Australian Youth Orchestra
2024 Wrap-Up
As we gear up for an epic year ahead—featuring the AYO Summer Music Festival (because Adelaide could always use another festival), our long-awaited international tour, and more collaborations with world-class artists—let’s pause to reflect on the spectacular highlights of 2024.
JANUARY – AYO National Music Camp
Adelaide / Kaurna
It is hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since we gathered in Adelaide for the 76th National Music Camp. The two-week program culminated in incredible concerts that showcased the musicians’ technical brilliance, emotional depth, and the sheer joy of making music together. It was a time of hard work, big achievements, and new friendships, with participants from orchestral and non-orchestral programs sharing their passion and transforming their efforts into extraordinary performances. Among many highlights, we launched the AYO Youth Council and were honoured to welcome Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC on the final day of concerts. And no camp is complete without the iconic Staff vs. Students cricket match. Our staff team boasts a 76-year winning streak… though the participants might have something to say about that!
FEBRUARY – Momentum Ensemble and Arts8 Opening of Parliament
From Sydney / Gadigal to Port Macquarie / Birpai to Melbourne / Naarm via Canberra / Ngunnawal
In February, Momentum Ensemble worked with four schools in Sydney and Port Macquarie, spanning primary to early high school years, metro and regional, private and public schools, with a range of instrumental skill levels and learning support needs. The project centered around a reimagining of Copland’s Appalachian Spring. AYO alumni Belinda McFarlane (London Symphony Orchestra) and Oliver Shermacher (Australian World Orchestra) challenged the elite orchestral musicians of Momentum Ensemble to consider how to connect with diverse audiences, make the classical canon relevant, and inspire communities with limited access to instrumental music.
“Particularly being a regional school, having access to this opportunity was just incredible, and we have certainly seen a shift in the students’ enthusiasm, motivation, and excitement to keep playing their instruments and creating music together” – Classroom Teacher, Port Macquarie
In the same month, Momentum Ensemble presented Elva, designed and directed by Melbourne-based curator, artist, and musician Molly Collier O’Boyle (AYO alumna). Elva was the first project to test the concept of participant-led/design programming, aligning with the future strategy of developing Artistic Leadership in pre-professional musicians through Momentum, which will be fully realised in 2025.
Meanwhile, a brass quintet and string quartet comprised of AYO and ANAM musicians performed at the Opening of Federal Parliament in the hallowed marble foyer and at the Queens Terrace Café throughout the day. They were warmly received by Senator Sue Lines Speaker of the House of Representatives (and violist) Hon Milton Dick, Hon Mark Dreyfus KC, Dr. Helen Haines, and Senator Anne Urquhart. The first concert also had an enthusiastic audience at the parliamentary childcare centre.
MARCH – AYO Presents Turbulent Times
Hobart / Nipaluna
The flagship’s first concert of the year was conducted by Alexandre Bloch, Music Director of Orchestre National de Lille, and featured renowned soloist Satu Vänskä, principal violinist of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Performing on the Federation Concert Hall stage for the first time in around 30 years was a momentous occasion, and the members of the resident Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra made us feel at home quickly. The concert was broadcast live on ABC Classic, and the text line ‘lit up’ as the AYO community tuned in and sent greetings from around the country. On air, host and AYO alumna Megan Burslem remarked that AYO is a “cultural institution here in this country… It’s an organisation that fuels the classical music scene here in Australia, with most professional musicians and music thinkers taking part at some point in their lives.”
APRIL – Momentum Ensemble Presents Demon Ducks and Pandemonium!!
Sydney / Gadigal and Adelaide Hills / Peramangk and Kaurna
Conductor Christoph Altstaedt led this dynamic program, which pushed the boundaries of classicism by exploring the gothic and mysterious. The Momentum Ensemble participants embraced their roles as storytellers, conveying the humour and intrigue of the repertoire with confidence and conviction. Audiences in both Sydney (Cell Block Theatre) and the Adelaide Hills (UKARIA) shared how moved and entertained they were by the performances. Achieving this audience connection was a key goal of the program, further enhanced by the skill and professionalism of soprano Rachelle Durkin.
Nicholas Vines’ new composition A Mega Masquerade (commissioned by AYO) explores Australia’s mega-fauna, offering the participants a deep connection to the communities and land on which they were performing. This brought home the importance of connecting with regional communities through music.
What brings fun to musicians can be quite different from what entertains the audience, but this program managed to delight both! It made us so happy to hear the audiences laughing in their seats.
MAY – Applications
AYO is committed to ensuring that talent, rather than financial or geographic barriers, determines eligibility for our programs. Through our generous financial assistance program, we help offset fees and travel costs for young musicians. This year, we also offered a full waiver of the application fee for First Nations young people, further reinforcing our dedication to accessibility and inclusivity. We were pleased to see that 11% of our applications came from regional Australia, highlighting the broad reach and impact of our initiatives.
JUNE – Arts8 Collab and NZSO National Youth Orchestra Exchange
AYO was proudly represented by Tiger Chou (Momentum Ensemble 2024) and Paul Nicolaou (AYO 2024), who joined 14 other young creatives from the Arts8 organisations at the ‘Future Light’ Arts8 Collaboration hosted at AFTRS. Together, they devised a multimedia work, which was showcased at the end of the workshop. The eight organisations within Arts8 – spanning art, performance, music, dance, circus, and storytelling – are the lifeblood of culture. These diverse art forms enrich our lives, connect us, challenge us, and transform us. Collaborations like these provide a unique opportunity for our fellow arts organisations to build rich creative partnerships, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.
AYO double bassist Charlotte Scanlan travelled to New Zealand to participate in an exciting new partnership between AYO and the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. “AYO’s National Music Camp is undoubtedly my favourite time of year,” Charlotte reflected. “I’m super excited to experience a similar camp in Aotearoa. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of AYO’s exchange with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra, and I’m looking forward to an amazing week of music-making with my Kiwi colleagues. I’m especially excited to prepare Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 under the baton of internationally recognised conductor Tianyi Lu.” This exciting collaboration will also see members of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra participating in AYO’s National Music Camp in 2025.
JULY – AYO Presents Mood and Momentum Ensemble Performs at AFCM
Geelong / Wadawurrung and Melbourne / Naarm, north to Townsville / Bindal and Wulgurukaba
Stormy, heart-stirring, triumphant. Under the baton of Nicholas Carter, AYO’s flagship orchestra returned to the stage for their second season of the year, rising to the challenge of some of the biggest works of the orchestral canon. The world premiere of AYO alumnus Iain Grandage’s Overt was a touching tribute to former AYO CEO Colin Cornish AM, radiant from the first downbeat. In the words of the composer, Overt is “about those internal processes being made outwardly evident – a piece that is filled with ebullience, joy and the miracle of orchestral organism.”
Our Momentum Ensemble joined forces with award-winning French cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in sunny Townsville. Together, they presented a packed program, Wonderful World, centered around the urgent theme of saving the planet. Reverence and the sublime resonated throughout the program, which swept from classical brilliance to modern musical magic—an ode to the breathtaking wonder of nature itself.
SEPTEMBER – Chamber Players
Goulburn / Wiradjuri
Our Chamber Players, under the expert mentorship of the acclaimed Orava Quartet, captivated audiences with a vibrant array of ensembles—from wind quintets and brass groups to string quartets. Highlighting the works of talented Australian composers across two jam-packed concerts, this was a rare chance to discover hidden gems of the repertoire, where audiences experienced the nuances of communication, expression, and performance that define chamber music. During the program, the Orava Quartet presented an enchanting in-house performance, drawing listeners into their world of musical artistry. It was heartening to see so many young children seated in the front row, spellbound by the music—a testament to the promising future of classical music.
OCTOBER – Young Symphonists and SSO Professional Immersion
Canberra / Ngunnawal and Sydney / Gadigal
Sixty-five rising stars of classical music collaborated with Australian maestro Carlo Antonioli, whom we eagerly anticipate working with again on our international tour next year, to deliver an epic program at Snow Concert Hall, Canberra Grammar School. Centered around three radiant works by women composers, the program showcased Maria Grenfell’s powerful River, Mountain, Sky, the grooving momentum of Australian composer Holly Harrison’s Splinter, and the playful liveliness of Grace Williams’ Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes. These vibrant works provided the perfect lead-up to the concert’s grand finale: beloved selections from Tchaikovsky’s iconic Swan Lake. These talented high school musicians are shaping the future of classical music, and it has never looked so promising.
Five exceptional AYO musicians—Lili, Theonie, Sebastian, Noah, and Rio—joined the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for a series of inspiring performances of Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Now in its second year, the AYO Professional Immersion program offers these young talents an unparalleled opportunity to participate in rehearsals and performances, receive one-on-one mentorship from Sydney Symphony musicians, undertake mock auditions, and more. This collaboration not only sharpens their professional skills but also provides a glimpse into the life of an orchestral musician, laying a strong foundation for their future careers.
NOVEMBER – Momentum Ensemble Presents Fresh Beats and Brilliance
Langwarrin / Bunurong and Melbourne / Naarm
What a way to wrap up 2024! Our Momentum Ensemble joined forces with percussion extraordinaire Claire Edwardes (Ensemble Offspring) for a performance that was nothing short of electrifying. The audience was captivated by a program of modern works by American and Australian composers, culminating in the world premiere of Alice Chance’s Odd Socks—funky, irreverent, and utterly charming. This piece will undoubtedly become a staple in the contemporary classical repertoire.
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us for our final concerts of the year and look forward to sharing more unforgettable musical moments with you in 2025!
