The sounds of music resounded throughout the Gold Coast as 600 students and their teachers from across Australia and New Zealand descended on the city for the 2019 ASPIRE International Youth Music Festival.

The ASPIRE team still buzzing from the incredible success of the second ASPIRE International Youth Music Festival on the Gold Coast. If you haven’t already done so, please check out the ASPIRE albums on Facebook.

The Ice Breaker event hosted at Gold Coast Youth Orchestra set the festival off with a bang! The event opened with a traditional custodial ceremony before ASPIRE participants had the opportunity to meet fellow musicians, enjoy a meal from a food truck of their choice and play some Trivia. Popular Jazz Band “Tonic” kept everyone entertained and ASPIRE Artistic Director Sarah-Grace Williams officially opened the festival by cutting the HUGE ASPIRE cake!

The three days that followed featured stand-out adjudicated performances from top schools across New Zealand and Australia in The Star Gold Coast theatre.

Each ensemble also worked directly with their adjudicators in technique-refining workshops, and with other renowned clinicians in masterclasses.

The competition was complemented by various public performances across Broadbeach. A highlight for many schools was ASPIRE’s Jazz Under Stars at Kurrawa Park.

The 1st Place Results Across All Categories

Concert Band – St Andrew’s Anglican College (Peregian Springs, Queensland)

Symphony Orchestra – Avondale College (Auckland, New Zealand)

String Orchestra – Westlake Chamber Orchestra (Auckland, New Zealand)

Jazz Band – All Saints Anglican School (Gold Coast, Queensland)

Choir – Toowoomba Anglican School (Toowoomba, Queensland)

The 2nd Place Results Across All Categories

Concert Band – St Luke’s Anglican School (Bundaberg, Queensland) and All Saints Anglican School (Gold Coast, Queensland)

Symphony Orchestra – St Luke’s Anglican School (Bundaberg, Queensland)

String Orchestra – Avondale College (Auckland, New Zealand)

Jazz Band – St Andrew’s Anglican College (Peregian Springs, Queensland)

Choir – Ellenbrook Secondary College (Perth, Western Australia)

 

The 3rd Place Results Across All Categories

Concert Band – St Paul’s Collegiate School (Hamilton, New Zealand)

Symphony Orchestra – Good Shepherd Lutheran College (Noosa, Queensland)

String Orchestra – St Luke’s Anglican School (Bundaberg, Queensland) and Emmanuel College (Gold Coast, Queensland)

Jazz Band – Avondale College (Auckland, New Zealand)

Choir – St Paul’s Collegiate School (Hamilton, New Zealand)

The John Curro Award for Best Performance

The ASPIRE International Youth Music Festival concluded with a Gala Finale Concert at the Star Gold Coast, Broadbeach, where the winning ensembles over the four-day festival competed for the John Curro Award for Best Performance. The trophy was awarded to Westlake Chamber Orchestra from Auckland, New Zealand! Well done to everyone at Westlake!

 

Congratulations to all the ensembles who participated in 2019 ASPIRE!