We often have siblings attending our Young Mannheim Symphonists programs – and the YMS 2025 NSW State Academy is no exception!

One of three week-long programs offered by the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra to give young musicians aged 13-23 the chance to discover the magic of Historically Informed Performance (HIP), the YMS NSW State Academy is held this year in Sydney. It attracts high school and tertiary musicians from all over the state and even (this year) South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT.

Coming from Bellingen, NSW, are sister and brother Xanthe and Flynn Bartholomaeus. It’s Xanthe’s second YMS Academy, and she liked the first so much that her younger brother Flynn was inspired to audition for this year.

We caught up with both of them as they were preparing to travel to Sydney this July.

XANTHE BARTHOLOMAEUS, 16 | Viola

Xanthe had wanted to play violin since she was four years old – and got her wish at age 10. She didn’t even know about the viola, but once she heard it she was hooked.

“I thought it was an amazing instrument,” smiles Xanthe. “But then I had an internal tussle – do I give up the violin and all those leading, show-off aspects?”

When she was 15 the viola won out, and soon she was successfully auditioning for YMS.

“My friend Lily told me she was doing this really cool camp and I should audition,” Xanthe remembers. Auditions were just one month away, so she knuckled down, got to work – and was accepted into YMS 2024 NSW State Academy last October.

Xanthe Bartholomaeus at YMS 2024 NSW State Academy.
Photo: Robert Catto

“It was so much fun, such a great experience,” says the violist. “I’ve done a lot of camps, and YMS has such a strong community aspect. Everyone is so nice. And the programming is very balanced between talking, playing and learning.”

It’s also the only truly national youth orchestra for HIP – Historically Informed Performance. Xanthe had played on gut strings before, but this was total immersion.

“I think it’s so cool to find out all the old stuff about the instruments, how they’ve changed.,” she says. “I love the different sounds and tone qualities. Playing with a classical-era bow at YMS gave me a much better idea of how phrasing worked back then.”

Xanthe still plays the violin – “it’s like talking with an old friend” ­ – sings in local choirs and composes, including duets for herself and her brother Flynn.

Like Flynn, she participates in local jazz improvisation groups and festivals.

She also loves tennis, bodyboarding, reading books and drama – another tie-in with YMS, where musicians learn the historical technique of embodying affect or emotion through playing.

“All the drama aspect of HIP is really cool at YMS!” Xanthe says. “Approaching it that way is very fresh. To see (co-director) Rachael Beesley so mindfully putting the drama into the storytelling of the music is very inspiring.”

Flynn Bartholomaeus. Courtesy photo.

Flynn Bartholomaeus, 14 | Violin 

Flynn started playing violin at age eight, inspired partly by Xanthe and partly by the concertmaster in the Bellingen orchestra.

Like Xanthe, Flynn has played in the Bellingen Youth Orchestra and Bellingen Youth Orchestra Sinfonia for a while, but after Xanthe enjoyed YMS 2024 NSW State Academy so much, he decided to audition for 2025 – and was accepted!

“I’m looking forward to the experience of playing more Romantic and Classical music, and playing on gut strings,” Flynn says. (Both siblings have ordered a set via mail.)

Flynn also does a lot of mountain biking, dirt biking, skateboarding, surfing and scootering.

“Anything with wheels,” he jokes.

So what’s it like having a musical sibling in the Bartholomaeus family?

“We’re all pretty musical,” says Flynn. “Dad plays bass, Mum’s learning cello and our younger sister plays the flute. We do a lot of practice together, and have done four performances of duets Xanthe wrote for us.”

Is it a harmonious partnership?

“We do take turns running the rehearsal,” Xanthe says. “I’ve learned from Flynn to play things to him that I’m writing. He has a lot of good ideas.”

“That’s news to me – but very nice to hear!” laughs Flynn.

Xanthe smiles. “We also practice our orchestral parts together, to see how they fit,” she adds.

“There are some arguments,” chimes in Flynn.

“Well, you use my room to practice!” says Xanthe.

“It’s the biggest room!” returns Flynn.

“And now with Abi learning flute, it’s a lot all at once,” Xanthe goes on. “But so much fun when you hear it from the outside! We’re even learning a piece the whole family can play together.”

Come hear Xanthe, Flynn and 35 other brilliant young musicians in the final concert for YMS 2025 NSW State Academy, featuring Haydn and Beethoven.

3:30pm Saturday 12 July at SCEGGS Great Hall, St Peters St, Darlinghurst.