Skip to main content

Sign me up to Playerlink!

15 July, 2019

Playerlink! is the perfect school holiday activity for budding musicians in school Years 5 – 12. Originally created for students located out of the major metropolitan areas in Sydney, this year's workshop was hosted by St Patrick's College for Girls in Campbelltown.

What exactly does an orchestral workshop program involve?

Playerlink! gives students the opportuntiy to discover the reality of a professional orchestral rehearsal and performance, by pairing students with Sydney Symphony musicians for intensive coaching sessions, workshops and a side-by-side performance.

The workshop played a momentous role in our First Violin, Alex Norton's career path. He took part in the workshop as a teenager where he was mentored by generous musicians who are now his colleagues and friends.

Scroll through the gallery to view the different elements of the workshop.

Our Principal Contrabassoon, Noriko Shimada, is full of praise for these two bassoon students!
190715 Playerlink Gallery1
Did you know bassoonists make their own reeds? How beautiful are these handmade reeds by Noriko!
190715 Playerlink Gallery2
Benjamin Ward, Double Bass, guides two double bass students as they break into sectionals to practice before the concert.
190715 Playerlink Gallery3
Gordon Hamilton conducts rehearsals in preparation for the concert. Here the students are practising Grieg's 'In the Hall of the Mountain King'.
190715 Playerlink Gallery4
Léone Ziegler, First Violin, mentors young musicians ahead of the performance. Our youngest, talented participant this year was 9 years old.
190715 Playerlink Gallery5
Monique Irik with the Second Violin section during rehearsals. Monique also began her journey with the Sydney Symphony as part of our Learning & Engagement program as a Fellow in 2009. Once mentored by her own section as a young person, she now gets to give back to aspiring musicians.
190715 Playerlink Gallery6
Jane Hazelwood, Viola, teaching a young violist in a one on one session.
190715 Playerlink Gallery7
The young cellists were led by our cellist, Fenella Gill, for a fun rehearsal of Indiana Jones' 'Raider's of the Lost Ark'.
190715 Playerlink Gallery8
Scott Kinmont, Associate Principal Trombone, mentored the lower brass section ahead of the performance. Scott passed on a very interesting quote from Wagner: “Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them.”
190715 Playerlink Gallery9
In a Q&A session with 12 Sydney Symphony musicians and conductor Gordon Hamilton, the panel were asked their favourite composers and the most embarrasing thing to happen to them on stage. Euan Harvey's response involved a big crash during the quiet part of a Brucnker symphony!
190715 Playerlink Gallery10
190715 Playerlink Gallery1
190715 Playerlink Gallery2
190715 Playerlink Gallery3
190715 Playerlink Gallery4
190715 Playerlink Gallery5
190715 Playerlink Gallery6
190715 Playerlink Gallery7
190715 Playerlink Gallery8
190715 Playerlink Gallery9
190715 Playerlink Gallery10