We were particularly excited to present the Young Mannheim Symphonists for the first time in Queensland in 2021 having had a number of Queensland musicians travel down to Sydney and Melbourne to be part of the youth orchestra since 2017.
At the 2021 QLD Intensive, successful applicants spent four days participating in workshops, tutorials and orchestral rehearsals. The students were mentored and tutored by principal musicians of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra - professional musicians who specialise in historically informed performance on period instruments - some of whom rehearsed and performed alongside them in the orchestra. Their knowledge of musical styles, articulations, and embellishments comes from years of experience performing; reading treatises and studying scores; experimenting with instruments and interpretations; and sharing with their peers and their students. They are passionate about understanding our musical heritage in the context in which it was created, and they are even more passionate about inspiring and enlightening others.
The QLD Intensive culminated in a concert in which the Young Mannheim Symphonists performed the repertoire they had prepared throughout the week. The concert, performed in front of a live audience in the auditorium of St Peters Lutheran College was directed by Rachael Beesley and included works by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. The energy on stage was palpable and the orchestra played with vigour, passion and intensity, bringing the knowledge and insights they had gained from the historically informed workshops and rehearsals to life.
Three musicians from the orchestra introduced the pieces with passion and conviction and the audience was overwhelmed by the level these students achieved in just four days of rehearsals. Attended by leading educators, teachers, friends and families, the young musicians were inspired to perform at their best.
“I enjoyed learning about the little things that make a large difference. I’ve played this style of music before but never in such an engaging and entertaining way.”
“I was brought into a world of investigation, discovery and deduction! The amount of times a “simple” passage would reveal something new under a careful eye were more numerous than I expected! I think the most valuable things I got out of this program was to always use your body, your mind and you in your playing. Your body, for expressing the music in a exciting yet charming way. Your mind, in order to take the facts known and deduct a means of interpreting those facts in your playing and placing YOU in the music you play, and making it YOURS.”