MYO UNLIMITED, has continued bringing the best elements of the MYO Ensemble Program to our participants at home during 2020 and COVID-19.

As part of this digital initiative, MYO’s talented young musicians, under the guidance of Music Director Brett Kelly, have been working on a special recording project with arranger Sean O’Boyle.

Spanning ages ranging from 8 to 24, this project has provided the opportunity for all MYO’s students to perform as a collective, despite Victoria’s physical distancing restrictions.

Of the project, Brett Kelly says: “To capture the endless surprises of 2020 MYO has commissioned a special arrangement from Sean O’Boyle to showcase all nine of our ensembles and orchestras. In this video, 400 talented young musicians draw not just on their playing, but also their imagination and enthusiasm. Full of fun and excitement ‘A VERY Surprising Symphony’ is a delight for the ear and the eye – MYO’s poignant, powerful and positive postcard from a year like no other”.

Watch ‘A VERY Surprising Symphony’ here:

‘A VERY Surprising Symphony’
Arranged by Sean O’Boyle
Based on Haydn’s Symphony No.94, “Surprise”

Featuring the:

MELBOURNE YOUTH JUNIOR STRINGS
ALEXANDRA CAMERON STRINGS
MELBOURNE YOUTH STRINGS
MELBOURNE YOUTH CHAMBER STRINGS
JUNIOR CONCERT BAND
JOHN ANTILL YOUTH BAND
MELBOURNE YOUTH WIND SYMPHONY
PERCY GRAINGER YOUTH ORCHESTRA
MELBOURNE YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Arranger: Sean O’Boyle
Music Director: Brett Kelly

Conductors: Brett Kelly
Mark Shiell
Rick Keenan
Joe O’Callaghan
Erin Ellenburg
David Le Guen
Amberley Bremner
Sarah Busuttil
Kieran Casey

Performers: Participants and staff of Melbourne Youth Orchestras, 2020

Project Coordinators: Sarah Busuttil
Joe O’Callaghan
Adele Conlin
Tim Duncan

Video & Audio Production: 5Stream
Video Editor: Gwendalina Sputore
Audio Engineer: Steve Semmler-Farr

Thank you to the MYO Songbirds whose donations have helped bring this project to life.

Thank you to Steve Hodgson for your surprising idea.