen Barnes (violin), Emma Berecry-Brown (violin) and Anya Sandeman (trombone).
They were joined by Xavier Cardozo (principal bassoon), Theodore Brown (oboe) and Amber Davies (clarinet) who are all completing Bachelor of Music Performance at Sydney Conservatorium of Music and concertmaster, Kaito Deed (violin).
Central Coast Con tutor Suzie Kim and Artistic Director Patrick Brennan were also involved in the project, alongside tutors from other regional conservatorium.
The orchestra was joined by RYO NSW alum Jonah Spriggs from Griffith to perform two movements from the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Also on the program was Festive Overture by Shostakovich and the fourth movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 6.
About RYO NSW
Regional Youth Orchestra NSW (RYO) is an audition-based youth orchestra for talented students from NSW Regional Conservatoriums.
RYO provides students opportunities to play with other regional youth musicians and learn from leading conductors, orchestras and artists from Australia and the world. RYO holds annual auditions to assemble a cohort of talented students for a youth orchestra.
