Melbourne Youth Music

Growing up in Melbourne one thing that got me through teenagehood was being a member of the Melbourne Youth Choir. Run by the Melbourne Youth Music Council as it was then called, as part of the Saturday morning programme, I attended rehearsals at Melbourne High School and then The Victorian College of the Arts. The choir was one in a number of ensembles run by the council including the Percy Graninger Youth Orchestra, Melbourne Youth Orchestra. The organisation, now called Melbourne Youth Music is still here with us today and continues to bring kids together from all walks of life, to make music and friends, play together, learn together and develop their music and social skills in a team environment outside of school.

I loved Youth Choir and was a member from 14-19yrs old. Some members went on to become professional musicians others went on to other careers in all realms of life; arts, sciences, business, teaching and all manner of other occupations. Before my time, the choir toured Europe (1978). During my membership we toured New Zealand and visited regional centers in Victoria such as Hamilton and Ballarat. Most of our concerts were organised within the MYMC Schedule at venues such as Robert Backwood Hall (Monash Uni) The Great Hall of the National Gallery of Victoria, The Melbourne Town Hall and other venues. We were the regular stand in choir for St. Pauls Cathedral when the Cathedral Choir was on holidays through summer. Our season commenced with the midnight service on Christmas night after they had done the 8pm carol service. Christmas was also a time of doing caroling gigs at David Jones and the GPO in the Bourke St Mall (before the renovation) and between these gigs, busking through the city with whoever was around, mucking about and buying lunch. Basically once school broke up for Christmas we sang for up to 5 hours per day for the two weeks leading up for christmas. then the midnight service, then summer at St. Paul's while the men and boys were on holiday. To this day I adore the cheer and simplicity and harmony of Christmas carols.

Youth Choir brought me musical training, vocal training, an appreciation of a mammoth range of musical styles, foreign language skills - and that was just the music. Matching the excitement of the music and singing was the very strong friends I had during that time; friends amongst a mixed range group of people who also became role models through my middle teen years.

Since reading that the programme was in trouble in 2006 (waaaay too late to help), its a relief to see the continued funding of the Council and the appointment of Peter Garnick as the new MYM chairman in May 2009 after the retirement of Bruce Worlenad (wow.. was Bruce still there??!). It's great to see that the one choir has now extended to three, divided by age.

I realise years later, running my own dance business how much of my mentoring, leadership, approach, performance confidence and knowledge, comes from those early learnings at Youth Choir under the leadership of Bruce McRae, Alwyn Mott and a stream of guest conductors.

In teaching large groups I still follow Bruce's example and commence in mime until i have everyone's attention...

I trust the kids of Melbourne will have this amazing programme to learn from in many years to come.




http://www.mym.org.au/index.aspx