Back in the day

From the U3A Orchestra’s humble inception in 1999 with only 15 members, the now-renamed Brindabella Orchestra has more than doubled in size and has become a much more coherent musical ensemble. Looking back, the original members can feel proud of their achievements and continuity in these changing times.

Photo below of the original players of the U3A Orchestra.

The late Max Booth shared thoughts on supporting events. ‘A big step forward came with the establishment of the Canberra School of Music and Ernest Llewellyn’s interest in conducting our community orchestra. With the arrival of the professional staff, the stature and reputation of the orchestra was enhanced.’

Before the internet, obtaining suitable music was another challenge for the new orchestra; fortunately, they could borrow music from the School of Music.

Founding conductor Simon Phillips, who graduated from the Canberra School of Music, and Leader Max Booth, have long gone but their community vision remains. ‘Within the spirit of U3A, people are welcome to come and enjoy it, learn something, develop a bit and if they like it they stay on and the orchestra will grow’, said Max. Originally designed for people over the age of 55 (50 now), we now accept younger players to extend the range or repertoire and while there is no audition, our music can be demanding and certain levels are suggested to master before joining, depending on instrument. See our website for further information.

Testament to the original philosophy is founding member Margaret Wright (photo below). Margaret continues playing her violin, twenty-five years on. Apart from the enjoyment of the camaraderie and making music together, she enjoys the musical challenges of playing in a symphony orchestra. She also feels it is a continuing tribute to her parents, who made sacrifices to give her violin lessons from the age of 9, and Margaret is still playing at the age of 84!

Twenty-five years on

Currently a major milestone in extending our musical repertoire is happening under the tutelage of our current conductor, Shilong Ye. After gaining a Bachelor of Music at ANU School of Music and a Masters in Conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Shilong is masterful in extending our musical skills and has a very supportive and cheerful disposition.