MYO Summer School a musical treat for our students!
To start my year off in the most musical way possible, I, along with Tintern students Charlotte Menagh, Siobhan Muirhead, Josh Choong and Zoe Forbes, attended the 2018 Summer School run by the Melbourne Youth Orchestras.
Charlotte and I were in the Symphonic Wind Band on clarinet and flute respectively. Siobhan was in the Philharmonic Orchestra on oboe, Josh in the Symphony Orchestra on viola and Zoe in the Concert Band on flute. Running from Monday 8 to Friday 12 January, the Summer School involved intensive daily rehearsals at the Southbank campus of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in our respective ensembles, in preparation for a performance on Saturday 13 January. The rehearsals were rigorous, and demanded extreme concentration and stamina, but were kept light-hearted by our amazing conductor Steve Williams (who has conducted most of the orchestras for Symphony Services International and has taken Australian orchestras, symphonic bands and jazz ensembles on international tours).
Over the first couple of days we cycled rapidly through a wide variety of technically and stylistically demanding pieces. All were enjoyable and offered multiple opportunities for soloists as well as bringing up challenges involved with working in a large group. Both the ensemble and smaller tutor group sessions were enriched with numerous learning opportunities involving intonation, breathing, phrasing, and balance. Ultimately, we voted on performing Praise Jerusalem, composed by Alfred Reed, a mammoth piece which explores wide contrasts in dynamics and texture. The concert gave us the incredible opportunity to perform in the beautiful Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, the star of the Recital Centre, and proved the perfect stage from which to showcase talent and recognise the hard work everyone had dedicated to the ensemble over the week.
I hope to return next year as, along with valuable strategies to improve my individual and group musical work, I’ll be taking away many memories made with both old and new friends.
by Holly Fryer, Instrumental Music Captain 2018