With funding from the NSW Government's Local Small Commitments Allocation Program, LCYO created the Play Together project. The aims of this project were to help young musicians develop strength, resilience and team-work skills as they rehearse together and to feel a sense of achievement and exhilaration as they deliver a final performance as members of a large symphony orchestra. Young musicians were invited to participate, top tutors were engaged to assist, and Adrian Hallam was commissioned to write an uplifting new work to feature as the highlight in the final concert event.
Adrian created Impending Joy to convey the challenge faced by students during COVID restrictions and lockdowns and the expectation of relief and joy when students could again collaborate and music could be played!
REHEARSALS
Thirty-five keen players signed up to our Play Together project making a combined orchestra over eighty players! With assistance from tutors, all players worked carefully on the concert repertoire. Excitement grew as students realised what a mighty sound a large symphony orchestra can make. At the end of the first rehearsal, Impending Joy was taking shape, but more work needed to be done in the following weeks to create the required mood of joy and triumph.
CONCERT
LCYO played to a packed audience at Riverside Girls High School Hall on Monday 9 December 2024. There was a late rush for tickets at the door requiring the hasty set up of extra chairs and causing us to run out of programs.
The concert began with LCYO and Artistic Director & Musical Director Mark Brown, performing Troika by Prokofieff and Finlandia by Sibelius This was followed the Bacchanale by Saint-Saens directed by skilled Scholar Conductor Teppei Usami.
We were then honoured to have Riverside Girls High School Senior Orchestra with conductor, Alan Ho take part in our concert. They entertained us with Highlights from the Greatest Showman by Michael Brown and Here Comes Santa Claus by Paul Murtha.
In the final bracket of the concert, we were joined by our wonderful Play Together guests to play some Christmas favourites and the concert highlight, Impending Joy.
The performance was a resounding success with Impending Joy the clear favourite. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Adrian Hallam to bring Impending Joy to life and we extend our heartfelt thanks.
