20 February 2026
Full Circle: MSO musicians return to AYO to guide the next generation
When Melbourne Symphony Orchestra musicians stepped into their roles as mentors for the Australian Youth Orchestra ahead of the Fire and Fantasy concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, many found themselves revisiting a defining part of their own musical journeys. More than half of the MSO mentors had once been AYO participants themselves, so in a ‘full circle moment’ were able to share their experiences with the next generation of AYO musicians.
For MSO Acting Assistant Concertmaster, Anne-Marie Johnson, her first AYO experience at age 17 was transformative. She recalls the overwhelming thrill of sitting in the National Music Camp orchestra for the first time, performing Nielsen’s The Inextinguishable under Paul Dean – an experience she describes as crystallising her desire to become an orchestral musician. “It really was a special experience… that very first time coming together with likeminded young musicians was intense and formative.”
Returning to AYO as a mentor, she was inspired by the participants’ standard, preparation, and curiosity.
“The energy was amazing and they were so well prepared so we could really get into the detail of the music. It was great to get to know the musicians – they were keen talk to me about my life in an orchestra and the audition process. I was able to share some things that I wish I’d known when I was starting out.”
Anne-Marie Johnson, MSO Tutti First Violin
Jack Schiller, now MSO’s Principal Bassoon, recalls entering AYO at 16 and being struck by the sense of welcome and possibility. He said playing La Mer under Richard Gill was “lifechanging,” and the annual cycle of preparing for AYO programs pushed his musicianship forward each year.
Now on the other side of the music stand, he finds the students’ “fresh ideas and fresh energy” invigorating. “Becoming a mentor/tutor for AYO is quite a different experience. You’re suddenly on the other side and remember your experiences from doing AYO,” he said, adding that it was great to see the determination the participants bring to the programs. “Sometimes this job becomes a routine,” he notes, “but seeing their passion is incredibly inspiring.”
For MSO Principal Flute Prudence Davis, her AYO memories stretch back to 1978, playing Stravinsky’s Firebird in Adelaide, conducted by Robert Pickler. She said working with today’s AYO musicians brought a sense of recognition and nostalgia. “I had the same feeling as you have now,” she told her students.
“Like these participants I also played The Firebird. The experience for these young musicians would be pretty well the same experience I had back then… They’re really excited for the music and you can just feel that it’s oozing from all of their pores.”
Prue Davis, MSO Principal Flute
Prue described the intensity, commitment, and lifelong friendships formed through those early experiences and said AYO was a great way of learning music, having intensive periods of rehearsal and preparation. “AYO was an integral part for me. It was just the experience of being amongst like-minded people. And I just remember the noise, the sound of the whole orchestra playing, and everyone’s so committed. It was life-changing. And you keep meeting these people all through your life too.
For the 2026 AYO players, the tutorials were just as memorable, not only for the expert orchestral insight, but also for the chance to learn directly from musicians whose careers began exactly where they are now.
Practical guidance
Maggie Wang (cello) said working with MSO tutors was “really inspiring,” and she particularly enjoyed the chance to play arranged cello quartets with MSO cellist Rohan de Korte.
Clara Moloney (cello) valued the practical benefits of learning from fulltime orchestral musicians: “Our time with both Elina [Faskhi, Assistant Principal Cello] and Rohan was so helpful… and the cello quartet was really fun.”
Violinist Yo Yo Zhou appreciated the efficient, stylistic clarity brought by tutors Tair Khisambeev, MSO Assistant Concertmaster, and Anne-Marie — and discovered a personal connection: she once studied violin with Anne-Marie’s mum, making the reunion unexpectedly special.
Violinist Eric Kim spoke about the value of learning to “play more like an orchestral musician rather than a soloist,” gaining practical strategies for navigating difficult passages thanks to Anne-Marie’s guidance.
AYO in the Arts Ecosystem
AYO is Australia’s premier pathway for young musicians aspiring to the highest levels of classical performance, offering world-class orchestral training, mentorship, and opportunities that set national and international benchmarks for excellence. Building on this foundation of cultural excellence, AYO’s value is realised through a circular ecology model—where excellence, leadership, and innovation flow throughout the Australian arts ecosystem.
AYO’s impact is circular and regenerative: young musicians, teachers and audiences enter from diverse backgrounds, are extended at national and international levels, and return to their communities enriched—strengthening institutions, local communities, and the broader sector.
A key part of AYO’s value proposition is its alumni, many of whom pursue careers outside music yet retain a deep love of classical music and remain engaged as active music-makers, learners, listeners, supporters and advocates. This breadth of impact ensures that AYO’s influence extends far beyond professional musicianship, cultivating a musically literate, culturally engaged and inclusive society.