Canberra Youth Orchestra

The Canberra Youth Orchestra (CYO) is a youth orchestra established in 1967 in Canberra, Australia. It mainly comprises musicians aged 15 to 25.

History

The Canberra Youth Orchestra was established in 1967. It traces its origins to 1962 and a small informal gathering of external players with the Braddon Catholic Girls High School Orchestra, with the orchestra conducted by Brigidine nun, Mother Winifred.^[1] The Canberra Youth Orchestra was one of the key ensembles in the Canberra Youth Orchestra Society. The Canberra Youth Orchestra Society became Canberra Youth Music Inc. which was merged with Music for Everyone to form Music for Canberra in 2015.^[2]

The Canberra Youth Orchestra travelled to Aberdeen, Scotland in 1980 to take part in the International Festival of Youth Orchestras.^[3]

In 1985, the CYO was named best symphony orchestra in the International Youth and Music Festival, in Vienna. It had also won the Austrian Radio and Television prize for the best radio performance.^[4]

The CYO performed Sitsky: In Celebration of Larry's 80th Birthday on 31 October 2014 to commemorate its patron's 80th birthday.^[5]

With conductor Leonard Weiss, the CYO re-established a regular subscription season at Llewellyn Hall. As part of the CYO 50th anniversary season in 2017, the orchestra performed with The Idea of North and Australian trumpeter James Morrison.^[6]^[5] In 2018 the orchestra performed with local icon Lucy Sugerman, with Weiss and Sugerman orchestrating her original works.^[7]

In 2021, incoming CYO conductor Louis Sharpe opined that the CYO had fallen on hard times, in part because of upheaval at ANU School of Music. Sharpe intimated his ambition to build the CYO back up to a full strength orchestra of 60-70 players.^[8]

Past conductors

Andrew McCullough^[9]
Richard McIntyre^[10]
Max McBride^[11]
Wilf Jones^[12]
Dominic Harvey^[13]
Shilong Ye^[14]
Leonard Weiss^[15]^[16]
Louis Sharpe^[17]

Patrons

Hazel Hawke (1983-1991)^[18]
Larry Sitsky^[19]

Alumni

David Branson^[20]
Katy Gallagher^[21]
Katherine Gibbney^[22]
Robert Gladstones^[23]
Stephen Leek^[24]
Jennfier Owens^[25]
Bree van Reyk^[26]

Works commissioned by the CYO

My Canberra by Marian Budos^[27]
To Peg Mantle, With Thanks by Bree van Reyk^[28]

World premiers performed by the CYO

My Canberra -Symphony No. 2 by Marian Budos (30 Nov 2013)^[27]
Cognatus: three movements for youth orchestra by Mark Grandison (Nov 2005)^[29]
Nights in Arabia: for viola soloist and orchestra by Katia Tiutiunnik (21 Mar 1999)^[30]
A Canticle of Light by Judith Clingan (1976)^[31]
Figheadaireached by Alexander Hunter (2019)^[32]

References

^ "Canberra Youth Orchestra celebrates 50 years". 6 April 2017.
^ "Review / Raffish repertoire from young orchestra". Canberra CityNews. July 26, 2015.
^ "Statement for the Press". Department of the Capital Territory. 27 July 1980.
^ "Times Past: July 31, 1985". The Canberra Times. July 30, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Review / Youth orchestra plays with living legend". Canberra CityNews. November 12, 2017.
^ Gall, Jennifer (2017-04-10). "Canberra Youth Orchestra at Llewellyn Hall with the Idea of North was impressive". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
^ "Lucy Sugerman performs originals with Canberra Youth Orchestra". HerCanberra. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
^ Bushnell, Ian. "New conductor sees Canberra Youth Orchestra as major player". Riotact.
^ "Orchestral concert : the Cathedral Church of St. Saviour, Goulburn, N.S.W." Trove.
^ "Richard McIntyre". 10 May 2022.
^ "Max McBride | Australian World Orchestra". 20 August 2020.
^ "Canberra Youth Orchestra celebrates 50 years". 6 April 2017.
^ "Nights in Arabia : For viola soloist and orchestra by Katia Tiutiunnik: Work : Australian Music Centre".
^ "Review/Raffish Repertoire from young orchestra". 26 July 2015.
^ "Canberra Youth Orchestra celebrates its 50th birthday". Limelight. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
^ "Canberra's busiest baton on a global swing". Canberra CityNews. 22 May 2023.
^ "Louis Sharpe: Growing up in good company". Limelight. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
^ "Hazel Hawke Expatronages Canberra Youth Orchestra".
^ "Review / Youth orchestra plays with living legend". CBR City News. 12 November 2017.
^ "ACT Heritage Library - David Branson". 10 May 2022.
^ "When your kid gets COVID at school: Katy Gallagher on being prepared". 21 October 2021.
^ "ACT Heritage Library Katherine Gibbney Collection". 1961–1989.
^ "Principal 3rd Horn, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra". 1989.
^ "Stephen Leek, Classical Music Composer".
^ "About Virtuosi Tasmania". 2024.
^ "Celebrating Inspirational Women in Music". 10 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b "My Canberra: Symphony No. 2". Australian Music Centre.
^ "Celebrating Inspirational Women in Music". 10 April 2019.
^ "Cognatus : three movements for youth orchestra".
^ "Nights in Arabia : For viola soloist and orchestra by Katia Tiutiunnik : Work : Australian Music Centre".
^ "A Canticle of light (multiple choirs with ensemble and soloist(s))".
^ "Alexander Hunter Compositions".

External links

Music for Canberra

[1] "Canberra Youth Orchestra celebrates 50 years". 6 April 2017.

[2] "Review / Raffish repertoire from young orchestra". Canberra CityNews. July 26, 2015.

[3] "Statement for the Press". Department of the Capital Territory. 27 July 1980.

[4] "Times Past: July 31, 1985". The Canberra Times. July 30, 2021.

[auto-5] "Review / Youth orchestra plays with living legend". Canberra CityNews. November 12, 2017.

[6] Gall, Jennifer (2017-04-10). "Canberra Youth Orchestra at Llewellyn Hall with the Idea of North was impressive". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2024-06-07.

[7] "Lucy Sugerman performs originals with Canberra Youth Orchestra". HerCanberra. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2024-06-07.

[8] Bushnell, Ian. "New conductor sees Canberra Youth Orchestra as major player". Riotact.

[9] "Orchestral concert : the Cathedral Church of St. Saviour, Goulburn, N.S.W." Trove.

[10] "Richard McIntyre". 10 May 2022.

[11] "Max McBride | Australian World Orchestra". 20 August 2020.

[12] "Canberra Youth Orchestra celebrates 50 years". 6 April 2017.

[13] "Nights in Arabia : For viola soloist and orchestra by Katia Tiutiunnik: Work : Australian Music Centre".

[14] "Review/Raffish Repertoire from young orchestra". 26 July 2015.

[15] "Canberra Youth Orchestra celebrates its 50th birthday". Limelight. Retrieved 24 November 2023.

[16] "Canberra's busiest baton on a global swing". Canberra CityNews. 22 May 2023.

[17] "Louis Sharpe: Growing up in good company". Limelight. Retrieved 24 November 2023.

[18] "Hazel Hawke Expatronages Canberra Youth Orchestra".

[19] "Review / Youth orchestra plays with living legend". CBR City News. 12 November 2017.

[20] "ACT Heritage Library - David Branson". 10 May 2022.

[21] "When your kid gets COVID at school: Katy Gallagher on being prepared". 21 October 2021.

[22] "ACT Heritage Library Katherine Gibbney Collection". 1961–1989.

[23] "Principal 3rd Horn, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra". 1989.

[24] "Stephen Leek, Classical Music Composer".

[25] "About Virtuosi Tasmania". 2024.

[26] "Celebrating Inspirational Women in Music". 10 April 2019.

[AMC-27] "My Canberra: Symphony No. 2". Australian Music Centre.

[Bree_van_Reyk-28] "Celebrating Inspirational Women in Music". 10 April 2019.

[29] "Cognatus : three movements for youth orchestra".

[30] "Nights in Arabia : For viola soloist and orchestra by Katia Tiutiunnik : Work : Australian Music Centre".

[31] "A Canticle of light (multiple choirs with ensemble and soloist(s))".

[32] "Alexander Hunter Compositions".

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