2018 Annual Report
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2018 annual report Sydney Youth Orchestras is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. general manager’s report 4 syo strings program 20 opportunity 38 chair’s report 5 stage four 22 Live at Level 28 40 stage three 23 about us 6 The Opportunity Fund: stage two 24 The Impact 41 activity 8 stage one 25 enterprise 42 young people at SYO 9 community engagement 26 the big busk 44 diversity 10 artistic program & collaborations 30 excellence 46 our orchestras 12 2018 in review 32 chair’s dinner 48 the sydney youth orchestra 14 how is it possible? 36 our partners 50 syo philharmonic 16 we support the sound our donors 51 symphonic wind orchestra 17 of the future in 3 ways 37 peter seymour orchestra 18 our people 52 western sydney youth financial report 54 orchestra 19 connect with us 81 general manager’s report chair’s report I am our Australian community, whatever garnering support for scholarships, SYO exists and awareness. The safety of our particularly Christopher Lawrence, pleased career path they follow. masterclasses, and regional touring because young people is paramount and Alexander Briger, James Pensini to present - important initiatives in creating of our belief we will continue to work with our and our dedicated team of As another group of alumni enter Sydney Youth an accessible SYO. The Big Busk, that every young stakeholders to ensure all SYO conductors who enthusiastically into the world of professional music Orchestras’ Annual Report for apart from being a fundraising musician deserves an opportunity musicians are safe. provide their wisdom to our young making, I am delighted to think of 2018. It was a year that further success, was an immense boost to to explore their creative potential minds. Just as in an orchestra, the former SYO members already 2018 saw more audiences sharing affirmed SYO’s place as the premier SYO’s public profile, achieving news though music. The path for a SYO relies on teamwork and making waves among orchestras in our music. Our children’s concert orchestral education and training coverage across major television young musician is a long discipline, commitment. The SYO staff are Australia and the world. It is rare to series Meet The Orchestra, together organisation in NSW. networks and newspapers. a road that needs navigation remarkable and I would like to attend a concert by a professional with Kid’s Music Café in partnership and support. Providing sustained thank them for working tirelessly to Our artistic program was led again ensemble, whether a chamber All of this is in line with a Board with Sydney Opera House offered engagement from childhood to bring our vision into reality. I’d like by Chief Conductor, Alexander group or a full symphony orchestra, decision some years ago that unique experiences for our littlest adulthood is unique to SYO, and is to especially thank our donors and Briger AO. Alex’s tenure with SYO without seeing at least one and SYO’s long term survival hinged on music lovers. Our most ambitious something special we take pride in. corporate partners for your belief over the past four years has resulted frequently a high percentage of becoming financially independent project took place on one day, This report is a celebration of the in us and your investment in our in a significantly higher standard SYO alumni. It is a truly fulfilling at the same time as keeping fees during the inaugural The Big Busk, dedication of the young musicians journey. Your generosity is a vote of playing, most evident in our SYO and satisfying experience to watch affordable. SYO Summer School, a consisting of 27 free performances at the centre of this wonderful in confidence for our organisation flagship concerts, and reflected our young musicians’ careers week long open program now in its in Sydney and Western Sydney to organisation. Our artistic program and the young people we support. in the accolades we have received bloom from their beginnings in our third year, is a growing factor in our over 50,000 estimated audience is testament to their passion for from both audiences and reviewers. orchestras to joining the orchestras revenue mix. members. This monumental event I would also like to thank another music making. The hundreds Mid-year, we were delighted to of the world. was a vehicle to celebrate our very important part of the team, The main challenge for SYO of hours they commit to music welcome Christopher Lawrence as young musicians, and reach greater our SYO parents. You entrust us to Together with making music, the remains the need for a home of is astonishing. From our Stage our Chief Artistic Advisor. A classical heights of awareness, with coverage guide your young people along a task of running the business of our own. Over the last 10 years 1 players as young as 6, to the musician, author and conductor, on major television networks, radio, creative path and the magnitude SYO responsibly and sustainably we have been forced to find new pre-professionals of The Sydney Christopher has been best known as and news sites reaching 3.22M of your faith is not lost on us. is a critical part of our success, rehearsal space four times, that is, Youth Orchestra, SYO is a place a broadcaster on ABC Classic. The views, a record for SYO. and no easy achievement. 2018 on an average of every 18 months. for them at every point in their Finally, I would like to thank all breadth and depth of his musical was Mia Patoulios’ first full year in That is simply unacceptable and development. Reaching across the state, our our young musicians for your knowledge is adding enormously to the position of General Manager. will be a significant priority for the Summer School open program saw energy, dedication and passion. SYO’s ability to produce innovative I am proud to say that 2018 was Through her expert leadership, Board in 2019. a significant increase in participants You continually astound me with and challenging programs for our incredible, with SYO reaching more and together with the support of for an intensive week of music your ability, commitment and young musicians. As Chair, I would especially like to young musicians than ever. Our her staff, SYO has finished 2018 making, and for the first time adventurous attitude.. acknowledge the SYO Board of core program has grown at our new The Board’s warm thanks are also with a pleasing financial result. we supported regional musicians Directors for their remarkable work home at Santa Sabina College. This SYO stands at the cusp of a new due to our team of conductors The Board congratulates Mia on a through travel, accommodation in 2018. Their careful guidance move has been critical in supporting strategic plan in 2019, and looks for the dedication they display, stellar first year. and scholarships. Three of our has been instrumental in steering our growth and we are grateful to ahead towards its 50th anniversary weekly, to train SYO’s 12 additional orchestras toured regionally, A not-for-profit organisation the strategic direction of this Principal Dr Maree Herrett and her in 2023. As we finish this age and orchestras and ensembles, enabling solidifying a commitment to visit like SYO cannot survive without ambitious enterprise. Each of staff for welcoming us. enter another, I am excited to every one of our 550 students to annually, and we saw the launch of community supporters and these extraordinary volunteers is lead such a vibrant organisation, learn not only to play notes of music SYO continued its commitment the South Coast hub in Bermagui advocates, and I am pleased to say deeply committed to SYO, and I where the outcome of our work but the discipline and teamwork as a Child Safe Organisation with in partnership with the Four Winds that SYO’s reach hit new heights thank them for their counsel and will reverberate and have lasting they need as they progress from the introduction of processes Festival. in 2018. Through our annual events expertise. impact for lifetimes to come. our most junior ensembles to the reflecting our change in status as a and concerts we connected with There are countless people I’d like senior orchestras. Above all, SYO’s Mandatory Reporting Organisation. our loyal group of passionate to acknowledge. First, the SYO commitment to excellence ensures JAN BOWEN AM They reinforce the importance of MIA PATOULIOS supporters and have found many Board led by Chair Jan Bowen, that our young musicians are also Chair, Sydney Youth Orchestras. reporting, vigilance, transparency General Manager, Sydney Youth new ones. Live at Level 28 and The whose commitment to SYO is equipped to make a contribution to and communication, and provide Orchestras Chair’s Dinner were pivotal events in exceptional. Our artistic staff, a renewed focus on staff training 4 5 about us Sydney Youth Orchestras is In 2018, SYO brought together We celebrate and recognise the our vision our mission syo strategic goals NSW’s premier orchestral over 500 of the most talented thousands of young musicians To educate and nurture young SYO is a place where, through EXCELLENCE: training and education musicians aged 6 – 25 years in who have nurtured their love of people to achieve musical music, talented young Nurturing artistic talent and provider. Founded as a single 12 orchestras, offering intensive orchestral music, learnt important excellence through a structured instrumentalists come together to delivering great education orchestra in 1973 by visionary ensemble training and a dynamic life skills, had formative experiences program of orchestral training and program of live performances.