Be part of the first-ever international tour for AYO Symphonists

BY LILY BRYANT

For aspiring Australian classical musicians, it can be easy to feel isolated.

By the mere fact of our geography, we’re far away from the countries in which many of our favourite composers lived and wrote, and where the titans of our art form made history. It is a testament to the passion and talent of our musicians, and those of our neighbouring countries, that we continue to produce world-class artists. In fact, rather than holding us back, this distance opens up opportunities for innovation and connection with those who also call the Asia-Pacific region home — something the Australian Youth Orchestra seeks to celebrate in its landmark new partnership.

The AYO boasts an extensive history of international touring with its flagship ensemble, and 2027 will see the organisation expand that legacy to include the AYO Symphonists as they embark on an international tour to Singapore.

Not only is this a cross-cultural collaboration that celebrates classical music excellence in Asia and Oceania, but it’s an incredible opportunity for the AYO’s younger musicians to showcase their talents internationally, perhaps for the first time.

Building on recent collaborations with Singaporean conductor Chan Tze Law, this international opportunity will open doors for AYO’s younger participants aged 12-17 as they look towards their musical futures. For AYO CEO Kimbali Harding, watching talented young Australians realise where their dreams could take them never gets old.

“There is an ‘aha’ moment where [the young musicians] step out for the first time, for example, on the stage at the Musikverein in Vienna, and there’s this moment of connection with history, with all of the culture, the art form that they’ve been studying, but also connection to a possible future — it’s like a lightbulb literally switches on inside them,” she says.

“And the same thing happens when for the first time, they step on to the Sydney Opera House stage, and I’m going to imagine the same thing when they step onto the stage of the Esplanade [Concert Hall] in Singapore, and I think that’s priceless.”

AYO Symphonists has been a core program for the organisation for over 20 years, offering a precious opportunity for gifted high school students across the country to come together for an intensive program over the April holidays, working closely with experienced tutors, and performing with world-class conductors and soloists. While international exchange is an intrinsic part of the AYO experience, as Kimbali explains, this is the first time the Symphonists will be showcased on the world stage.

“We’re quite proud of the touring history of AYO, but it’s always been about the flagship orchestra — it’s never really been about the Symphonists program, and we thought that the Symphonists have such a high calibre of musicianship that this deserves its own international opportunity to showcase the talent of Australia, and to work with likeminded colleagues in the international community.”

Not only is the AYO expanding its opportunities for younger students, it’s broadening its horizons geographically as well. In a celebration of the wealth of talent in the Asia-Pacific region, AYO participants will be joined by their colleagues from the New Zealand Youth Orchestra, and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.

“We have some natural connections with Singapore because many of our alumni actually work in the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. One of the great things about AYO, because we’re nearly 80 years old, is that a lot of our alumni are now working professionally across the world. So in showcasing the professional pathways and tertiary pathways for our students a bit closer to home, Singapore seemed like a natural next step for Symphonists’ international ambitions,” Kimbali says.

“We thought, rather than looking to Europe and America, which is traditionally, historically where we have done international exchanges, there’s some incredible dynamic musical education and performance opportunities in Asia. Our colleagues in Singapore, our colleagues in Korea, our colleagues in China and Japan are doing amazing things in this space, and we want to share, learn, collaborate a bit closer to home, and really celebrate our geographical location in the world.”

Along with internationally acclaimed conductor Christoph Altstaedt, the enduring success of AYO will be on display, with camp performances to feature soloist Pei-Sian Ng, Principal Cello of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and AYO alumnus. Another previous AYO participant, composer Abigail Lui, will have her work Aerial Dances performed.

“I’m a really firm believer of ‘you have to see it to be it’, so who we put on the podium, the repertoire that we program, where we perform, the environment that we perform in, the environment that we learn in, says so much,” Kimbali says.

But this initiative promises to provide more than merely a glimpse into potential pathways to musical success; it cultivates connections, a process that, for Kimbali, is particularly special to witness.

“There’s something really magical about seeing them at the beginning of the project as individuals, and then through the course of this intensive program become this cohesive unit,” she says.

“They can be a part of something that is bigger than themselves, and they’re connecting with their international colleagues creating understandings, empathy, multiple perspectives, and that fosters an international empathy that we need more and more of in today’s community. So that’s what we want of our young leaders — I think we can all agree on that.”