AYO Blog

Australian Youth Orchestra July Season 2012: Blog 2
By Lucy Papworth

Simone Young conducts the Australian Youth Orchestra in rehearsal, July 2012.
Simone Young with the orchestra
French Horns of the Australian Youth Orchestra in rehearsal, July 2012.
AYO French horns
Simone Young conducts the Australian Youth Orchestra in rehearsal, July 2012.
Simone Young in action
Brisbane Wheel Projections

Maestro Simone Young Arrives

After four intense days of rehearsals with Associate Conductor Fabian Russell, tutorials with some of Brisbane’s finest professional musicians and individual practice to learn the notes, AYO was ready to meet its new leader, Maestro Simone Young.

The AYO instruments, equipment, musicians and staff were now all set up in the rehearsal studio in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the nervous energy made it feel like Day 1 all over again. It was time to step up!

In boarding the podium Maestro Young expressed her personal excitement in conducting the finest young musicians from across Australia and shared her knowledge and interpretation of Richard Strauss before launching into a complete run of An Alpine Symphony. During the nearly 50 minutes of playing there were smiles across all faces as the music filled the studio. As the last notes drifted away there was a round of applause and the words ‘You have prepared well, now all I have to do is polish and we can have some fun.’

There is still the music of another Australian, Percy Grainger, to be learnt as well. The detail of the preparation has only just begun!

Sign up for all the latest AYO news straight to your inbox

Name(Required)