City of Joondalup partners with Perth Symphony Orchestra to champion young WA music talent

Perth Symphony Orchestra has joined forces with the City of Joondalup to give young WA musicians (14-25) a chance to perform on the big stage and share in a prize pool of $5,000.

The City of Joondalup Young Musician of the Year Award will provide a platform for talented musicians to demonstrate their skills and passion across one of five distinct instrumental categories: Brass, Percussion, Strings, Woodwind and Piano.

One finalist from each category will advance to the Grand Final, where they will compete for the coveted City of Joondalup Young Musician of the Year Award and an opportunity to perform with Perth Symphony Orchestra.

This event will be held over two days at Sacred Heart College in Sorrento.

Five notable adjudicators, highly respected in the WA music industry for their instrumental talent and achievements, will judge the competition.

The panel includes Dr. Ashley William-Smith (Woodwind), Dr. Paul Tanner (Percussion), Stephanie Nicholls (Piano), Keiran Hurley (Brass), and Paul Wright (Strings).

Applications open next month. Contestants are invited to submit a video of themselves performing two contrasting pieces of classical, contemporary or jazz.

The competition was an initiative of City of Joondalup Deputy Mayor Adrian Hill.

“The City of Joondalup Young Musician of the Year Award will showcase the wealth of young talent here in Western Australia, giving performers a chance to display their skills and talents alongside the world-renowned Perth Symphony Orchestra,” Adrian Hill said.

“Participants will challenge each other in a safe and supportive environment for the right to be crowned Young Musician of the Year.”

“We’re incredibly proud of Joondalup’s cultural identity and this competition further enhances our reputation as the cultural and events capital of Perth’s north.”

Perth Symphony is renowned for its innovative and rule-breaking approach, and this competition promises to be anything but ordinary, with exciting ‘Fun, Fresh, and Fearless’ surprises planned throughout the two days.

The Young Musician of the Year Award Semi-Final kicks things off on Saturday, October 5; followed by the Young Musician of the Year Award Grand Final on Sunday, October 6, 2024. Applications are open Thursday, August 1 until Friday, August 30. For more info or to submit an entry, head to perthsymphony.com