Making Music and Creating Community

On Tuesday 11 June, we visited the Perth Children’s Hospital as part of our Hospital Orchestra Project (HOP) to present a concert exploring the world of folk music. A quartet of WASO musicians, including Alexander Millier (clarinet), Lucas O’Brien (violin), Sunmi Jung (violin) and Robin Brawley (double bass) entertained audiences with well-known folk pieces such as the traditional Macedonian song Što Mi E Milo and a selection from famous operas, including Trepak from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen.

“My child loves music… It was a fun, light-hearted experience for me too.” – HOP parent/audience member.

On Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June, community members from far and wide gathered at Perth Concert Hall to participate in this year’s Side-by-Side Symphony. Previously known as The Rusty Orchestra, this year saw a revised format that gave participants a more authentic orchestral experience. Forty-one community musicians from as far as Exmouth, Albany and even Melbourne, joined WASO musicians on stage to complete an intensive two-day rehearsal period and perform under the baton of WASO Associate Conductor, Jen Winley.

“As a teacher, it reminds me what it feels like to face difficulties, the need to be resilient and persevere, and know that you can only give it your best shot. I also appreciate being amongst the WASO community and experiencing camaraderie between everyone.” ­– Side-by-Side Symphony Community Musician.

Term two has been jam-packed with workshops, concerts and rehearsals for our Crescendo students at Medina Primary School and North Parmelia Primary School.

WASO’s Education Artist-in-Residence, Paul Rissmann, worked with Year 4 and 5 students at North Parmelia Primary School on a Soundscape Workshop that explored percussion. Small groups of students created their own soundscapes before coming together as a class to create a larger piece. At Medina Primary School, Year 4 and 5 students got to learn all about singing in a workshop with acclaimed soprano, Sara Macliver.

Students from the two schools were also able to join forces in a Combined Schools Choir led by Lead Crescendo Teacher Lauren Fraser, and a Combined Schools String Ensemble led by Ensemble Conductor Momo Foord and Ensemble Support Daniel Tsang. Both groups are getting ready to perform in a mid-year concert at Koorliny Arts Centre in Kwinana.

Most recently, we selected our inaugural Crescendo Scholarship students - Zyron Trego, a promising cellist and choir member from Medina Primary School, and Neve Fuller, a passionate violinist and choir member from North Parmelia Primary School - who are both looking forward to commencing in the scholarship program at the start of next term. Zyron is supported by The Bunning Family Crescendo Scholarship and Neve is supported by the Rosalin and Joy Durbin Sadler Crescendo Scholarship.

Learn more about WASO’s Education and Community Engagement programs here.

HOP is generously supported by the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and presented in partnership with the School of Special Educational Needs: Medical & Mental Health (Department of Education) and Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Jen Winley is supported by the Simon Lee Foundation.
We gratefully acknowledge the philanthropic donors, corporate community and Trusts and Foundations who generously support Crescendo, with special thanks to Lead Partner The Balnaves Foundation.