The story is of a regional orchestra in Wollongong.
Historically locals brought musicians from the city. Then came Kyle Little, a native of Nova Scotia, now Wollongong resident. He built a group of locals to make music because they love to do so.
A series of cameo interviews presents humane locals who are passionate about making music and polishing their personal and combined presentations. Individual interviews are edited into whole orchestra performances in several settings. They give us Mozart, Vivaldi, Holst, Fasch and local Australian compositions.
You might pass these players in the street like others with jobs in and outside the world of music. They show up as remarkably accomplished musicians committed to team harmony and all the discipline, egoless unselfishness that this requires along with the joy.
Normally people outside cities expect to have to travel to hear professional orchestral works or to belong to a professional orchestra. But it is the "ruralness", the attainability of first class music which is so wonderful here.
So refreshing.
The group joins with other local music makers to produce music and inspire young performers. The sessions with young children are deeply moving. Touching scenes of a little boy being shown how to hold and wield a conductor's baton or a young cellist performing Elgar's Cello Concerto flooded most audience hearts.
Two things stand out from this film. One is that it is an inspiring document about the priceless fulfilment music brings to our lives. The other message is about the importance of what is local. Wollongong is not Vienna nor Paris. Wollongong is Wollongong and has its own remarkable people who perform and refine their art. We are so used to seeing highly elaborate and High Tec productions from somewhere else we think this is normal. Precious perhaps; normal not. The music and the Artistic Director of Steel city Strings may come from somewhere else but they produce Wollongong Mozart. If we bring magnetic individuals to rural areas they will flourish in their own unique ways.
Vivaldi would be proud to hear his work in Wollongong and Bowral and Robertson is proud to hear and see Tony Williams' world-class work.
Michael D. Breen
24the May 2018
