17 September 2007
In a world first, musicologists at Monash University have launched the first ever comparative study of Australian and international youth orchestras.
Growing Up Making Music: Youth Orchestras in Australia and the World, edited by Professor Margaret Kartomi AM, FAHA, Dr Kay Dreyfus and Dr David Pear, is a special issue of the Australasian Music Review.
It deals with the Australian Youth Orchestra and its unique place in the world of youth orchestras between 2004 and 2007.
Professor Kartomi said the Australian Youth Orchestra was distinctive in many ways.
"It has the broadest program of any youth orchestra I have seen around the world," she said.
"It serves as an Australian symbol -- what is important in our national psyche -- and is used at important Australian national and international events.
"The training is done by the best tutors around, both national and international, and it provides equality of access to people living throughout Australia."
The book is based on the research team's field and archival work in Australia, Europe and North America, plus data on youth orchestras in New Zealand, Venezuela, China, Russia and South Africa.
Professor Kartomi said there were several key findings to come out of the research.
"Youth orchestras are a culturally significant institution, whose wide-ranging social, educational and cultural benefits are often overlooked or taken for granted," she said.
Professor Kartomi said that in the course of the 20th century youth orchestras had become a major industry throughout the world and this demonstrated classical music was "alive and well" among young people.
Another key highlight of the research involved the way youth orchestras approach performances.
"Compared to professional orchestras, youth orchestras adopt a special approach to playing and produce a different quality of sound and interpretation, which many delighted observers across the world put down to their players' youthful freshness, vigour, spontaneity and willingness to take risks."
For more information contact John Watts, Media and Communications on +61 3 9905 9201 or 0448 574 148.
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