‘Life changing’: students attend competitive music program

The week-long program is highly competitive and gives young musicians the opportunity to learn from award-winning conductors and perform as part of an orchestra at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

For 17-year-old Cobram Secondary College student Jessie Ashcroft, being able to play in the symphony orchestra was a “dream come true”.

“It was life changing,” she said.

“Because I've never played in an orchestra before, until that week ... it was a big adjustment, but it was really great.

“My conductor was Jessica Gethin, and she was amazing ... always so fun, so thorough, and she took so much time and care with everyone.

“I got to play the principal flute part, which originally I was supposed to be third chair and then coincidences happened where I got bumped up to first, which was very exciting for me.”

Jessie said that getting to play the principal flute part at the Melbourne Recital Centre under such a prestigious conductor was a surprise.

“It was a bit of a shell shock, it’s the only way I can describe it,” she said.

“It was like, ‘am I really here?’

“It actually felt like a dream.”

Jessie has been playing the flute for five years now and travels to Melbourne every weekend for the Melbourne Youth Orchestra.

She aspires to be a professional flautist some day, and it appears she’s well on her way.

Cobram Secondary College student Paige Rydell, 16, has been playing the flute since she was seven years old and this was her fourth year in the program.

“I was in a much higher level than previous years and my conductor, Erin Ellenburg, was really good, she helped us with all of our techniques, and we learned a lot there,” she said.

Paige said the program was structured like a regular school day, with tutorials and rehearsals in preparation for a performance at the end of the week-long program.

“We did five pieces, and they all went much better than we expected them to go,” she said.

Paige aspires to be a music teacher and not only plays the flute but also the French horn and percussion, and is currently in a vocals program.

Outside school, her music continues to keep her busy, as she is a part of the Shepparton Brass and Wind band and also has her own band with friends called The Four Busketeers.

Cobram Secondary College community engagement officer Anne-Marie Hindle said the school encouraged students to take every opportunity that was available to them.

“I think a lot of our students live by that because it’s drummed into them to just grab everything that’s offered,” Ms Hindle said.

“I love the fact that they’re pushing themselves and pushing their boundaries, it’s really good.”