Australian Youth Orchestra
AYO National Music Camp 2025 Day One by Tirion Luff-White
Media and Communications Blog
The very long day
3:45 am. I am awake. After two and a bit hours of sleep, I am awake, packed, and ready to carpe diem it up. Only a short two-hour drive to the airport from the farm, courtesy of my generous and sleep-deprived parents will take me to the airport right on time to drop my ridiculously heavy bag and find something to eat.
Once I had graced Brisbane airport with my presence, I found a fellow AYO friend and donated half of my outrageously priced airport cheese and ham toastie to them as we had a long journey ahead of us. Despite the lack of functioning inflight wifi, exacerbated aviation-related anxiety and a row of rowdy elderly women beside me, the flight was acceptable and thanks to what I can only assume to be an absolute daredevil of a pilot, we landed slightly early.
The sunny Adelaide sky welcomed us to our accommodations and we joined the line to get our room keys. Unfortunately for me, my day was far from getting easier as I was bestowed a broken door lock and was unable to have it fixed or enter my room for three delightful hours. Thankfully there was lunch and people to talk to, so I really had no grief with the situation aside from the desire to change my shoes. Finally, I was in, and it was almost time to head over for our briefing.
The briefing was hilariously informative and nervous laughter filled the room when we were informed that 5% of us would make it as professionals in the industry one day. What great odds!
As the rush to the first rehearsal began, I feel a wave of relief that I wasn’t about to run off to sort out percussion gear like I was so accustomed to doing in situations like these. I squished my way past the countless young musicians and made my way to my new media and communication friends who have been affectionately named MaCs (pronounced Maccas).
I was lucky enough to sit in Bonython Hall to watch the Alexander Orchestra rip through their first rehearsal. I drifted between admiring the beautiful interior of the building and being completely overwhelmed by the sound of eager young musicians punching through their first read with their new peers.
The ceilings and arches were filled with the most tumultuous sound and even if everything wasn’t quite correct, the years of practice each musician had done in the leadup to that moment was evident. Even the most timid souls in the ensemble were pushing out huge sounds and when they can’t, the conductor sings over the ensemble, holding them together.
The day concluded with many tired eyes wandering back to the accommodation aside from the few who had a brief detour via the bakery before heading to bed.
A very long and most wonderful day indeed.
About National Music Camp
Founded in 1948, National Music Camp has become the cornerstone of our training. Over two intensive weeks, around 220 of the country’s most talented young musicians come together to be mentored by world-class tutors, artists, and conductors. They experience music-making at the highest national level as part of exceptional symphony or chamber orchestras.
Behind the scenes, aspiring arts leaders from the Media and Communication, Orchestral Management, and Sound Production programs collaborate to bring today’s concert to life. Whether crafting compelling narratives about music’s cultural impact, mastering stage management logistics, or capturing the magic of live performance in pristine audio, these participants are guided by industry experts, challenged, and inspired at every step.
Together with the Composition program, which fosters the creation of bold new works, this comprehensive approach to orchestral and arts administration training cultivates a dynamic environment where creativity and passion unite, lifelong friendships and collaborations are sparked, and Australia’s arts scene is reinvigorated. As the lifeblood of culture, the arts enrich our lives, connect us, challenge us, and transform us.