Queensland Symphony Orchestra perform Northern Lights and Southern Stars at MECC

Some lucky students may finally get a taste of their big break as they join the state’s most prestigious ensemble on stage for a sold out local crowd.

Sam Weller, QSO Conductor and Glenn Christensen, Associate Concertmaster at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre ahead of their sold out performance on October 30

Mackay’s most promising young talents will rub shoulders with the state’s greats in a rare sold out show bringing classical Australian music to local audiences.

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra will return to the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre for the first time in over a decade performing ‘Northern Lights and Southern Stars’ featuring 53 musicians.

The performance is led under the baton of 27-year-old conductor and maestro Sam Weller who said the idea was to bring a program both well-loved and lesser-known to regional audiences.

Sam Weller, QSO Conductor will be leading the orchestra at just 27-years-old.

“They’ll be performing a selection of orchestral classics and really recognisable music as well as some new Australian music so that audiences can hear where Australian composition is at and what Australian music sounds like,” he said.

“There’s nothing like seeing 60 together on stage for a crowd creating one unified goal.”

Mr Weller said five lucky Mackay students will be joining the star studded line up with the likes of Gladstone-based baritone powerhouse and The Voice finalist Jake Lyle.

Of those students is sixteen-year-old cello student Donald McGregor who first auditioned for the role in August.

Year 11 cello player Donald McGregor from Mackay Christian College preparing with Matthew Kinmont before the Queensland Symphony Orchestra show at the MECC

It’s an opportunity QSO Concertmaster Glenn Christensen dreamed of doing as a young musician in Mackay who was inspired to pursue his dreams of joining the orchestra during their yearly visits to the city as a kid.

“That would have blown my mind as a kid,” he said.

“It’s really important to be able to give them that experience as well. Hopefully that lends them a bit of inspiration and the push that they might need to keep practicing.”

Now, after years of living his passion in Germany and around Australia, he’s facing a full circle moment playing with the very band that inspired his dream to play in an orchestra.

Glenn Christensen, Associate Concertmaster at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre ahead of his sold out performance with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra on October 30.

“It was always my dream to have a job in an orchestra and that was the orchestra I grew up with... and now to be playing in Mackay is awesome,” he said.

“I’m so proud to be apart of the QSO and coming to Mackay but it is a bit nerve wracking coming and playing in front of so many people who I grew up with and who taught me so much.

“I hope I do them proud.”

The QSO used their time in the sugar city to perform two educational concerts for local primary and secondary school students.

“We’re playing a whole bunch of different orchestra music to introduce them to the sounds of the orchestra and how an orchestra works,” Mr Weller said.

“We brought this program to Townsville a couple weeks ago and it was just amazing to hear how enthusiastic the audience was so if we can brighten people this morning or afternoon with a little bit of orchestral music, that’s why we do what we do.”