Queensland Symphony Orchestra returns to the Western Downs and Maranoa regions of Queensland from 9 to 11 October 2019 as part of the Chinchilla Miles Roma Enrichment through Music (CMR) Initiative, an innovative partnership between Australia Pacific LNG and Queensland Symphony Orchestra, delivering quality music education and concert experiences to the students, teachers and communities of Chinchilla, Miles, and Roma.
This unique regional tour sees Queensland Symphony Orchestra collaborate with local schools in each town, delivering workshops with students, professional development sessions for teachers and performing a series of free concerts for students (from kindy to high school) and the wider community.
This year (2019), the Community in Concert performances will include the Australian premiere of a new arrangement of This House from leading Australian composer Joe Chindamo. The piece was originally written for performance at Australia House in London in the presence of Prince Charles, and now regional Queenslanders will be amongst the first in the country to hear this piece.
2019 is the fourth consecutive year that Queensland Symphony Orchestra has visited Chinchilla, Miles and Roma with 1,009 students and community band members having previously participated in the CMR Initiative. The Queensland Symphony Orchestra ensemble has performed 18 concerts to 4,266 audience members over the past three years.
This year (2019) again sees involvement from several community and student musicians including Maranoa Symphony Orchestra, Roma High School Strings, Wallumbilla State School Concert Band, Roma State College and St John’s College Roma bands, Chinchilla Concert Band, Chinchilla String Ensemble, Chinchilla Christian College Band and Chinchilla State High School.
Students and community band musicians will work with the visiting conductor, Warwick Tyrell and Queensland Symphony Orchestra musicians to perform the Roma Community Concert on Wednesday 9 October 2019, Miles Mini Concert on Thursday 10 October 2019 and Chinchilla Community Concert on Friday 11 October 2019.
The Community in Concert events in Roma and Chinchilla feature a mix of traditional orchestral classics and new music including the passionate Montagues and Capulets from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, the beautiful Mother Goose Suite by Ravel, and the new arrangement of This House by Australian composer Joe Chindamo.
Double bass player, Chloe Williamson, who hails from Roma, will be part of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra ensemble for the CMR Initiative again in 2019.
Says Chloe, “Not only do I love the opportunity to catch up with friends and family whilst performing in my hometown, I feel so blessed that I am able to join Queensland Symphony Orchestra in working so closely with students and community musicians as part of the amazing CMR Initiative.”
Also joining the CMR program this year (2019) is David Pullen, a dedicated teacher from Charleville, who will drive the three hours to Roma (his oboist student, Laine Dennis, will be flying to Roma) so that they can be part of the series.
Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Executive Craig Whitehead said, “We are an Orchestra for everyone; an Orchestra for all Queenslanders. While our base is in Brisbane, it is important for us as the state’s only professional symphony orchestra to ensure everyone has access to world-class musical experiences, as well as opportunities to engage with and learn from our musicians. This will be the fourth time we have packed our bags and toured to the Western Downs and Maranoa.”
“The CMR Initiative is an extension of the successful Gladstone Enrichment through Music Initiative (GEM), which has been running since 2011 thanks to major funding from Australia Pacific LNG. We are thrilled we can undertake this tour each year, with so many wonderful connections made with teachers, students and the local community.”
“We are grateful for the support of our Principal Partner, Australia Pacific LNG, who has made it possible for us to travel and connect with musicians around Queensland.”
Source: Queensland Symphony Orchestra