Kingsland Collective from the Canberra Symphony Orchestra is new, free, professional development program that will offer approximately 15 advanced tertiary and postgraduate musicians a place to hone their skills, professional development opportunities, and a host of invaluable chances to rub shoulders with the Orchestra.

Orchestra concertmaster, Kirsten Williams, will lead the program.

“I feel very humbled that they’ve brought me on to take these programs for young musicians,” she told Canberra Daily.

“There’s very close alignment with what I am and what I want to do … it’s all about encouraging and taking on the next generation.”

For emerging artists across all disciplines, the pandemic has halted or at least impeded the progress of many due to a scarcity of opportunity compared to that of years past.

While the opportunities haven’t been there for emerging musicians of late, Williams said she understands the fire burning inside many aspiring musicians hasn’t been dampened.

“I think a lot of us have found what we had before was so important, to connect in person and play in person; we just want to grab this time now and run with it,” she said.

“There’s a real sense of enthusiasm and freshness to it, we were in hibernation and now we’re out so let’s go for it.”

Williams said Kingsland Collective has been designed to “enrich and complement” participants’ other studies.

“I’m helping create a map for each individual of where they want to go, what they want to be, and see what I can do to help them on that journey,” she said.

‘Much more to auditioning’ than being a fine musician

Alongside direct weekly mentoring from Williams in both orchestral and chamber playing, there will be an emphasis on professional skills development, of which audition preparation is a key component.

“There is so much more to preparing for an audition than being a fine player,” Williams said. “People know that, but don’t necessarily know the ins and outs.”

Having sat on audition panels for “every instrument” at the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Williams said auditions are very different to preparing a recital.

“So often you’re playing so well but just don’t quite get there,” she said. “You just need a bit more inside information with these excerpts; it’s a very simple tweaking.”

There will also be a host of behind-the-scenes opportunities with the Orchestra, including getting to sit in on rehearsals, along with mentoring opportunities connecting participants with established musicians.

“I’ve got quite a good network and always looking to expand that so we can always be connected. So many incredible professionals out there who love giving back like I do,” she said.

Kingsland Collective applications close 25 February. Click here to apply and for more.

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