Finding the music in everyone
The Bellingen Youth Orchestra (BYO) harmonises the energy and enthusiasm of young musicians with the expertise and dedication of professional music teacher to celebrate orchestral music in regional NSW. With the patronage of David Helfgott, BYO cultivates community partnerships and collaborations with inspiring musicians and ensembles from across Australia. At its core, BYO is dedicated to kindling a lifelong passion for music, unwavering support to all our young musicians. Established in 2007, BYO operates as an inclusive not-for-profit organisation, deriving strength from a network of local music programs that span from primary to tertiary education in the region.
Comprising four ensembles, BYO offers diverse opportunities for musical growth: the BYO String School (BYOSS) nurtures our youngest string players, fostering their musical development within an intermediate ensemble of approximately 40 participants; the Bellingen Youth Orchestra Wind School (BYOWS) provides a platform for junior woodwind, brass, and percussion players to refine their musical, ensemble, and performance skills; the flagship ensemble, the Bellingen Youth Orchestra (BYO), unites over 80 young musicians to perform full orchestral works; and the BYO Sinfonia serves as a select chamber music ensemble, challenging advanced string players with intricate repertoire. Regular performances by these ensembles offer opportunities for collaboration with esteemed guest musicians and BYO alumni, ensuring a dynamic and captivating repertoire for our diverse audience each year.
🎶 A Wonderful End to Term 1! 🎶![]()
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While we were disappointed not to be able to hold our public performance due to the unprecedented weather brought by Cyclone Alfred, we were thrilled to open our final rehearsal of the term to parents instead. ![]()
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It was such a special opportunity for families to get a behind-the-scenes look at the amazing work our young musicians have been doing. Parents were treated to a showcase of the skills, teamwork, and musical compositions that their children have been developing throughout the term — and we couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve achieved! ![]()
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Looking ahead to Term 2, things won’t be slowing down! The BYO and all affiliated ensembles will be working hard behind the scenes on our 2025 Schools Concert as well as preparing for the NSW Department of Education’s Arts Unit Compass Music Festival.![]()
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We’re so excited for what’s to come and can’t wait to see all our BYO friends at our next public performance in September. Thank you for your ongoing support and for being part of our vibrant musical community!
Last weekend, on Sunday, April 6th, the parents and string students of the BYO Sinfonia were very fortunate to participate in a wonderful performance of a Heifetz concert, arranged in three violin parts, excellently prepared by the violin students who accompanied Dr. Evgeny Sorkin on their tour in honor of the 100th anniversary of Heifetz's own tour of Australia.![]()
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The session began with the Sinfonia and I playing alongside Dr. Sorkin and the university violin performance students. It was great fun playing Sailor from the Vision String Quartet, followed by a fantastic performance from the touring group, who presented their arranged works of Heifetz alongside a narrative of Heifetz’s life, his challenges, his achievements, and insights into his compositions and the development of his playing career. This was very well received, and I had the delight of playing alongside Evgeny and participating in a rather mammoth sight-reading exercise of the whole presentation. It’s so valuable for students to see their teacher and mentor being put through their own paces for a change!![]()
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The experience concluded with Nicholas Fairbanks (BYO Alumni), Eilidh Lewis, and Xanthe Bartholomeaus (BYO players) performing for Dr. Sorkin in a masterclass presentation. They played for an audience, and Dr. Sorkin provided his analysis and suggested concepts to further develop these young players into more sophisticated musicians, which was wonderful to witness.![]()
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We hope to see Dr. Sorkin and the students of the Conservatorium again in the future, as their involvement is an important part of showing the young players of the BYO the next stage of a musician's journey.![]()
Amber Davis - BYO Sinfonia Director.