AYO July season conductor supporters
From left to right: Dr Amanda Bell, Maestro Simone Young, Ms Annabelle Chaplain, Ms Sally Pitkin

More than 200 donors and guests of the Australian Youth Orchestra flew to Brisbane to support Australia’s finest young musicians as they proudly scaled the heights of Richard Strauss’s monumental An Alpine Symphony under the baton of acclaimed conductor, Simone Young.

We hosted several unique events for AYO supporters during the weekend trip; for patrons of The Conductor’s Circle who generously support the internationally acclaimed guest artists who tutor our young musicians, we organised a very intimate dinner at the Sofitel with Maestro Young; there was a backstage tour of QPAC; an informal lunch with Simone Young for those who kindly supported the costs of engaging her; morning tea for our QLD alumni, and the chance to watch a final rehearsal as Maestro and the Australian Youth Orchestra put the finishing touches to the repertoire, including a sneak-peek of Lisa Gasteen in rehearsal.

The nervous excitement and energy during rehearsal in the QPAC Concert Hall was palpable, which made it even more special for our guests as they had a better appreciation of what goes on behind the scenes before experiencing the polished result of the sell-out concert.

Thanks to the generous support of our donors to the AYO July Season, including those who contributed to the 2012 annual campaign, Scale the Heights, which raised $33,000, your gifts ensured the success of the Season program and concert. For those that were able to attend the concert, we’re sure you’ll agree it was worth every cent!

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