Yamaha Wind Orchestra 2022 – Professional Development Project
Following the outstanding success of the inaugural Yamaha Winds project in 2018 & 2019, Yamaha Music Australia is excited and proud to invite musicians 18 years and older to take part in this unique performance and professional learning opportunity for 2022.
Led by Yamaha Music Australia’s Education Outreach Clinician, Prof. Rob McWilliams, this project will provide unparalleled opportunity on two fronts:
- The opportunity to perform in an elite level symphonic wind band, playing top quality repertoire for a single concert performance in an outstanding venue.
- Access to unique professional development opportunities for musicians and conductors. Through an innovative approach to the preparation and rehearsal process, this initiative will assist musicians and conductors who deal with wind bands in educational institutions and the community. As part of the Yamaha Wind Orchestra, the ensemble members will receive learning materials related to repertoire selection, program design, score preparation / study, rehearsal / conducting techniques and more!
Additionally, up to three successful applicants will receive an opportunity to be mentored through the process of preparing and conducting a short item on the culminating performance in addition to playing in the ensemble.
Participant feedback from previous Yamaha Winds events:
“The quality of the ensemble, the repertoire, the focus on aural acuity, and the PD information. All these things were of the highest quality, delivered by a high quality director”
“The PD material was incredibly useful, I got so much out of it. The music we played was amazing. This was an excellent opportunity. Definitely will do it again next year.”
Yamaha Wind Orchestra 2022 Schedule
| WEEK | VENUE | DATES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley College, Melbourne | Saturday 29th October & Sunday 30th October |
| 2 | Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Burwood | Saturday 12th November & Sunday 13th November |
Application Requirements
- Applicants MUST be 18 years or older as at the date of the first rehearsal.
- Applicants must play a symphonic wind band instrument.
- Applicants will be shortlisted and may be contacted to provide an audition video. Previous Yamaha Wind Orchestra participants will not be required to submit a video audition if chosen. Audition video requirements are listed below.
Audition Details
- Applicants may be required to audition via video submission. The video needs to have clear visibility of the player and instrument and reasonable quality audio (decent quality phone recordings are fine). The audition recording should demonstrate the player’s highest level of ability on TWO contrasting items (or sections of a single item): one displaying technical ability/control, the other displaying lyrical/expressive style.
- Applications will be reviewed by a panel, including experts outside of Yamaha Music Australia, and selection decisions will be final.
- If you would like to also audition for one of the limited number of opportunities to rehearse, conduct and be mentored in addition to playing in the ensemble, you should be comfortable rehearsing and conducting wind band music from levels 3-4.