Sydney Youth Orchestras Unite Country and City Kids Through Music

A Journey into the Heart of Rural Australia

The rugged landscape of rural New South Wales is a new experience for 15-year-old violinist Demeil. As he travels through the outback on a bus, it’s the first time he sees the brown dirt turn a deep red and the trees grow hardy. This journey marks his departure from the city as he joins the Sydney Youth Orchestras on its Big Sky tour, which takes them into remote areas to collaborate with local performers.

The Sydney Youth Orchestras have been a stepping stone for young musicians for over five decades. Their mission now is to use their talents to bridge the divide between urban and rural communities through music. Alongside them is Back Roads guest presenter Jeremy Fernandez, who shares their passion for classical music.

Demeil is excited about performing in Wilcannia with the local children’s choir and then at a gala concert in Broken Hill. He believes that music has the power to connect people across different backgrounds. “Music can connect pretty much anyone. The power you feel when there’s a massive orchestra is incredible,” he says.

Connecting with Country

Imogen, a 14-year-old Barkindji girl, calls the remote town of Wilcannia her home. With a population of just 735, it’s a place where community and culture are deeply rooted. She was one of the founding members of the Wilcannia Children’s Choir in 2022, which was started by local kids with the help of their school teachers.

“I’ve always wanted to sing since I was little. It makes me happy to sing,” Imogen says. Her younger sister, Olivia, joined soon after. “Everyone was just nice, no-one judged anyone, and I felt like myself, like I could just sing,” she adds. Singing, she says, helps take away frustrations and emotions, making her feel calm.

Imogen is excited about the upcoming performance and hopes the visitors will recognize how special Wilcannia is to them. “This will always be our home, our Ngamaka. Ngamaka means mother; this is our motherland,” she explains. She hopes the visitors enjoy the experience and learn some of their cultural ways and Barkindji words.

For 11-year-old Zhayle, the connection to culture is why she loves being in the choir. “We like to sing songs that have our Aboriginal words in them to learn our culture. It’s really nice to learn all the Aboriginal words,” she says. Zhayle quickly bonds with the visitors over their shared love of music, finding it fun to meet new people and hang around them.

Bridging the City-Country Divide

The local children only spend a few days with the 70-piece orchestra before taking the stage. They exchange handmade gifts and bond in rehearsals, building a strong foundation before their performance in front of the Wilcannia community.

During the performance, the children perform “Family Song,” written by Barkindji musician Nancy Bates, which includes words from their language. At the Broken Hill Gala concert, they perform a new song, “Rise Up,” with local Barkindji singer-songwriter Leroy Johnson. The song carries a powerful message about standing up against oppression and using one’s voice.

Johnson is proud to hear the children from his hometown sing this song. “That’s pretty deadly. It makes me very proud. I’m hoping they take those messages and do good things,” he says.

For Wilcannia Central School teacher Karen O’Donnell, the performance is touching. “To watch them sing in Language, it just warms me. I’m quite inspired myself to learn more Language,” she says. For Zhayle, it’s not only a personal triumph but a shared one. “I want to make my parents proud of me, and they thought I was amazing,” she says. “But we were all amazing together.”

Demeil is also moved by the experience. “I saw kids with their eyes closed, feeling the music, smiling because they were so happy,” he says. He notes that rural Australia is often seen through stereotypes, but in places like Wilcannia, he sees choirs being set up and people playing instruments, which is hopeful.