WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE: Members of the West of the Divide Wind Ensemble, which includes students from Farrer, Oxley, Tamworth and Narrabri High schools, will travel to Hong Kong in April to compete in the International Youth Music Festival, and have also been invited to play at Disneyland, Hong Kong.
PLANS to compete in an international music competition have hit a high note for local musicians, with news they have also been invited to play at Disneyland in Hong Kong.
The West of the NSW Divide wind ensemble is made up of talented musicians from 17 schools, including Tamworth’s Farrer Memorial Agricultural High; Oxley High; Peel High; Tamworth High and Narrabri High schools, and will travel to Hong Kong next month to compete in the International Youth Music Festival.
The invitation to perform as guests of Hong Kong Disneyland comes as a bonus.
It follows impressing Disneyland representatives with a polished and enthusiastic audition DVD when the wind ensemble first massed a rehearsal at Dubbo in January.
The only other chance to polish their performance together will be the day-and-a-half before their April 11 flight to Hong Kong. They will compete on Saturday, April 13.
To give the talented musicians the best prospects in competition, their conductors, Di Hall and Michael Tierney, have chosen a broad repertoire, representing a variety of music genres, made up of Santana in concert, a tribute to Whitney Houston, Solas Ane by Samuel Hazo, Celebration of Life, an Australian piece composed by Ralph Hultgren for a Jewish community, selections from Mary Poppins, and Danzas Cubanas, a difficult Latin-influenced piece.
During their time at the International Youth Music Festival, the NSW Divide Wind Ensemble will also participate in workshops and play with international conductors and ensembles.
The ensemble is supported by three teachers: Tamworth High School’s Rebecca Sullivan; Oxley High School’s Noelene McGrane; and Chris Fish from Junee High School.
The West of the NSW Divide Wind Ensemble also benefits from partnerships with the Newcastle and Sydney conservatoriums of music which provide students who act as mentor tutors.