WA Youth Orchestras is fortunate to provide access to several high quality orchestral instruments as part of our Scholarship Program. Erica is one of the recipients of a 2023 Violin Scholarship.  She writes about her WAYO experience:

My WAYO journey began in 2015 as a member of the Collegium ensemble. Enjoying my first taste of orchestral playing, I decided to continue my journey in Philharmonic from 2017-2018. From 2019 until now I have been apart of the WAYO orchestra and haven’t looked back since! My experience in WAYO has not only been enjoyable but extremely beneficial to me as a young player. This unique experience of being enveloped in surround sound with other young and talented musicians has helped me develop as a player to understand the layers and complexity of orchestral work – further strengthening my passion for music and ensemble playing. Through playing in WAYO, I have been given opportunities to play in breathtaking venues such as the Perth Concert Hall, His Majesty’s and the Heath Ledger Theatre. The WAYO organisation has also given me some of my most memorable music highlights through many opportunities such as the WASO/WAYO partnership. In the recent years, WAYO has given me the rare opportunity to play alongside professional WASO musicians. Performing desk-side to WASO players has been inspiring and educational through a mentorship relationship between the youth and professional players. At present, I enjoy being immersed in learning about professional playing such as orchestral etiquette and the intricacy of orchestral work.

Some of my memorable highlights include performing with Indigenous artists such as the Yuwani concert with Lachlan Skipworth and Don Nunggarrgal and Koolbardi wer Wardong with the WA Opera. Other notable performances were Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring with guest dancers, being in the ensemble for the Perth International Jazz Festival’s Lost in a Dream concert, and collaborating with Tze Law Chan.

I would like to thank WAYO for generously giving me the opportunity of a violin scholarship, allowing me to express music through this amazing instrument that has lived through so many experiences, dating back to the origins of countless composers and repertoire. I am most grateful and honoured to play on a part of history and such a work of art by Bergonzi!