2024 Season Brochure by Australian Youth Orchestra

Also, Christoph ALTSTAEDT, Alexandre BLOCH, Nicholas CARTER, Molly COLLIER-O’BOYLE, Rachelle DURKIN, Slava GRIGORYAN, Jack LIEBECK, Belinda MCFARLANE, Oliver SHERMACHER, Satu Vänskä, Dr. Nicholas VINES... •

Photo Lisa Maree Williams

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Contents Acknowledgement of Country

Winter Season Concert

Welcome to Season 2024

Momentum Ensemble & Jack Liebeck

Season 2024

Chamber Players

Summer Concert Series

Young Symphonists

Momentum Ensemble & McFarlane + Schermacher

AYO Begins With You

Momentum Ensemble & Molly Collier - O'Boyle

Calendar

Autumn Season Concert

Thank You

Momentum Ensemble & Alstaedt + Durkin

Partnerships

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Acknowledgment of Country

About AYO

The Australian Youth Orchestra acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community.

AYO occupies a special place in the musical culture of Australia, where one generation of brilliant musicians inspires the next, where aspiring musicians get a taste of life as professional musicians, and where like-minded individuals from all over the country gather for intense periods to learn from each other, study and perform. On the world stage, AYO has established itself as a cultural ambassador for Australia on twenty-three international tours since its first in 1970.

We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Today, countless AYO alumni are members of some of the finest professional orchestras worldwide.

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Photo Claudio Raschella

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Welcome to Season 2024 I am thrilled to unveil our 2024 season and our next classical music superstars. AYO aims to empower young artists and amplify their unique perspectives through their art. Our 2024 program is a testament to this commitment, drawing inspiration from the incredible diversity of our young talents, including four world premieres by esteemed composers Nicholas Vines, Molly Collier O’Boyle, Alice Chance, and Iain Grandage. Collaborating with these visionary composers, along with the exceptional leadership of French maestro Alexandre Bloch and Mahler luminary Nicholas Carter, will undoubtedly elevate our orchestra to new heights of excellence. You won’t want to miss a moment. — Kimbali Harding, CEO

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Mark Your Calendar

Summer Concert Series

13 – 20 January

Adelaide

Momentum Ensemble & McFarlane + Schermacher

16 February

Port Macquarie

Momentum Ensemble & Molly Collier – O’Boyle

1 March 2 March

Melbourne

Autumn Season Concert

6 April

Hobart

Momentum Ensemble & Alstaedt + Durkin

19 April

Sydney Mt Barker

Winter Season Concert

13 July

21 April

14 July

Geelong Melbourne

Momentum Ensemble & Jack Liebeck

1 August

Townsville

AYO Chamber Players

28 September

Goulburn

Young Symphonists

6 October

Canberra

3 August

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One and Free

Summer Concert Series Enjoy sweeping orchestral masterpieces and vibrant 21st century works during Australian Youth Orchestra’s 2024 Summer Concert Series – for free! Conductors Ariel Zuckermann, Toby Thatcher and chamber orchestra director Sophie Rowell. The musicians will interpret beloved gems of Eastern European repertoire such as Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No.1, Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra and Janáček’s Suite for Strings. These pieces will be complemented by vibrant works by Australian composers Melody Eötvös, Iain Grandage, Lachlan Skipworth and Maria Grenfell.

Concert Dates

Venue: Elder Hall, University of Adelaide Saturday 13 January 2024 Orchestral Concert I, 3:30pm Orchestral Concert II, 7pm Thursday 18 January 2024 Chamber Music Concert, 7pm Friday 19 January 2024 New Creations Concert, 6pm Percussion & Brass Concert, 7:30pm Saturday 20 January 2024 Orchestral Concert III, 3:30pm Orchestral Concert IV, 7pm

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

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Ordinary Music for Extraordinary People

Momentum Ensemble & McFarlane + Shermacher Leading lights of the international stage join AYO’s Momentum Ensemble in this inclusive musical journey for children, music teachers, and mentors. Culminating in a joyous concert interpreting Aaron Copland’s iconic Appalachian Spring. Violinist and Director with the London Symphony Orchestra, Belinda McFarlane, together with Oliver Shermacher (Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Australian World Orchestra), will lead intensive schools residencies which will provide both professional development in music education for Momentum Ensemble members, while inspiring a love of music in young participants. Students with diverse backgrounds and learning needs will embark on a two-week workshop, led by the talented Belinda McFarlane and Oliver Shermacher. The program will extend to four schools in Sydney and Port Macquarie, Oliver’s Hometown.

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Concert Dates Saturday 10 February 2024 Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay Friday 16 February 2024 The Glasshouse, Port Macquarie

We welcome audiences to The Glasshouse, where these workshops culminate in a joyous concert interpreting Aaron Copland’s iconic Appalachian Spring. Children from all walks of life will perform and respond to music side by side with world leading musicians proving that music is truly the universal language. This performance is more than a concert; it's a testament to the power of music education, fostering connections, and building a harmonious community. Join us in this musical journey that not only imparts skills but also creates a symphony of unity, echoing the inclusive spirit of Momentum Ensemble and the Australian Youth Orchestra.

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Photo Claudio Raschella

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Photo Alastair Bett

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Remembering Elva

Momentum Ensemble & Molly Collier - O'Boyle Melbourne's Molly Collier-O’Boyle debuts Elva, a fusion of commissioned viola works, classics, and personal interludes, exploring diverse musical realms. Elva is a captivating 60-minute concept performance, marking the debut solo project of Melbourne-based polymath Molly Collier-O’Boyle. Melding her roles as curator, artist, and musician, Molly crafts an immersive experience inspired by contemplation, amity, nature, and the ephemeral. The album showcases five newly commissioned works for viola by Australian composers, seamlessly blending the alto voice and drawing from folk, improvisation, experimental, and contemporary classical genres.

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Concert Dates Friday 1 March 2024 The Eleventh Hour, Melbourne Saturday 2 March 2024 MPavillion, Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne

At its core is a piece premiered in 2020 by composer Jared Yapp, titled A Simple Song for Complex Times. The project's namesake, "Elva," pays homage to Molly's great-grandmother, capturing a poignant moment in time. Intertwining this narrative are curated selections from Bach, Debussy, Schulhoff, and Silvestrov, punctuated by Molly's own five interludes. Elva promises a rich tapestry of sound and emotion, weaving together tradition and innovation in a mesmerizing exploration of musical landscapes.

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Turbulent Times

Autumn Season Concert Step into a musical time machine as our flagship orchestra transports you to an era of great societal upheaval and political uncertainty. And no, it is not 2020. Over a century ago, composers were responding to major historical events which would change society forever. World Wars I and II, compelled composers to create music that told the stories of those times. Ravel and Debussy, musical trailblazers, used innovative harmonies and lively orchestrations to break free from traditional music rules. Between the wars, Szymanowski mixed in Polish folk tunes into his Violin Concerto, capturing in amber his emotional tribute to his country. Prokofiev's Symphony No.5 is like a victory dance, full of energy and spirit. This concert is a journey through the sounds of these amazing composers, each with their own style, pushing the boundaries of what music can be, and capturing the essence of the most turbulent of times - before our own that is.

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Concert Dates Saturday 6 April 2024 Federation Concert Hall, Hobart

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

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Demon Ducks and Pandemonium!!

Momentum Ensemble & Alstaedt + Durkin Music that weaves fantastical tales and breaks all the rules, get ready for a delightful evening you'll carry in your heart forever. Guiding you on this magical journey is the conductor extraordinaire, Christoph Altstaedt, and the enchanting Australian American Soprano, Rachelle Durkin. This performance brings a rare and captivating program of musical satire and theatre. At the heart of this exceptional performance is HK Gruber's Frankenstein!! in its chamber version, inspired by Mary Shelley's iconic tale. As the evening progresses, you will be carried away by the mysterious allure of Ligeti's Mysteries of the Macabre. The piece is characterised by its playful, humoristic, eccentric, and sometimes chaotic nature.

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Concert Dates Friday 19 April 2024 Cellblock Theatre, Sydney Sunday 21 April 2024 Ukaria, Mt Barker

Australia has its own touch of the weird and wacky to offer with a new commission from Dr. Nicholas Vines: Mandala of The Megas. This fresh take on Carnival of the Animals is a satirical commentary on Australian issues of evolution and extinction featuring the unsung distant runner-up for our national emblem: the Demon Duck of Doom. Prepare for a wild blend of avant-garde landscapes, theatrical narratives, and groundbreaking musical expressions under the baton of Altstaedt. Two exclamation marks required.

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Mood

Winter Season Concert Winter brings big feelings with work by Romantic-era composers Wagner and Mahler. Embark on a captivating musical journey at our concert featuring Wagner's Prelude und Liebestod and Mahler's Symphony No. 5. Our destination is the 19th century when music was all about grand emotions, big sounds, and pushing boundaries. Rooted in the Germanic musical tradition, Wagner's poignant prelude, extracted from his opera Tristan und Isolde, lays the foundation for an evening steeped in orchestral grandeur. Mahler's Symphony No. 5, a testament to his admiration for Wagner, unfolds with daring chromaticism, pushing the boundaries

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Concert Dates Saturday 13 July 2024 Costa Hall, Geelong Sunday 14 July 2024 Hamer Hall, Melbourne

of traditional tonality. The concert takes you on a rollercoaster of emotional intensity: from Wagner's transcendent love and death theme to Mahler's varied exploration, ranging from mournful funeral marches to triumphant finales. Witness the influence and evolution of these composers as Wagner's innovations echo in Mahler's adaptation of leitmotifs. Join us for an evening that is all about feeling the music and discovering the heart and soul of the Romantic era.

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

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Photo Alastair Bett

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Flights of Fancy

Momentum Ensemble & Jack Liebeck Celebrate the encore collaboration between AYO Momentum Ensemble and Jack Liebeck at the 2024 Australian Festival of Chamber Music. This special reunion with acclaimed violinist Jack Liebeck sparkles with musical gems from Baroque era, a time when composers painted their musical canvases with ornate melodies and dramatic contrast. The ensemble will bring to life the expressive and harmonious sound of Corelli - the O.G. violin soloist with his Concerto Grosso Op.6, No.4, a piece known for its beautiful melodies and intricate musical interplay.

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Concert Dates 29 July – 1 August 2024 The Australian Festival of Chamber Music – Townsville/Gurambilbarra

Then step into a fairy tale through music with the enchantment of Henry Purcell's The Fairy Queen, where emotive voices blend seamlessly with captivating instruments. This performance promises an evening of enchanting tunes that will transport you to a world of timeless beauty.

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

Nowhere to Hide

Chamber Players Welcome to the sometimes brutal but always exhilarating experience of chamber music!

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Program Dates 21 September 2024 - 29 September 2024 Goulburn, NSW

Stepping outside the worlds of orchestral company, each musician has a greater musical responsibility and agency within the chamber ensemble. The connection with the audience is more intimate and immediate and the ability to respond, listen and co-create in the moment is a powerful learning experience for our musicians. In 2024, AYO is delighted to welcome back esteemed mentors The Orava Quartet which has been hailed by Limelight magazine as “the most exciting young quartet on the block” and predicted by The Australian to become “one of Australia’s proudest cultural exports.”

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

Pure Energy

Young Symphonists A launching pad for prodigious teenaged artists, Young Symphonists is where canonic works are reawakened with fresh, sometimes raw, energy.

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Program Dates 28 September 2024 - 6 October 2024 Canberra, ACT

With dynamic young conductor Carlo Antonioli at the helm, promising young musicians from around the country tackle challenging repertoire during an exciting and rigorous rehearsal program. We welcome you to be a part of the performance at the triumphant conclusion.

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Fresh Beats & Brillance

Momentum Ensemble & Claire Edwardes OAM Internationally acclaimed percussionist and champion of female representation in music, Claire Edwardes takes the wheel on a thrilling trip through modern classical.

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Photo Lisa Maree Williams

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Featuring 'living’ works by leading Australian artists Mary Finsterer, Brenda Gifford and Ross Edwards with a world premiere by Alice Chance, this ride will be electric. AYO's leading lights will also perform South Catalina by Chris Cerrone and Lost & Found by Molly Joyce. Following a career-altering car accident, this graduate of Juilliard, Yale and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague employs her disability as a source of creativity with powerful results and has been deemed one of the “most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome” by The Washington Post. Curious? Then climb aboard.

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Concert Dates Sunday 17 November 2024 McClelland Gallery, Langwarrin, VIC

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Meet Our Guest Artists Christoph ALTSTAEDT

Carlo ANTONIOLI

Alexandre BLOCH

Christoph Altstaedt made a superb debut at Vienna State Opera last season, conducting a staged production of Haydn’s The Seasons alongside choreography by Martin Schläpfer. Recent highlights elsewhere include City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Cologne Opera where he conducted a couple performances of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, and Vienna Volksoper where he made a successful debut in Brahms’ A German Requiem in 2021/22 and returns this season to conduct The Moon Wears a White Shirt. Plans for 2023/24 and beyond include Antwerp Symphony, Australian Youth Orchestra in Sydney and Adelaide, Dortmund Philharmonic, Ulster Orchestra, Janáček Philharmonic, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, Krakow Philharmonic, amongst others.

Carlo Antonioli is one of Australia’s most promising young conductors, and currently serves as the Cybec Assistant Conductor Fellow to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

French-born Alexandre Bloch is Music Director of Orchestre National de Lille, a position he has held since 2016/17. Highlights of Alexandre’s final season as Music Director in Lille include a full Sibelius symphony cycle, concert performances of George Benjamin’s Written on Skin and collaborations with internationally acclaimed soloists including Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Alice Sara Ott. He will conclude his tenure with a performance in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. From 2015 – 2021, Alexandre was also Principal Guest Conductor of Düsseldorfer Symphoniker.

This year having again been selected to participate in the highly prestigious Australian Conductor’s Academy, in addition to his on-going relationship with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Carlo will return to all of the Australian symphony orchestras and Orchestra Victoria. He will also conduct the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Stonnington Symphony and return to the Tasmanian Symphony for a series of family concerts. A recipient of the Alan Bellhouse Memorial Award for Conducting and the Ada Thompson Prize for Postgraduate Students, Carlo completed a Master of Music Studies (Conducting) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2017 and a Bachelor of Music (Performance) with First Class Honours in 2015. Concurrent with his studies, he was a participant in the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program in 20152016, working with the Tasmanian, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras and the Opera Australia Orchestra. In 2018, he was one of eleven conductors selected for the inaugural Australian Conducting Academy with the TSO.

Highlights of the 23/24 season includes debuts with City of Birmingham Symphony, Deutsche Oper Berlin, European Union Youth Orchestra, George Enescu International Festival, Rotterdam Philharmonic & Hamburger Philharmoniker. He returns to Israel Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Dusseldorfer Symphoniker and Dresdner Philharmonie, with whom he enjoys a regular relationship. Last season saw his return to Opera de Lyon with Le Nozze di Figaro, and next season he returns to Bayerische Staatsoper to conduct Carmen. Alexandre works with a wide range of soloists including Nemanja Radulovic, Boris Giltburg, Alice-Sara Ott, Isabelle Faust, Pierre-Laurent Aimard & Alexander Gavrylyuk.

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Nicholas CARTER

Molly COLLIER-O’BOYLE

Rachelle DURKIN

Nicholas Carter, acclaimed for his recent conducting of Brett Dean's Hamlet and Britten's Peter Grimes at the Metropolitan Opera, stands as a prominent opera conductor among the younger generation.

Molly Collier-O’Boyle, known as Molly Cob, is a Meanjin/Brisbane native now based in Naarm/ Melbourne. A viola virtuoso and Queensland Conservatorium of Music graduate, she explored curatorial processes and collaboration in new works during her Master of Music Research at the Australian National Academy of Music and Griffith University. Molly's career boasts roles with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Australian World Orchestra, and as Principal Viola of the Australian Youth Orchestra. In 2021, she pivoted between roles at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Rathdowne Quartet, and was a Freedman Classical Fellowship finalist. In 2022, Molly expanded her roles, including Acting Associate Principal Viola with the MSO and Guest Principal Viola with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Currently, she's immersed in her solo project "Elva," combining viola and voice in a genre-blending exploration. Molly enjoys swimming, reading, arts & crafts, and sharing moments with family and friends.

Australian/American soprano Rachelle Durkin became an established solo artist at The Metropolitan Opera New York singing principal roles there for many years - most notably Norina in Don Pasquale (recorded live for Sirius Radio), Lisa in La sonnambula, Clorinda in Cenerentola, Miss Schlesen in Phillip Glass' Satyagraha, Frasquita in Carmen, Masha in Pique Dame, First Flower Maiden in Parsifal and Young Girl in Moses und Aron.

Currently serving as Chief Conductor and Co-Operndirektor of Bühnen Bern since 2021, Carter has held key roles at Staatsoper Hamburg, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, and the Kärntner Sinfonieorchester. Highlights of Carter’s 2023/24 season include Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at Bühnen Bern and Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles at both the Oper Zürich and the Oper Köln, and his debut at Staatsoper Stuttgart with Rheingold. Carter's extensive operatic repertoire spans Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Strauss, and contemporary composers such as Brett Dean, with whom he has a close artistic relationship. He served as Principal Conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2019 and has since been in international demand in the symphonic field. As a guest conductor, he has appeared with major orchestras worldwide, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Métropolitain, Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, the Dallas and Oregon Symphony Orchestras, Orchestre National de Lille, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Bochumer Symphoniker, Seoul Philharmonic and Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Most recently, she sang Violetta in La traviata for Victory Hall Opera, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni for Pittsburgh Opera and the title role in Tosca for Opera Queensland. 2021/2022 engagements included Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Governess (The Turn of the Screw) in Adelaide, Morgana (Alcina) in Canberra and Musetta (La bohème) in Perth; in 2023, she returned to Opera Australia as Mrs Schlesen, to Perth as Musetta and was soloist with the Sydney, Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. Other highlights have included Romance at the Met - Opera’s Most Romantic Moments, soprano soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with Detroit Symphony Orchestra (c: Leonard Slatkin) and West Australian Symphony Orchestra (c: Asher Fisch) and Gala Concerts with Placido Domingo, Bryn Terfel and José Carreras.

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Meet Our Guest Artists Slava GRIGORYAN

Jack LIEBECK

Belinda MCFARLANE

Regarded as a wizard of the guitar, Slava has forged a prolific reputation as a classical guitar virtuoso. Collaborations have played a huge part in Grigoryan’s career, most notable of these are in the trio with legendary USA guitarist Ralph Towner and Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel and the duo with brother Leonard Grigoryan. He has received 4 ARIA awards and an incredible 24 ARIA Award nominations. His international touring schedule has seen him perform throughout Europe, Asia, and the USA, as well as more exotic performances in Brazil, South Africa, India and the Middle East. Slava is the Artistic Director of the Adelaide Guitar Festival, a position he has held since 2010.

British/German violinist, director and festival director Jack Liebeck possesses “flawless technical mastery” and a “beguiling silvery tone” (BBC Music Magazine). Jack is the Royal Academy of Music’s first Émile Sauret Professor of Violin and Artistic Director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Jack’s playing embraces the worlds of elegant chamber-chic Mozart through to the impassioned mastery required to frame Brett Dean The Lost Art of Letter Writing and he has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, conductors and chamber musicians.

Belinda graduated from the Elder Conservatorium, Adelaide University with First Class Honours. As Leader of the Australian Youth Orchestra, she toured Europe, culminating in a BBC Proms concert – she liked it so much she stayed! Continuing her studies in London with Emanuel Hurwitz and Carmel Kaine, Belinda went on to become a member of the London Symphony Orchestra. As well as a member of the violin section she is a dedicated member of the LSO’s Discovery team, involved with creative music making, workshops, coaching, mentoring and teaching - most significantly as lead mentor and tutor for the Take A Bow programme, training string players of all abilities to perform onstage with the LSO in London and Paris, and the LSO’s On Track programme which involved training an orchestra of East London school children to perform alongside the LSO at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. More recently she has been involved with the creation of the LSO’s East London Academy – a programme aimed at fostering a connection with and creating opportunities for young musicians from underrepresented backgrounds in music higher education and the profession. She also sits on the orchestra’s Discovery Advisory Committee.

Upcoming highlights include a tour of Australia with VOCES8 including performances at Sydney Opera House and with Queensland Symphony Orchestra performing a new arrangement of Lark Ascending and Christopher Tin The Lost Birds; his debut with Spokane Symphony performing Marianelli Voyager; return performances with Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Savannah Chamber Music Festival, Franz Liszt Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra, Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, Wigmore Hall with Jack’s ensemble Salica Piano Trio; debuts at La Jolla Festival and a new project with the Australian Youth Orchestra. Jack plays the ‘Ex-Wilhelmj’ J.B. Guadagnini dated 1785 and is generously loaned a Joseph Henry bow by Kathron Sturrock in the memory of her late husband Professor David Bennett.

As member of the fiorini piano trio, Belinda has performed throughout Europe, with further tours to Zimbabwe and Australia. Founder artists of the Aujols Festival, France, fiorini are very active in teaching and workshops – giving the first classical music workshop in Harare township Chitungwiza. Belinda returns regularly to Australia to direct, mentor and tutor for the Australian Youth Orchestra programmes, as an animateur for the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and as a player and Education Advisor for the Australian World Orchestra.

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Orava Quartet

Sophie ROWELL

Oliver SHERMACHER

The Orava Quartet has been hailed by Limelight magazine as “the most exciting young quartet on the block” and predicted by The Australian to become “one of Australia’s proudest cultural exports.” Earning a reputation for thrilling performances, brothers Daniel and Karol Kowalik (violin and cello), violinist David Dalseno and violist Thomas Chawner together bring their unique sound and breathtaking intensity to the classics and less-known jewels of the string quartet repertoire. Orava Quartet also performs new works by contemporary Australian composers including Elena KatsChernin, Paul Dean, Ross Edwards and more. Orava Quartet has toured to North America, Asia, the UAE and New Zealand, undertaking an early residency with the Takács Quartet in the USA and winning top prizes at the 2013 Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition. Since returning to Australia, the Oravas continue in their ninth year as Quartetin-Residence with Camerata – Queensland’s chamber orchestra, and perform at venues and festivals around Australia, with a return tour to Canada in 2023. Following their widely acclaimed debut recording for UMA/Deutsche Grammophon for its first Australian recording in 2018, the Quartet’s second album, Orawa, is scheduled for August release. Orava Quartet proudly plays on Larsen Strings.

Recently appointed as the Artistic Director of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, violinist Sophie Rowell has had an extensive performing career as a soloist, chamber musician and principal orchestral violinist both in Australia and abroad most recently as the co-concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra,

Australian born clarinettist Oliver Shermacher completed his Bachelors at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Francesco Celata, and his Masters at the Freiburg Hochschule für Musik with Kilian Herold and Anton Hollich. He is currently living between Germany and Australia, performing as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral clarinettist.

After winning the ABC Young Performer’s Award in 2000, Sophie founded the Tankstream Quartet which won string quartet competitions in Cremona and Osaka. Having studied in Germany with the Alban Berg Quartet the quartet moved back to Australia in 2006 when they were appointed as the Australian String Quartet. During the six seasons of their tenure, the ASQ performed and recorded at chamber music festivals all over the world. Sophie has played in principal violin positions with orchestras including the Scottish and Mahler Chamber Orchestras, and the Vancouver, Sydney, Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Sophie studied with Beryl Kimber in her hometown of Adelaide, then with Alice Waten in Sydney. She is the Head of Chamber Music (Strings) at the Australian National Academy of Music.

He was recently awarded the highly prestigious recognition of the 1st Prize and Audience Choice at the 2022 Aeolus Competition in Düsseldorf, one of the world’s most significant competitions for wind instrumentalists. Oliver won the Freedman Fellowship in 2018 and reached the Grand Finals of the 2018 ABC Young Performers Award, also receiving the Audience Choice award. Oliver has performed as soloist with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Apex Ensemble and was the Artist in Residence with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra for their 2021/2022 Season, having premiered the Alice Chance Clarinet Concerto with the orchestra in 2022. Oliver has played as Principal Clarinet with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia Orchestra, Freiburg Philharmonisches Orchester and with the Australian World Orchestra on Bass Clarinet, as well as guest clarinettist with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble Offspring. Oliver is a passionate composer, theatre maker and new music enthusiast with a focus on the intersection between theatre and solo performance.

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Meet Our Guest Artists Toby THATCHER

Satu VÄNSKÄ

Toby Thatcher is an Australian/British conductor. He is Artistic Director of digital contemporary sonicarts startup Zeitgeist, founder & Artistic Director of the 19th-century-specialist performance ensemble the Nineteenth Circle & Assistant Conductor to the Orchestre national d’Île-de-France. In the 2023-24 season he will debut with Orchestre National d’Île-deFrance, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Ensemble Synaesthesis, the Kodály Philharmonia Debrecen, and the Southbank Sinfonia, and will return to Ensemble Modern, the Slovenian Philharmonic and the Australian Youth Orchestra. He will also be a Guest Assistant Conductor to the Orchestre National de Lyon.

Finnish-born Satu Vänskä, Principal Violinist of the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) for two decades, has garnered international acclaim for her versatile artistry. Recognized as one of the world's premier chamber orchestras, the ACO under Satu's leadership has delivered transformative musical experiences globally. Beyond her orchestral role, Satu has embraced solo projects, performing with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, at the Sydney Opera House, and as part of Mona Foma festival. She has collaborated with London's Aurora Orchestra and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, showcasing her dynamic programming and genre-blurring collaborations. Satu is also the Founder and Curator of Satu in the Beyond, an electro-infused group, featuring collaborations with artists like Jim Moginie and Brian Ritchie. Trained at the Lahti Conservatorium, Sibelius Academy, and Hochschule für Musik in Munich, Satu continues to captivate audiences with her passion for evolving as a musician. She performs on the 1726 Belgiorno Stradivarius Violin.

Between 2018-19, Toby was mentored by Hungarian composer/conductor Peter Eötvös. He has been a prize-winner & finalist at five international competitions, including the Georg Solti International Conducting Competition with the hrSinfonie Orchester Frankfurt, the Princess Astrid Competition with the Trondheim Symfoniorkester, and the International Competition of Young Conductors Lovro von Matačić with the Croatian Radio Orchestra. He has been the Assistant Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra & Orchestre National de France, and Guest Assistant Conductor to the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Toby has worked with ensembles internationally including Orchestre National de France, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Ensemble Modern, Slovenian Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Panon Philharmonic, Auckland Philharmonia, Queensland Symphony Orchestra & Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Toby graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with an MA in Music Performance where he studied oboe. As an orchestral musician he performed with the London Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, & London Sinfonietta. Toby has been invited as guest speaker by the Royal Academy of Music, University of the Arts London & the British Association of Romantic Studies. He has appeared multiple times on BBC Radio 3, & provided programme research for the BBC Proms.

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Ariel ZUCKERMANN

Ed LE BROCQ

Ariel Zuckermann, a conductor known for his musical innovation and exploration of artistic boundaries, showcases a profound understanding of diverse repertoires across musical periods. Since 2015, he has been the music director of the esteemed Israel Chamber Orchestra, actively shaping and influencing the Israeli music scene and cultural policy. Additionally, he serves as the principal conductor of the Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt, reappointed in 2020 after holding the position until 2013. Zuckermann collaborates regularly with the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, drawing orchestras, soloists, and audiences with his high technical and musical standards, creativity, and human touch. His extensive conducting career includes performances with renowned orchestras worldwide, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Formerly a flautist, Zuckermann's versatile background includes international acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician, and member of the Swiss Klezmer band Kolsimcha. He initially studied flute in Munich and pursued conducting studies with Jorma Panula in Stockholm and Bruno Weil in Munich, earning his diploma in May 2004.

Ed Le Brocq is a musical adventurer, teacher, writer, broadcaster and transgender man. He was born on the White Cliffs of Dover and began playing music when he was six years old. He studied viola in Manchester, Berlin and London, and played professionally in the UK and Hong Kong. After a decade of performances throughout Asia, including for the Hong Kong Handover in 1997, Ed decided on a new path, literally, and travelled by bicycle from England to Hong Kong, with only a violin for company. The journey took him a year and went through Europe, Iran, Pakistan, India and China. The trip was eventually chronicled in Cadence, Ed’s first book and a national bestseller.

After immigrating to Australia in 2003, and after a character-building year scrubbing dishes in St Kilda, Ed eventually began broadcasting with ABC Classic FM. He spent many years hosting the cult hit breakfast programme and doing things like cycling to the source of the Ganges in his spare time.

After more than a decade in the ABC studios, Ed decided he needed to get out and about again and applied for a job teaching cello to street children and orphans at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul. Eddie’s second book Danger Music is about this turbulent, life-changing year, where he survived the threat of bombs, kidnappings, beginner string players and hormone-charged teenagers. It was during this year that Ed finally accepted the man within and began his transition from female to male. Emma became Ed just before his fiftieth birthday. Better late than never. Ed’s fourth book: Whole Notes – Life Lessons in Music, was released in October 2021.

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AYO Music Mentoring

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Music Mentoring (the National Music Teacher Mentoring Program) exists to create opportunities for every child to access quality music education in the classroom across remote, regional, and metropolitan Australia.

Contact Your Local Coordinator

Photo Claudio Raschella

It is a foundational music education program that upskills classroom teachers through a scalable and sustainable approach to mentoring. The program adopts a collaborative selfdevelopment approach to mentoring, pairing an experienced music teacher with a teacher less experienced in the teaching of music. We are seeking music education specialists from across metropolitan, regional and rural Australia, to join our national collective of Mentors, and advocate for quality music education. We look forward to hearing from you!

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AYO Begins With You

The Australian Youth Orchestra has been at the forefront of orchestral training and teaching for 76 years. Since 1948, our successes have been made possible by the generosity, support, and spirit of our community.

You power our future; and our music sounds better with you.

As we look to the future, it is this spirit of generosity that will ensure we can continue engaging the finest conductors and tutors. Your support will equip us with the tools to continue our transformative work for the next 76 years, and beyond.

To make a gift to AYO or find out other ways you can support our work, contact the AYO Development Team.

Donate Today

From our humble beginnings to today’s national youth representative symphony orchestra, AYO has ignited the imagination of thousands of talented, young Australians and has been devoted to providing exceptional opportunities for the next generation.

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Summer Concert Series

Momentum Ensemble

Autumn Season Winter Season Young Symphonists Chamber Players

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ELDER HALL, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE / TARNDANYA

Saturday 13 January 2024 Orchestral Concert I, 3:30pm Orchestral Concert II, 7pm Thursday 18 January 2024 Chamber Music Concert, 7pm

PIER 2/3, WALSH BAY / TAR-RA, TULLAGALLA * Saturday 10 February 2024

MPAVILLION, QUEEN VICTORIA GARDENS, MELBOURNE / NAARM Saturday 2 March 2024

THE GLASSHOUSE, PORT MACQUARIE / GARIGAL, GURUK

CELLBLOCK THEATRE, SYDNEY / GADIGAL

Friday 16 February 2024

Friday 19 April 2024

Friday 19 January 2024 New Creations Concert, 6pm Percussion & Brass Concert, 7:30pm Saturday 20 January 2024 Orchestral Concert III, 3:30pm Orchestral Concert IV, 7pm

UKARIA, MT BARKER / BUKATILA Sunday 21 April 2024

THE AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL OF CHAMBER MUSIC – TOWNSVILLE/ GURAMBILBARRA ** 31 July – 2 August 2024

THE ELEVENTH HOUR, MELBOURNE / NAARM

MCCLELLAND GALLERY, LANGWARRIN / NAARM

Friday 1 March 2024

Sunday 17 November 2024

FEDERATION CONCERT HALL, HOBART / NIPALUNA Saturday 6 April 2024

COSTA HALL, GEELONG / DJILANG

HAMER HALL, MELBOURNE / NAARM

Saturday 13 July 2024

Sunday 14 July 2024

CANBERRA / NGAMBRI Sunday 6 October 2024

GOULBURN / GANDANGARA LAND Saturday 28 September 2024 * Private Event ** Part of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music program. Dates subject to changes

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Thank You The Australian Youth Orchesta gratefully acknowledges the support of all who enable us to discover, train and inspire the next generation of Australian musicians. In addition to those listed below, we also thank those generous individuals who choose to remain anonymous.

VISIONARY Naomi Milgrom AC Colonial Foundation MM Electrical Merchandising IMPRESARIO Eric & Elizabeth Gross Foundation Simon Johnson & David Nichols Graeme Wood Foundation Thyne Reid Foundation Robert Salzer Foundation VIRTUOSO Bowness Family Foundation Cass & Ian George Professor Patricia* & Professor Philip* Pollett Serpentine Foundation Patricia H. Reid Endowment Serpentine Foundation MAESTRO Besen Family Foundation Jessica Block Rod Cameron Cybec Foundation John* & Irene Garran James N. Kirby Foundation Cameron Williams LEADER Day Family Foundation Marcus & Jodie Elsum Daniel Gauchat AM & Helen Gauchat Alex King* The Kim Mooney Gift Paul Morton Jacqueline Park Ben Rimmer* Sirius Foundation Gail Spira Igor Zambelli

THE JOHN BISHOP CIRCLE Glenys Abrahams* Patrick* & Lyn* Brislan Anna Gauchat Faye Goldsmith* Virginia Gordon Jan Gracie Mulcahy* & Laurence Mulcahy Estate Dr Janet Morlet Hardie* Harold Levien Dr Dennis Mather Professor Patricia* & Professor Philip* Pollett ASSOCIATE Alexandra Forbes, in memory of John Rimmer Dr John Vallentine Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey TUTTI Antoinette Albert William Barnard & Maureen Everson-Barnard Sally Basser The Bigalla Family Lachlan Bramble* Andrew & Robina Brookes Professor Jack Clegg & Jennifer Laird Alan & Jillian Cobb Carol & Andrew Crawford Professor Kwong Lee Dow AO* David Elsum Deborah Evans The Farrands Family Erin Flaherty & David Maloney AM Linda Fox Nancy Fox AM & Bruce Arnold Malcolm Giellies & David Pear Christina Green & Maurice Green AM Dr Des Griffin AM & Dr Janette Griffin Kimbali Harding Professor Scott Harrison Hearts in Harmony Community Music The late Stephanie Hicks Dr Cherrell Hirst AO

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Dr David & Sarah Howell Ian Hutchinson Christine Kenworthy The Koumoukelis Family The Hon. Justice Francois Kunc Jenny Legoe & The Hon Christopher Legoe AO KC Siobhan Lenihan Harold Levien MEM Loton OAM The Hon Dr Andrew Lu AM & Professor Geoffrey Lancaster AO Kerrie Ma Simon & Leonie Marks Dr Dennis Mather & John Studdert Ron Ogden, Lynn Pavey & Marcus Ogden Dene Olding AM & Irina Morozova Dr Felicite Ross Penelope Seidler AM Lynne Sherwood & the late Tim Sherwood Phillip Splitter Vivienne Stewart Mark Wakely Cath Ward Dr Penelope Weir Randal Williams Ray Wilson OAM Edward Wrigley LEGACY GIFTS The late Dr Barry Landa The late Kevin William Lanyon The late Hon Jane Mathews AO The late Bob Maynard The late James Tom Miles McCarthy The late Geoffrey Scharer The late Leonard Spira OAM*

ENDOWMENT FUNDS Ruth Alexander Fund National Music Camp Trust Dorothy Fraser Scholarship Fund Hunt Family Memorial Fund Henry Jacono Memorial Fund Ernest V. Llewellyn Memorial Fund Vera & Lorand Loblay Scholarship Richard Pollett Memorial Prize Peter Seymour Trust Standish Roberts Memorial Scholarship Peter Weiss Scholarship Fund

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Photo Sarah Walker

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Partnerships The Australian Youth Orchesta gratefully acknowledges the support of the Australian Government, as well as the organisations and foundations below, whose generosity allows us to discover, train and inspire the next generation of Australian musicians. The Australian Youth Orchestra is supported by the Australian Government

Major Partners

Program Partners

Concert Season Partners

Hotel Partner

Scholarship Partners

Training Partners

Legal Partners

Broadcast Partners

Acknowledgement current as at January 2024. AYO is a not-for-profit organisation. All donations over $2 are tax deductible under Subdivision 30A of the Income tax Assessment Act 1997. ABN: 42 004 355 739

ayo.com.au

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