Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra is passionately committed to its education programs. The orchestra offers a unique combination of courses and projects for school- and tertiary-level students, development opportunities for professional musicians and music teachers, and enlightening presentations in tandem with its concerts. Details of Outreach Education Programs since 2017 can be found below.

Want to book one of our uniquely tailored education programs?
Contact Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra General Manager Nicole van Bruggen via email or on 0452 514 730.

2023 EDUCATION PROGRAMS

• Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney
  Co-artistic directors Rachael Beesley and Nicole van Bruggen tutored the Early Music Ensemble at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in September and October.

• Northern Sydney Youth Orchestra
  In September, musicians from the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra directed and tutored at the Northern Sydney Youth Orchestra’s Weekend Workshop. Rachael Beesley directed the symphony orchestra in exploring Beethoven’s Symphony No.2 with an historically informed perspective and Julia Russoniello directed the string orchestra.

• AUSTAQ
  The Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra presented a professional development weekend conference for members of AUSTAQ (Australian String Association Queensland) in September. The conference included presentations on the latest research into Historically Informed Performance and Practicing with Intent, String Masterclasses and a Side-by-Side String Orchestra directed by Rachael Beesley.

• Natural Horn Masterclasses

In June, French horn students at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The University of Melbourne, including members of the Young Mannheim Symphonists, had the opportunity to take part in an inspiring masterclass with Anneke Scott, an internationally renowned natural horn specialist and Principal Horn with the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra who is based in London.

• Open Rehearsals
  As part of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra’s partnership with the Conservatorium High School in Sydney, students from years 8-12 have attended Open Rehearsals throughout the orchestra’s touring seasons.

2022 OUTREACH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

• Northern Sydney Youth Orchestra
  In September, musicians from the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra directed and tutored at the Northern Sydney Youth Orchestra’s Weekend Workshop. Rachael Beesley directed the symphony orchestra in exploring Haydn’s Symphony No.104 ‘London’ with an historically informed perspective and Julia Russoniello directed the string orchestra in music by William Boyce.

• Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney
  Co-artistic directors Rachael Beesley and Nicole van Bruggen presented workshops as part of the Historical Performance department at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in September.

• Woodend Winter Arts Festival Educational Incursion program
  Over 500 students aged 10-14 were treated to an engaging tale of Cultural Narratives, held at Braemar College and presented by violinist and music educator Peter Clark while the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra was touring in Woodend, in regional Victoria. Peter interwove a story around two local brothers who had travelled to Gallipoli in WWI with excerpts and movements from the grandiose Schubert Octet in F major, and introduced the students to the instruments and musicians on stage. For many of these students, it was the first time they had heard live orchestral instruments.

• Orange Youth Orchestra
  While in Orange, in regional NSW, the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra worked together with 32 students of the Orange Youth Orchestra in preparation for their performance of Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture. They were inspired by the historically informed performance tips which helped their performance come to life.

• Natural Horn Masterclasses
  French horn students at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University were treated to a fascinating masterclass with Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra’s London-based, internationally renowned natural horn specialist, Anneke Scott.

2021 EDUCATION PROGRAMS

• The Australian National University
  Following the face-to-face workshops for music students from ANU's Open School of Music in May, co-artistic directors Rachael Beesley and Nicole van Bruggen were thrilled to reconnect with these Canberra music students online again in October.

  An introduction to historically-informed performance was presented with discussions around research techniques, historical recordings and deciphering interpretive editions, and information was shared on how and where the students can find primary and secondary resources and how they can further their studies and careers in the field of HIP. We look forward to following up with live masterclasses and workshops in 2022 and enabling exciting future pathways of these talented young musicians.

  “Thank you so much for the informative session.”
  (Open School of Music student)

• 2021 National ONLINE HIP Professional Development Program
  The 2021 National Online HIP Professional Development program was a unique opportunity for Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra to present an innovative and immersive online course for professional musicians and music educators who logged in from London, The Hague, NSW, ACT, SA, VIC & QLD over two days in October to gain knowledge, inspiration and expertise from specialists in HIP, music education and the digital realm.

  For more information, please follow this link

• The Richard Gill School
  While in Muswellbrook for our performance at the Upper Hunter Conservatorium of Music, we also dropped in on the Richard Gill School. It was fabulous to meet the young students, and to see our friends on staff – in particular principal Chris English.
  
  While we were there we held an impromptu performance and instrument demonstration, which was warmly received by the students, and we joined forces to perform and sing the school song, “O Come Now My Friends”, composed by Nigel Westlake with lyrics by Anthony Gill.

• The Australian National University
  While in town for the Canberra International Music Festival, co-artistic directors Rachael Beesley and Nicole van Bruggen were invited to present workshops for music students from the Australian National University's Open School of Music.
  
  As the ANU website explains, "The Open School of Music is a community outreach initiative that provides developing musicians with a supportive and nurturing environment in which they can improve their technical and theoretical knowledge of music, interact and share their love of music with their peers, and rub shoulders with the world of professional music-making."

  Nicole worked with the clarinet class and a wind quintet and Rachael worked with a Baroque ensemble, and we received some wonderful feedback from those involved.
  
  "Thank you so much for the wonderful masterclasses last Friday. The students are so lucky to have the chance to work with you."
  
  "Thanks so much for all your amazing work with my Baroque Ensemble last Friday afternoon. It was fantastic and incredibly inspiring. The students all really enjoyed it and learnt so much in such a short time. I hope we get another masterclass opportunity with you soon."
  
  "Thank you Rachael and Nicole for your wonderful workshops with students. Nicole, thanks for working with the clarinets and also showing them your clarinet."

  (Open School of Music students)

2020 EDUCATION PROGRAMS

• The Australian National University
  Co-artistic directors, Rachael Beesley and Nicole van Bruggen were invited by Chamber Music Coordinator at the Open School of Music, Lindy Reksten, to present masterclasses and workshops online to a number of chamber music ensembles. Exploring repertoire from the 18th to 21st centuries, the students were presented with ways to explore the original scores, incorporate awareness of the historical and cultural contexts of the repertoire presented and build awareness and expansion of expressive and technical means. We look forward to following the exciting future pathways of these talented young musicians.

• Blackburn High School, VIC
  Katriona Tsyrlin, Strings Coordinator and Violin and Viola teacher at Blackburn High School warmly invited co-artistic director and concertmaster Rachael Beesley to present an online workshop for the Chamber Strings of Blackburn High School on repertoire from the Baroque period. Many students and teachers attended the Zoom classroom which included a the short lecture on Baroque style and technique, an introduction to Baroque instruments and a guide to HIP awareness and interpretation for Corelli’s Christmas Concerto. We look forward to welcoming these talented string players to future Young Mannheim Symphonists programs!

I enjoyed Rachael Beesley teaching us about not only how to interpret the music but the historical context that helped us further understand the music fully.

I liked how Rachael Beesley showed us the baroque bow and explained how different it is to the bow we use. Also found it interesting how the style of music had a connection to the painting/ artwork.  

I liked how each key was associated with its own mood or feeling, meaning that keys were more than just a mode used to make a piece sound slightly cooler

I learnt about the history of violin, and how the bow and violin had been created and improved.

I learnt that the repeat of a passage it is customary to add ornamentation in order to create variance leading to interest

I liked how Rachael taught us about the history about these themes that related to the music we play

I enjoyed that she got us to engage and have fun e.g. getting up and dancing together along with the music

I really enjoyed the visuals that she included and all of the history behind it.

The idea that every key has its own associated mood, its fascinating that it wasn’t just for example, a major or minor key

I enjoyed seeing people dance and I learnt about how we had to emphasize specific beats of a bar.

I enjoyed learning about the history and evolution of the violin bows and how she explained that the construction of the architecture related to the music

The different character of each keys, such as E flat major referring to religion, which was interesting.

How the up and down bows were named, that was really cool :)

• Camberwell Grammar School, VIC
  An online workshop by co-artistic director Rachael Beesley at her old school, Camberwell Grammar School* working with the CGS Music Academy string players on repertoire from the Baroque. The students and many teachers present in the Zoom classroom enjoyed an in-depth discussion and analysis of performing styles and practice techniques for playing music by Vivaldi and Bach with HIP awareness and expertise. Camberwell Grammar School is an educational supporter of the Young Mannheim Symphonists. *As the only girl in the CGS symphony orchestra conducted by the extraordinary former Director of Music John Mallinson, Rachael says "she made friends for life and a lifetime friendship with music”.

• Australian Clarinet Class, National
  Nicole van Bruggen presented at the Australian Clarinet Class on Friday 31 July where she discussed all things historical clarinet and gave masterclasses to tertiary clarinet students from around the country.

2019 Education Programs

• Tasmanian Youth Orchestra, TAS
  Three intensive weekends of historically informed performance practice workshops and rehearsals with the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra, culminating in a public concert at the RACT Symphony Under the Stars concert presented by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart.

  Performing works by Stamitz, Richter and Haydn, directed by Rachael Beesley from the violin and performed standing - the orchestra displayed an extraordinary level communication and professionalism and performed confidently and joyously to a large enthusiastic audience (5000+) in the annual Symphony Under the Stars event.

“HUGE positivity on this side! Thank you both for everything you put together. I really do think that it was the best performance we’ve done at Symphony Under the Stars and I was speaking with a friend who attended and she was very impressed with how polished it all was. Flawless was a word she used!

Thank YOU so very much for your efforts, enthusiasm, wisdom and good humour. It was an absolute pleasure to have you working with our young musicians! In addition to the great comments received, I already have some parents asking when you can come back :-)

Thank you once more for all your efforts and teachings that went into such a highlight of the year.” (TYO Manager)

• Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra, QLD
  Directed by co-artistic directors, violinist, director and concertmaster, Rachael Beesley, and principal clarinettist Nicole van Bruggen, the Sunshine Coast Music Education Program enabled the participants to work with and learn from Australia and Europe’s most respected musicians in historically informed performance practice in an intensive three hour workshop. They prepared Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Peter Warlock's Capriol Suite I & II for a concert for parents and friends.

  Returning for the second time to the Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra, the tutors were impressed by the students’ preparation and their attention to detail and responsiveness to the high level material being delivered.

“I just wanted to say a huge thank-you to all the ARCO players for their workshop with SCYO Chamber Strings we thoroughly enjoyed it - hope to have the experience to work with you again in the future.” (Director, Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra)

• Queensland Clarinet & Saxophone Society Conference, QLD
  ‘Classical Clarinet is HIP’ presentation at the Queensland Clarinet & Saxophone Society Conference - by Nicole van Bruggen, clarinet

• The Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music - Monash University, VIC
  Masterclasses, Workshops, Q&A Sessions about period instruments, repertoire and style of performance and a Lunchtime Concert performing Virtuosic Chamber Music for Winds & Strings by Punto and Devienne at The Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music - Monash University

2018 Education Programs

• Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra, QLD
  Workshop on Rossini’s Barber of Seville Overture with Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra - conducted by Guest Conductor Jakob Lehmann

• Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - University of Melbourne, VIC
  Open Rehearsal of symphonic works by Mendelssohn and Beethoven for horn students from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - University of Melbourne and lessons given by visiting Dutch natural horn virtuoso, Stefan Blonk

2017 Education Programs

• Sydney Conservatorium of Music - University of Sydney, NSW
  Workshop on Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Early Music Ensemble of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music - University of Sydney led by Nicole van Bruggen, clarinet and Rachael Beesley, violin

• Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - University of Melbourne, VIC
  Open Rehearsal on Spohr String Sextet and Mozart Clarinet Quintet / Workshop for Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - University of Melbourne students