A Message from Colin Piper
In my 40 years in the percussion section of the Sydney Symphony I have been lucky enough to fill every day to the brim with music. Every year we perform over 180 main-stage concerts as well as a whole range of outreach activities away from the concert platform. These can have a big impact on the people that come in contact with them and through my involvement in a program called Playerlink, I have seen how playing in an orchestra can inspire and encourage young musicians in regional NSW.
What is Playerlink?
Playerlink is a ‘residency’ program led by fifteen Sydney Symphony musicians in a selected NSW town. Over three to four days, we work with approximately 70 students who come from local schools which may not have an orchestra, or a band, or even a specialist teacher for their instruments. The Sydney Symphony musicians form an orchestra with the local students and we coach, mentor, workshop, rehearse and perform together – often under the influence of performance-enhancing jelly beans!
Since 2000, more than half of the players in the Sydney Symphony have worked with some 1,000 students from towns including Griffith, Coffs Harbour, Armidale, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth, Bathurst, Camden and Nowra. Through Playerlink, students discover that there is a pathway from that first moment of musical awareness, through to learning an instrument, getting good at it, studying hard and becoming a professional musician. Playerlink can be the catalyst for a life-long love of music and a fulfilling career that touches the lives of many.
What difference does Playerlink Make?
Mm colleague, Jennifer Hoy, who plays first violin with the Sydney Symphony, grew up in Tamworth. Every week her parents would drive one and a half hours each way to her violin lesson in Armidale. She was a teenager when Playerlink first came to town. Sitting in an orchestra alongside professional violinists inspired her to pursue a career in music. Not only is Jen a key member of the Orchestra today, she is a committed Playerlink tutor with whom young players can identify because she can say “I was once sitting where you are sitting – it takes hard work and determination, but you can make it too”.
Over time, I have realised that it is not just the students who benefit from Playerlink. It’s the entire family - like Jen’s – that make sacrifices to pay for tuition, instruments, travelling large distances... and often parents do not notice the development as it occurs. I have spoken with so many parents for whom Playerlink has been a ‘watershed’ moment. “So this is why we have been doing all this’ is not an uncommon remark!
In addition to supporting young players and families, Playerlink connects audiences in under-served communities with live music performance. Playerlink lets people who have heard of Mozart; hear Mozart - or Mahler, or Matthew Hindson, performed by talented and passionate young people.
What can you do?
Knowing how much we can achieve in just a few days, my hope is always that we can do more. Every year we receive requests for Playerlink residencies which we are simply unable to accommodate. The moment we hit the road, we are transporting ourselves, our gear and instruments plus many scores and parts. Transport, freight and accommodation costs are Playerlink’s biggest hurdle, but with your help it is possible to bring more music to more people in regional NSW.
You can support Playerlink by becoming a patron of the Sydney Symphony’s Outreach Fund. A monthly gift of:
• $10 provides parts for all ‘desks’ for the performance of one short work
• $20 buys a ‘cello seat’ on a Regional Express flight
• $35 hires a van for transporting tutors and their instruments during the residency
• $55 transports the timpani safely to our destination allowing the concert to go ahead as it should – with full orchestral sound
• $100 hires the town hall or concert venue where all the hard work comes to fruition!
All of the examples above are lynch pins of every Playerlink residency and show that for as little as $10 per month, you can make a very real component of the program possible. On behalf of the Orchestra’s Playerlink tutors, and all the participating students, thank you very much for supporting this valuable program.
How do I make a gift?
You can make your donation online via our secure donations page, over the phone by credit or by sending a cheque to the Philanthropy Office.
The Sydney Symphony is an endorsed charitable institution, Deductible Gift Recipient and member of the Register of Cultural Organisations. Gifts of more than $2.00 are tax-deductible.
If you would like to discuss your gift with a member of the Orchestra’s Philanthropy team please contact:
Kylie Anania
Philanthropy & Public Affairs Executive
Phone: 02 8215 4625
Email: philanthropy@sydneysymphony.com