Music pathways and careers forged over eight years of regional touring

Regional Queensland will soon sound wonderful. From Monday 31 July to Thursday 3 August, Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) will head west, taking the QSO Connect Ensemble to Chinchilla, Miles, Roma, and Tara as part of the Enrichment through Music (CMRT) Initiative, an innovative partnership with Australia Pacific LNG operated by Origin Energy.

It’s an important initiative that sees regional and rural students and communities experience the QSO’s Connect Ensemble, up close, firsthand and in real life.

This unique annual regional tour sees QSO collaborate with local schools in each town, delivering workshops with students and providing professional development sessions for teachers, as well as playing side-by-side with community bands in Roma and Chinchilla in free community concerts.

It’s making a real difference in Western Queensland, with students inspired to choose music as their career.

Grade 11 student Grant Dolbel, who has been involved in CRMT since its inception and currently plays in eight different ensembles, is from the Western Downs region, South Burnett region and now in Brisbane

His mother, Amy Dolbel is a passionate supporter of the program. “Grant really enjoys playing with local musicians and QSO professionals. The friendships he has formed, striving to learn and deliver quality music and performing at community events and cultural activities is amazing. His passion for music has seen Grant relaunch the Chinchilla Big Band and he is now the music director, leading their rehearsals each Thursday. We couldn’t be prouder!”

Grant has excelled this year, gaining positions in both the Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage (CGEN) and Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Instrumental Music (MOST) programs for 2023, as well as being selected as the Principal Percussionist for the Queensland Youth Orchestra’s Wind Symphony.

This is the seventh year that QSO has toured under this program. Over this time 21 schools have been involved, with QSO hosting 63 student workshops and rehearsals, and performing 37 school concerts and 15 community concerts to a total of 3,155 avenue attendees. Importantly, 1,126 students have participated in the program, and 7,936 students have attended.

Queensland Symphony Orchestra Director, Chief Executive Yarmila Alfonzetti said, “In 2023, we continue our commitment to reaching more people across Queensland with the joy of live music, venturing into classrooms and town halls in regional centres and remote communities across the state. This tour is a pivotal part of our commitment to all Queenslanders to share our music. Watching students like Grant thrive is so exciting for everyone at QSO.”

“QSO is passionate about celebrating music. We take our role as the state’s orchestra very seriously, and we look forward each year to working with the teachers, students, and local communities of regional Queensland,” she said. “This year we will perform side-by-side with Maranoa Music, Roma district Combined Schools Strings, Roma district Combined Schools Concert Band, Chinchilla Concert Band, Chinchilla Strings, Chinchilla Christian College Band, Chinchilla Primary School, Chinchilla State High School and more. We are delighted to include students from the communities of Mitchell, Injune, Surat, Wallumbilla, and Yuleba.”

WESTERN QUEENSLAND TOUR COMMUNITY CONCERTS

All information at qso.com.au/CMRT2023

Roma / Mandandanji - Tuesday August 1 @ 6:30PM

ROMA BUNGIL CULTURAL CENTRE - 57 BUNGIL ST, ROMA Q 4455

qso.com.au/events/2023/Regional-Concerts/roma-community-in-concert-2023

Musicians from QSO Connect Ensemble will perfrom with musicians from Maranoa Music, Roma District Combined Schools Concert Band and Roma District Combined Schools String Orchestra for this free community concert, conducted by Ingrid Martin. No bookings required.

Tara – Wednesday August 2 @ 1:30PM

TARA MEMORIAL HALL - 19 FRY STREET, TARA Q 4421

Musicians from Queensland Symphony Orchestra Connect Ensemble will perform a free concert for the Tara community.

Chinchilla / Jinchilla – Thursday August 3 @ 6:30PM

COUNTRY HOPE CHURCH - 3 BURBANK STREET, CHINCHILLA Q 4413

qso.com.au/events/2023/Regional-Concerts/chinchilla-community-in-concert-2023

Musicians from QSO Connect Ensemble perform with musicians from Chinchilla Concert Band, Chinchilla State School, Chinchilla State High School and Chinchilla Christian College for this free community concert, conducted by Ingrid Martin. No bookings required.

For further information, please visit qso.com.au/CMRT2023