Spring Youth
Music Festival: Digital
SYMF Digital 2022: WALI
Wali featured over three hundred local school children coming together to sing original Djinama Yilaga songs in Dhurga language. These songs were imparted to the children through Four Winds artists in schools program featuring Djinama Yilaga member Tamsin Davison and local musician and educator Robyn Martin.
This project marked a heartwarming return to the world of singing and communal music-making after several years of pandemic-related disruptions.
Renowned choir leader Rachel Hore, of Big Sing in the Desert, graced Wali with her time and energy, skillfully uniting the voices of these young performers. This moving and uplifting event was witnessed by appreciative parents and community members.
Ella Macens, a gifted composer, arranged the Dhurga songs for Djinama Yilaga, our massed children’s choir, adult voices, and chamber orchestra, resulting in a harmonious and inspiring fusion.
Additionally, our local schools also presented a delightful mix of music and dance, adding to the rich tapestry of this festival.
Introduction (sizzle)
Short sample of activities of the Four Winds 2022 Spring Youth Music Festival: Wali
News Piece
Interviews and performances from the 2022 Spring Youth Music Festival: Wali
Walawaani
Walawaani by Shakeela Williams and William Barton arranged by Ella Macens, Djinama Yilaga and Lou Bennett Conducted by Rachel Hore. Djinama Yilaga Choir with Inventi Ensemble, Luminescence Chamber Singers and David Hewitt.
Our Way
Our Way by Djinama Yilaga arranged by Ella Macens, Djinama Yilaga and Lou Bennett Conducted by Rachel Hore. Djinama Yilaga Choir with Inventi Ensemble, Luminescence Chamber Singers, Dean Gray and David Hewitt.
It Wasn’t True
It Wasn’t True by Angus Carpenter arranged by David Hewitt. Angus Carpenter and Inventi Ensemble. Angus Carpenter is a singer songwriter from the far south coast of NSW and attends Bega Highschool. In his song writing he draws emotion and storytelling to the surface to express his connection to the people and places around him. When Angus performs he hopes the audience can create their own meaning from the melodies and lyrics, or simply enjoy the unique and beautiful sounds of his voice accompanied by soothing guitar and piano.
Guitarama
‘Fiesta’ by Tommy Emmanuel and ‘Tamacun’ by Rodrigo y Gabriella
Music teacher Dave Crowden formed Guitarama in 2004 as a classical guitar ensemble. As its members have come and gone it has evolved to include Latin American, Afro, Celtic, and Jazz styles many of which are original tunes written by members of the ensemble. Guitarama have established themselves as a professional outfit on the south coast of New South Wales, with fans thoroughly enjoying their live performances for their memorable tunes, and intricate guitar work.
Jules Roche with Inventi Ensemble
Four Winds 2022 Spring Youth Music Festival – Jules Roche ( Guitar) with Inventi Ensemble.
‘Dos Oruguitas’ by Lin Manuel Miranda arr. Dave Crowden and Inventi Ensemble.
SYMF Digital 2021
Welcome to Four Winds- Spring Youth Music Festival 2021: Digital
An informative welcome, introduction and overview of the digital festival’s role in developing and showcasing our regions most talented youth performers in beautifully produced videos created by the audio-visual production team of Sam’s Caravan.
Felicity Dowd
One of our region’s rising stars, singer songwriter Felicity Dowd performs and discusses her intimate and moving original songs inspired by stories and people on the land.
Kobi Davison
Though only young, Kobi is fast becoming a seasoned performer as a member of the Djinama Yilaga Choir. Kobi’s performs and discusses his original composition ‘umbarra’, which he wrote in the Dhurga language of his Yuin cultural heritage. Accompanied by David Ross Macdonald on guitar.
Amelie Ziino
Violinist Amelie Ziino is no stranger to Four Winds audiences, having performed at Four Winds Easter and Spring Youth Music Festivals. Amelie regularly performs with her older brother Luca, who accompanies her on piano. Together they have formed an almost telepathic connection as only siblings can. Amelie and Luca discuss their music, playing relationship and perform works by Elgar, Sarasate and Bartok.
Jade Wilson
THIS VIDEO IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
This performance of Jade and Hunter’s was a completely spontaneous affair. On the spur of the moment having never played together before they performed Jessie J’s ‘Pricetag’ with wonderful results. Jade has performed as part of Four Winds 2020 Spring Youth Music Festival. Pianist Hunter Bailey-Watts has participated in many Four Winds youth events most recently as part of the 2022 Easter festival.
Nikea Hayes and Dre Wicks
Singer songwriter Nikea Hayes performs her original songs ‘Listen’ and ‘Rights’.
Nikea’s songs and powerful soulful voice expresses deep emotion, passion, and pride – particularly for her indigenous heritage. She is accompanied by her cousin Dre Wicks on guitar. They have performed at Giiyong Festival , REVIVE- Murrah Hall, and have a feature track on the album DJAMAGA MUSIC called ‘RIGHTS’, released by South East Arts in 2021.
HUNTER BAILEY-WATTS
Pianist Hunter Bailey-Watts performs Etude in Bb minor Op.4 No.3 by Karol Szymanowski.
Hunter has been involved with Four Winds since the inaugural Spring Youth Festival in 2018 and recently performed in our Four Winds Festival at Easter 2022. Hunter was born and raised in the town of Pambula on the NSW Far South Coast and has worked alongside local groups from a young age such as Spectrum Theatre, Spirit Allegro Chamber Choir and The Sapphire Coast Jazz Band. Hunter is now studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under the tutelage of Australian concert pianist Stephanie McCallum he is pursuing a career in performance and hopes to continue with further study in Europe.
Bodhi Turner
Bodhi is a young musician from the far south coast of NSW. Her songs are original, raw and engaging. Bodhi plays guitar and sings in folk and pop genres. Bodhi won the NSW young folk songwriter of the year award in 2021 playing at the Gaelic Club in Surry Hills and has played several gigs around in the region including REVIVE at the Murrah Hall, River Rock Cafe opening for Scaramouche, Navigate Arts opening for Out Of Abington and Mals Pizza Bite and The Dromedary Pub.
Guitarama
Guitarama perform Obrigado by Dave Crowden and Oasis by Leo Bugden. Music teacher Dave Crowden formed Guitarama in 2004 as a classical guitar ensemble, they have since established themselves as a much loved outfit on the south coast of New South Wales, with fans thoroughly enjoying their live performances for their memorable tunes, and intricate guitar work. As its members have come and gone it has evolved to include Latin American, Afro, Celtic, and Jazz styles many of which are original tunes written by members of the ensemble.
Acoustic Guitar: Lillian McVeity, Felicity Dowd, Finn Stone, Jules Roche Acoustic Bass: Scarlett Wittaker
Angus Carpenter
THIS VIDEO IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Angus is a student at Bega High School who in addition to learning guitar and piano creates and performs his original compositions. In this video Angus performs the Adele version of the Bob Dylan song ‘Make You feel My Love’ written by Bob Dylan. Angus dedicates this performance to much loved and missed local schoolteacher Lisa Freedman, who was an enormous supporter of youth music and performing culture in the region.
The Imka Trio
The Imka trio is lead by pianist Hunter Bailey-Watts and comprises students who are currently studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
They perform the second movement ‘Dialogue’ from the Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano by English composer Madeline Dring in 1971. The work features a haunting and evocative conversation of alternating sweet and brooding harmonic colours.
Luca Ziino
Luca is no stranger to Four Winds audiences having performed many times at previous Spring Youth Music Festivals. He is currently studying piano performance with Bernadette Harvey at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Luca particularly enjoys accompanying other musicians including his younger sister Amelie who is also a featured performer in this digital program. Luca performs the solo piano work Brahms : Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79 No. 1.
Giaan Café
Singer songwriter and guitarist Giaan café has participated in past Four Winds youth programs on a number of occasions. Here she performs her original song ‘Footprint’ which she wrote during lockdown. Giaan wishes to continue to build her skills, singing, playing, and performing into the future with plans to study music as an HSC subject in 2023 – 24.
Jakob Poyner
Jakob really enjoys that he makes people happy with his music. He covers a bit of everything and is developing a bit of a modern country and blues bent. He got his first guitar when he was eight and a half and has been playing and singing ever since! (He’ll be 18 in August!) Jakob writes and performs his own songs and hopes to be able to continue doing what he enjoys. He has performed gigs at local venues, including Tilba Winery, Tilba Pub, Oyster Farmer’s Daughter, Bermagui Pub, etc as well as a support act for Caravana Sun and Ash GRUNWALD . You can also check him out on his YouTube channel, under Jakob Poyner. Here Jakob performs his original songs –‘Tales of Loving You’ and ‘Are You Ok?’.
Lillian McVeity
Lillian McVeity is a brilliant young singer/songwriter/guitarist who delivers ethereal and soulful songs with sophistication well beyond her years. She writes captivating lyrics and accompanies her vocals with exquisite guitar. Lillian performs regularly on stages around the Sapphire Coast and at local music festivals. In this video Lillian performs her original songs ‘Freya’ ‘Always’ and ‘Terpsichore’.
Felicity Dowd
Felicity is performs ‘Blue Skies’, her incredibly moving tribute to fire affected communities. Felicity’s debut recording of this song rose to number one on the iTunes Country Songs Chart and she won the 2020 Tamworth Song Writing Association Talent Quest (Youth Category).
‘Blue Skies’ is a really meaningful piece to me. When I first wrote the track in Early December 2019, it was intended to reflect on the strength and community Australians had shown during natural disasters over the past 20-30 years. However, it wasn’t until the Black Summer Bushfires (2019-20), when the fires came to our beautiful area, that I knew this song could be used to make a difference and support the community. I decided to release this song in March 2021, donating all of the money raised from streams, downloads and purchases of the song during its first 12 months to the ‘Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund’. I wanted this track to be able to support a community that showed the same togetherness through adversity that I had originally written this track to honour.
SMYF DIGITAL 2021 WISHES TO Thank:
David Hewitt – Creative Director, Create & Inspire
Lara Crew – Producer, Create & Inspire
Cheryl Davison – Aboriginal Creative Producer
Marika Nordquist – Producer
Jeff Donovan – Artistic Administration
Thank you to all the youth, parents, guardians, teachers and supporters involved in the project.
Sam’s Caravan Crew
Sam Martin
Andrew Robinson
Sam Seidel
Brent Occelshaw
SYMF Digital 2020
Lara Crew, Four Winds’ passionate and dedicated producer of the Create and Inspire programs, invites you to enjoy our digital presentation of the 2020 Spring Festival. Thanks to Covid-19, our participants had a great recording experience and have a lasting document of their work on the festival, enjoy!
Lara Crew – Producer Create & Inspire
Iris White Welcome to Country
Our beautiful venues stand on Yuin country. Elder Iris White, a Djiringanj/Monaro Ngarigo woman, here gives our Spring Festival a special welcome to country, a story of a basket.
Walawaani: Djinama Yilaga
The Djinama Yilaga Choir was born in 2020, supported by the National Museum of Australia. The choir members have written songs in Dhurga language including this welcome song, Walawaani, which was written by student Shakeela Williams.
Ganbi!
Elder Iris White, a Djiringanj/Monaro Ngarigo woman, introduces us to Ganbi! (Fire!), a song the Djinama Yilaga Choir wrote in Dhurga language with the assistance of Dr Lou Bennett, language scholar, composer, and ex-member of Tiddas.
Gesture without motion
Young Bega Valley pianist and composer Hunter Bailey-Watts performs his first piano trio composition ‘Gesture Without Motion’ with Isabella Lightly on violin, and Nyah Cockle on cello.
Black is the Colour
A traditional Irish folk ballad made famous by Irish singer Christy Moore, performed here by Giaan Cafe in the beautiful Windsong Pavilion.
etude
South Coast student Thomas Whitaker performs Chopin’s solo piano work known as the ‘Revolutionary Étude’ or the ‘Étude on the Bombardment of Warsaw’, written by Frédéric Chopin circa 1831.
Short Doco
A short film about the experiences and knowledge gained by our region’s young people through their involvement in programmes such as Four Winds Youth Music Festival.
Sword Dance
The Bega Valley Youth Orchestra is going from strength to strength, helped along by mentors Geoffrey Badger, Vanessa Vromans, and Anna Martin-Scrase. Here the BVYO plays ‘Sword Dance’, arranged by Bob Phillips, from the Capriole Suite by Peter Warlock.
Summertime
Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ performed by young trumpeter Finn Efraemson, accompanied by his father, Dan Efraemson, a music teacher at Narooma High School.
Jig
The ‘chamber strings’ section of the Bega Valley Youth Orchestra perform the jig from Holst’s St Paul’s Suite, 1st movement. The chamber strings are some of the more experienced players from the Bega Valley Youth Orchestra.
Nocturne for Bellbirds
‘Nocturne for Bellbirds’ a piece by Australian composer Matt Laing, was commissioned by Four Winds for the Spring Festival, specifically for this trio. The trio was coached by cellist and music teacher Anna Martin-Scrase. Luca Ziino is on piano, his sister Amelie Ziino on violin and Nyah Cockle on cello.
It’s Dark Out Here
I I O – Brother and sister Isabel and Oscar (piano) and India perform their own composition, ‘It’s Dark Out Here’.
Wild Mountain Thyme
The pure and simple sounds of the tin whistle are rendered beautifully by Hannah Buchli in Wild Mountain Thyme by Robert Tannahill.
Noyz in the Hood
Luca and Emma play ‘Noyz in the Hood’ by Stuart Greenbaum.
Vivaldi
Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto in G minor performed by Nyah Cockle with music teacher and mentor Anna Martin-Scrase, and Hunter Bailey-Watts on our beautiful donated harpsichord.
Sophie
Jack fell in love with this song after finding it on Youtube a few years ago, ‘Sophie’ by The Altogether.
Interview
An interview with two of our young Yuin artists.
Interview
We profile young cellist Nyah Cockle, one of our budding young stars… “Ambition and Music!”
SYMF DIGITAL 2020 WISHES TO Thank:
All our wonderful performers and their parents who drove them to all their rehearsals and supported them beautifully through their practice, preparation and nerves!
Our talented and supportive Mentors: Beautifully Mad’s Tony King and Nina Vox; Dan Efraemson and the BVYO’s Anna-Martin Scrase, Vanessa Vromans and Geoffrey Badger.
The clever and efficient Digital First Team: Ramona Curmi, John McVeity, Chris Sheedy, Lyndon Willoughby.
Our inspiring Artists in Schools: David Hewitt, Robyn Martin, Tamlyn Magee, Jacqui Howarth.
Our Partner Schools (Bermagui Primary, Candelo Primary, Narooma Primary, Tanja Primary, Tathra Primary, Tilba Primary) and their principals and staff who are dedicated to creativity in our schools.
Our generous and fun school performers: Sydney Youth Orchestra Quart-Ed and Zeeko.
Our fantastic photographer: Ben Marden.
and of course…
The tireless Four Winds Team: Lara Crew, Cheryl Davison, Jeff Donovan, David Francis, Lisa Herbert, Marika Nordquist & Leigh Richards.
