General News
8 December, 2022
Melbourne orchestra coming to Maryborough
In a special treat for the community, the Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra will travel to town this weekend for a rare full orchestra performance. More than 80 students will perform on the platform of Maryborough’s historic railway...
In a special treat for the community, the Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra will travel to town this weekend for a rare full orchestra performance.
More than 80 students will perform on the platform of Maryborough’s historic railway station at 12 pm this Sunday, December 11.
The performance is part of a series the symphony orchestra is doing across regional Victoria this month, as they travel over 3200 kilometres across nine days to 11 locations.
Conductor of the orchestra, Pat Miller, said students will showcase their skills across classical and more contemporary music, as well as iconic sounds from film.
“It’s going to be huge,” he said.
“These incredibly talented students will showcase their skills in classical favourites by composers such as Brahms, Elgar and Tchaikovsky, alongside new works written especially for, and about, country Victoria.
“There will also be film music including the ever-popular Harry Potter theme song, and we might throw in a few surprises along the way.”
The students will also spend time visiting historic precincts and points of interest while in the area on Sunday, something Mr Miller said was important.
“By performing in, and for, rural communities, we hope our young musicians will gain an insight into life in, and history of, regional and rural Australia,” he said.
“We also want our students to appreciate the importance of giving generously of their time, expertise and funds raised to these communities.
“It’s all too rare for country towns to host a full orchestra, so we expect this to be an unforgettable musical adventure for musicians and audience alike.”
The Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra held its first concert almost 70 years ago. Since then, more than 2000 young musicians have been a member of this prestigious group, a significant number of who have subsequently forged distinguished musical careers.
Currently comprising around 100 students drawn from years 9-12, the orchestra is renowned for exceptional standard of musicianship and high calibre repertoire.
The orchestra is just one of the performance opportunities available to Melbourne Grammar musicians more generally, including participation in chapel choir, various bands and ensembles, and jazz groups.
The first Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra performance outside the School gates occurred in 1972, when the group toured South East Asia.
Since then, hundreds of concerts have taken place in every Australian state and in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Pacific islands and the United Kingdom. The orchestra last toured through regional Victoria in 2001.
All proceeds from the orchestra’s performances will be donated back to local communities.
Bookings for the Maryborough concert can be made online at mgs.vic.edu.au/community/news-and-events/events/mgsso-tour-maryborough