Extract from ABC News
Your postcode shouldn't impact your ability to follow your passion.
But for aspiring classical musicians living in Southwest Sydney, the drive to access conservatoriums in Sydney's CBD, Wollongong or Penrith, can be a prohibitive one.
The Southwest Sydney Orchestras (SWSO) set out to fix this problem.
Powered by a team of mums, the SWSO supports people from diverse backgrounds and different abilities to keep live music in this community local and accessible to everyone.
A true community orchestra
The SWSO began as a youth ensemble in 1987, when Pam Oxenham, a string teacher in Campbelltown, saw the need for musicians in Sydney's outer suburbs to be able to access high level music programs.
But by the 2010s, the youth orchestra's membership was dwindling despite more young families moving to the area.
The organisation decided to make "a true community orchestra", explains Jennifer Beh, the president of the SWSO.
Catering to the needs of the local community led to the creation of intergenerational ensembles, with members' ages ranging from six to 80 years old.
But the orchestras still have a mission to introduce music to young people in the area, including the culturally and linguistically diverse young people who live in Southwest Sydney.
"We have 19 different cultures among our 76 members of the orchestras," Ms Beh says.
"We play music from these diverse cultures in our concerts to show the breadth of possibilities in music and respect for all those cultures."
The mums making a musical difference
When cellist Emily Johnson moved from England to Southwest Sydney in 2016, she was struck by the lack of musical opportunities in her new home.
Growing up, Ms Johnson honed her cello skills in school orchestras as well as national programs for children and young people.
"Here in Southwest Sydney, there's just no resources … there's no performing venues and I don't feel like we can [count] on the support from the [local] council," Ms Johnson says.
So she took action and got behind the SWSO, along with other local parents, mainly mums.
"I want to create the same opportunities for my children that I had growing up," she says.
Volunteer parents raise funds to subsidise lesson fees, so the SWSO can run music lessons at affordable prices.
The funds also go towards putting on several concerts a year.
While her children play with the orchestras, Ms Johnson teaches cello and helps to conduct rehearsals.
Mums like her help out "around our jobs and our small children," Ms Johnson says.
Ms Beh, whose daughters also play in the orchestras, says the SWSO's music is all about connection.
"To connect, you need to perform in front of those audiences. But these performance opportunities haven't been available locally until we decided to do something about it."
That's what kept her motivated even though she felt sometimes "the orchestras run on the smell of an oily rag."
Making music as a family
When Jade Tan brought her children to one of the orchestras' Kids Cushion concerts, where kids can meet musicians and learn about their instruments, it was the children's first interaction with live music.
And they haven't looked back since.
Ms Tan's son and daughter have now begun playing the violin and both children have gained skills and confidence to move through the orchestras' ranks.
Ms Tan later decided to join her children in taking up a musical instrument, learning the cello from Ms Johnson.
She now not only experiencing music's power to connect at the SWSO, but at home, too.
"[Practising together] has been a really good bonding time for me and the kids," she says.
"It [also] gives them the encouragement to try when they see there are certain things I won't get right on the first go, but I'll eventually get it."
The local performance opportunities provided by the orchestras have also had a big impact on her family.
"This is our life now," she says.
"Whether it's busking or concerts, we have so much fun."
Ms Beh hopes that more people recognise the talents in the growing Southwest Sydney.
"We appreciate the support of the local community in making the music happen and encourage local governments to support our programs like [they do in] other parts of Sydney," Ms Beh says.
Former members of the orchestras have joined major state organisations such as Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
But some are now raising their family in Southwest Sydney, continuing the orchestra's story alongside their children.
No comments:
Post a Comment