Past Events
In September 2025, Australian Youth Orchestra participant Samuel Hooper, from Tasmania, spoke with musician and composer Aaron Wyatt as part of the AYO’s 2025 Professional Development: Industry Insights program. Here Samuel shares his reflection on the session.
In September, I – along with other young people associated with the Australian Youth Orchestra – had the great privilege of a discussion with esteemed musician, composer, and advocate, Aaron Wyatt, in the fourth and final Resonate: Cultural Leadership session. This discussion led to some eye-opening topics, and, in my opinion, had a beautiful sense of flow and connection to it. Each question tied in with the previous one and segued perfectly to the next, exploring Aaron’s life and work in depth.
An aspect of the discussion that I will focus on in this reflection began with a question regarding classical music in regional areas. This question spoke to me because I live in what can be considered as a regional area (Tasmania) so I understand the difficulties of learning a musical instrument, receiving tutoring, and fostering a love of music whilst living in an area that is somewhat detached from the broader Australian music scene. I will reflect on how the discussion with Aaron confirmed and deepened my understanding of these challenges and how I might spread the love of music across Tasmania in response to this session.
The question that was posed to Aaron was along the lines of this:
What sort of role can us, as individuals, and AYO, as an organisation, play in connecting with remote and regional areas? How can we make classical music accessible to people who might not have easy access to it in their everyday world?
Samuel Hooper’s question to Aaron Wyatt.
In his answer, Aaron started by acknowledging that this question is quite tricky as there is no convenient answer. Because if there was a simple answer, it would almost definitely be happening! Aaron agreed that the solution to this problem (along with many other problems), is funding. However, he also suggested other potential actions that we might take in response to this challenge. For example, using Zoom. As annoying and frustrating as it is, using Zoom is far better than nothing, and is an essential platform for teachers.
Aaron actually had a beginner viola student who lived regionally, and Zoom made it possible for the student to continue learning and participating in regular lessons. Occasionally, whilst in the city, the student would come for a face-to-face lesson. Later on in his answer, Aaron also acknowledged that one of the trickier things associated with regional teaching through Zoom is maintaining the engagement and connection in children.
Aaron also stated that many people fall into the trap of viewing classical music as “elite”, and believing that it is very inaccessible. To an extent, there are barriers to entry, such as lesson and instrument costs, etc, and this is aggravated in a world where wealth inequality is rising rapidly.
I felt that many of Aaron’s points related to a regional area like Tasmania. For example, many areas of Tasmania are very regional and do not have easy access to instruments, teachers, the enjoyment of live music or other essential musical requirements.
It is very hard to begin learning music or a musical instrument growing up in a regional area. However, Aaron, a huge advocate for choirs and choral music in particular, believes they are an easy gateway into learning music for those who might not have access to an instrument.
He said with choral music, students are taught fundamental aural and musicianship skills, so that when they do have access to an instrument, it is a much easier task to learn it.
After the discussion I reflected on my recent Virtuosi Tasmania tour where I travelled across Tasmania visiting venues in Hobart, Launceston, and Devonport. This not only brought live music to more regional areas of Tasmania but also provided an opportunity for the regional Tasmanian community to involve themselves in classical music, and the emerging arts community. In future, I plan to perform in more recitals similar to my Virtuosi Concert series, all around Tasmania, especially in the more remote areas where classical music is less common.
Sam Hooper at the AYO Young Symphonists program in Canberra in 2024 Credit: Rez Bagheri
Similarly, my high school concert band (in which I play clarinet) recently toured eight primary schools and played to the children. I realise that this has been another effective way of bringing music to more people in Tasmania. By seeing other kids playing music, the primary school kids might think they can play music too.
I also see many members of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra giving concerts and delivering educational programs in the less populated areas of Tasmania and now I more deeply appreciate their efforts.
I’ve noticed that sometimes music performances in Tasmania are expensive to attend and unfortunately I don’t have an easy solution for fixing that.
Eisteddfods in Tasmania are still cheap to enter and attend and are one of the few competitions available as well as being a performance opportunity especially for younger people. I can support my local eisteddfod by entering and when I am an adult can volunteer my time to help out in these organisations.
Finally, I am grateful that AYO has an understanding of the difficulties facing regional musicians and does its best to support us!
This program is solidifying my intention to become a professional musician as it is really broadening my understanding of the musical industry and the diversity of music-related careers.
“This program is solidifying my intention to become a professional musician as it is really broadening my understanding of the musical industry and the diversity of music-related careers.”
Samuel Hooper
Just a final note: Thank You AYO, and a huge shoutout to Samuel Cairnduff, Johanna Mulholland and the AYO Youth Council for organising these incredible sessions with figures such as Deborah Cheetham-Fraillon, Ben Franklin, Megan Burslem and Aaron Wyatt. These sessions have created a great learning environment for AYO participants to explore their musical industry and cultural knowledge in a deeper way, that connects them with the Australian music scene, and its leading figures. I personally, have got so much out of these sessions, and I know others have too. It is great to have young people reflecting on aspects of the industry that we hope to have a career in. Once again, many thanks towards AYO as an organisation, you have done an amazing job of organising such an innovative program that is nurturing a future generation of musicians and advocates!