Ballina, Bellingen, Lennox Head, Murwillumbah students among northern NSW kids in spotlight at Sydney’s Festival of Choral Music
Young Mid and North Coast NSW musical prodigies have wowed crowds with dazzling performances at the iconic Sydney Opera House. Here’s what happened.
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Young Mid and North Coast NSW musical prodigies from schools across the region have wowed crowds with dazzling performances at the iconic Sydney Opera House.
The musicians took part in this month’s annual Festival of Choral Music, which hosted 700 students from across the state
Students who performed at the Department of Education arts unit event came to Sydney from schools including Bellingen Public School, Bellingen High School, Lennox Head Public School, Murwillumbah Public School and Southern Cross Primary School at Ballina.
The musicians took part from August 12-16 after successful auditions to enter the Australis Concert Combined Choir, the Barangaroo Concert Combined Choir and the state Wind Ensemble.
Bellingen High School performed Old Reinlender from Sonndala – Danish String Quartet as part of their String Orchestra ensemble.
The group wowed an audience of more than 2000 people and received a standing ovation, according to conductor and head teacher Annie Phelan.
She described the performance as “nothing short of spectacular” and said the students played “without music and perfectly in sync.
“ … they truly brought the piece to life,” Ms Phelan said.
The Sydney festival hosted the NSW Public Schools Senior and Junior Wind Bands, Festival Orchestra, Sinfonia, Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Stage Band and the NSW Public Schools State Choir, Singers and Junior Singers.
Southern Cross Primary bandmaster Fiona Clarke likened music in schools to school sport
Musicians audition, compete at district and zone levels and then at a state level, while the North Coast Creative Arts Camp is held for promising young musicians each year.
“A lot of people don’t realise we actually have to audition our choirs and be successful enough each year to get in,” Ms Clarke said.
“So we have to maintain that standard.”
Lennox Head Public percussionist Xavier Draxl and Southern Cross Public saxophonist Max McCann were are two North Coast musicians who made the cut.
The year 6 pair auditioned in late November and were accepted into the State Wind Ensemble.
The boys regularly perform locally as part of a Southern Cross, Lennox Head, and Teven-Tintenbar combined schools program that has been running for 23 years.
“Some of our kids, like Xavier and Max that are good enough also play in the senior band,” Ms Clarke said.
Max’s mother Dani McCann told this publication the boys described the Opera House as “amazing” and said they “learnt so much”.
“They both said it was heaps of fun to meet and work with kids from across NSW,“ she said.
“They had two days of rehearsals – Monday and Tuesday at the Arts Unit – before the performances at the Opera House on the Wednesday and Thursday.
“It was quite daunting for them to start with – Max was quite unsure at first, but it was the opportunity of a lifetime – and they are hopeful they can do it again next year.”
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