HERVEY Bay-born violinist and arts communicator Julia Hill is calling on the next generation of musicians and creatives to take their shot at the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO), with applications closing soon.
Julia’s story shows the opportunities AYO offers—not only for orchestral performers, but also for those pursuing careers in Media and Communication, Orchestral Management, Sound Production, and Arts Administration.
Recently, she toured Europe with the AYO International Tour, performing in venues including Vienna’s Musikverein and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.
Reflecting on her journey, she recalls one standout moment, “If I have to pick a specific moment, it would have to be when we finished Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances in the Melbourne Recital Centre at NMC 2022.
I still remember the adrenaline whizzing around the stage, my heart feeling like it was going at 500 kilometres per hour and the sound evaporating into the back of the hall before the cheers rung back at us.
It’s not just my favourite memory from AYO; it’s my favourite memory of my life so far.”
Julia first auditioned in 2018 after encouragement from her teacher, Graeme Jennings.
“I had never heard of AYO before, but it seemed like everyone at uni was applying for it, so I prepared my excerpts and went for it. Seven years later, and I’m still doing AYO!”
One of her most powerful experiences came during the AYO Momentum Ensemble Tour in 2022, bringing music to fire-affected communities.
“I could see and feel how much light we had brought to the communities—the concerts gave them a chance to come together and reflect as one.
Every concert received a standing ovation.
It was so special to speak to the audience members afterwards—even though we had not known each other before the baton went down, we had shared a moment in time through music that we wouldn’t forget.”
Her advice: “Absolutely go for it.
There is no harm in applying, and you’ll learn so much just from the audition process alone.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the AYO has changed my life… maybe it’ll change yours too.”
