Western Sydney Youth Orchestra performs inaugural concert in Parramatta
The new Western Sydney Youth Orchestra will perform its inaugural concert at Parramatta on Sunday.
Parramatta
Don't miss out on the headlines from Parramatta . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Parramatta has just got its very own classical musicians in the shape of the Western Sydney Youth Orchestra — and one of the reasons for the move is to bring opportunities out west to budding music makers.
The Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO) has teamed up with Riverside Theatres to bring together the best young musicians from across western Sydney to rehearse each week and then perform together in a series of concerts throughout the year.
“Young western Sydney musicians might have been dissuaded from auditioning for SYO because of the distance, so we have decided to bring an orchestra to them,” SYO chief executive Yarmila Alfonzetti said.
“We have people coming to SYO from far and wide, and we are excited about recognising talent everywhere.”
Led by music educator and conductor James Pensini, the classical orchestra will focus on the works of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.
Mr Pensini rose through the ranks of the SYO family himself on trumpet and is now head of brass, woodwind and percussion and head of bands at St Aloysius’ College in Mosman, as well as conducting the SYO’s Symphonic Wind Orchestra.
Ms Alfonzetti says with almost a quarter of the state’s young people living in western Sydney, WSYO will encourage musicians who might not be able to make it into Sydney’s CBD for rehearsals once a week.
“We have 15-year-old boys hanging around after rehearsals discussing their favourite Mahler symphony or Strauss tone poem,” Ms Alfonzetti said.
“The WSYO will be part of the SYO family, they will have the same opportunities and educational experiences as the other senior orchestras in SYO.
“We aren’t delivering a lesser product to Western Sydney — we believe that what we offer can inspire and change lives, and everyone deserves that. This is SYO core business.”
SYO began in 1973 with a single orchestra, but in 2017 they will provide weekly orchestral training for musicians aged six-25 across 12 ensembles.
The first WSYO performance is at 2pm on Sunday at Riverside Theatres.
‘Give them a reason to come back’: Parra food scene flourishes
A Parramatta mainstay finds a new home, bottomless high tea flows at a hotel and dumplings are on offer at a Middle Eastern debutant. Find out the latest on Parramatta’s flourishing food scene with Parra on a Plate.
U18s Brewer Shield: New faces shine in Team of the Week
A five-wicket haul topped numerous dazzling efforts with the ball, while several guns carried their team with the bat. Round 12 Brewer Shield Team of the Week.