Audrey Papadatos, a flautist who hails from Little Hartley recently spent five days learning from the experts in the Young Mannheim Symphonists (YMS), a course for youth run by the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra.
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The youth orchestra course brought together 32 music students aged 12 to 23 along with 11 specialist tutors at the Conservatorium High School.
It culminated in a public concert featuring the repertoire they had rehearsed during the week.
The 18-year-old started playing the flute at 10 years old.
"I have studied music privately... I also studied Music 2 and Music Extension at school for my HSC," she said. She will study music this year at the Australian Institute of Music.
"I feel blessed with whatever performance opportunity that I am given, whether that be performing Mozart in a prestigious concert hall or simply playing a flute cover of Let it be for parishioners at a local church.
"All of these opportunities no matter how big or small have each made a unique impression on me and shaped who I am as a person and musician."
Audrey one day hopes to play in an orchestra.
"However I am open to new things and going where life takes me. I always try to look for new ways to be able to mix all of my musical passions... As long as I am able to perform for an audience and make a decent living for myself out of it I'll be happy."
Also at the YMS training course was Katoomba trumpeter Jude Macarthur.
Jude, 18, is currently studying a Bachelor of Music (Performance) in classical trumpet at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
He began playing trumpet at the age of eight and played with the Blue Mountains City Band for several years. In 2016 he joined the Sydney Youth Orchestra as a member of the Symphonic Wind Orchestra, before joining The Sydney Youth Orchestra (flagship) in 2019.
"I started playing trumpet just after my eighth birthday," he said. "At the age of 13, I attended an orchestral workshop run by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. It was the first time that I had played in an orchestra and it blew me away.
"I loved the music and I loved being surrounded by the sounds of all the different instruments. I knew that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. That desire has stayed with me."
It was his first experience with the YMS that led him to the valve-less Baroque trumpet.
"I fell in love with it very quickly. You only have your lips and you change the sound by how fast your air is moving," he said.
Jude has played in various Australian Youth Orchestra programs. Like Audrey, he hopes to find a position in an orchestra in the future.
