Music / Look at the Stars, Australian Youth Orchestra Young Symphonists, conducted by Luke Dollman.  At Snow Concert Hall, April 19.  Reviewed by MICHAEL WILSON.

It was hard to believe that this full symphony orchestra comprised students aged only 12 to 18, such was their confidence and span of expression. 

The Australian Youth Orchestra’s pathways program, Young Symphonists, displayed admirable agility, switching between modern, freeform works of Australian contemporary composers Jessica Wells  and Ann Carr-Boyd to Johann Strauss II’s most celebrated work, and then to the daunting Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.

Both the program and the performance, prepared by internationally renowned conductor Dr Luke Dollman, were a treat, and it was particularly special to have Carr-Boyd and Wells in the audience.

Wells’ Uplift, inspired by the experience of a plane flight, began with rousing quick-driving strings and brass, followed by a soundscape with different solo instruments punching through in turn with melody lines. A complex finish consisted of timing changes, syncopated rhythms and races of triplets.

The title work, Ann Carr-Boyd’s Look at the Stars, is soon to celebrate its 40^th anniversary. Given its subject matter – the bodies in our universe – it is a remarkably restrained work compared to awesome interpretations by Holst, Rodrigo and perhaps John Williams. Instead of being galactic in expression, it is more meditative, inquiring and matter-of-fact, and yet with a shimmering, wondrous character throughout.

While the movement Mars was brassy with a dramatic climax, Sombrero Galaxy served up a cool bossa nova. The final movement, Star Clusters, painted musical dots over a backing canvas of strings and woodwind leading to a full brass and percussion finale. The piece allowed several solo instrumentalists to step forward, and each showed expression, confidence and proficiency.

On the Beautiful Blue Danube by Strauss, started off as a choral waltz before being reworked for orchestra. Because it so well known, a conductor needs to do something with it to avoid schmaltz. Across the five distinct waltz themes, Dollman pulled back on the expression and just let the score speak, including through some further lovely instrumental solos.

Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition allowed this youth orchestra to flex its muscles and also demonstrate delicacy.

The composer conveys the scene of an audience moving through a retrospective exhibition of paintings by his friend Viktor Hartmann, who had recently died, so there is plenty of emotion at play. Here was a full orchestral ensemble with all the trimmings – including a complete set of timpani and two harps.

The two famous promenade themes, the first repeated in several variations across the work, filled the Snow Concert Hall with an electrifying majesty. Equally, the reflective passages with sometimes tricky timings, were delivered with precision.

One special feature of Dollman’s direction was that he warmly acknowledged his young charges before turning to the audience to take the applause. He has taught his musicians to really feel the music, and to show it.

While the Young Symphonists may not yet have the full crispness of the premiere orchestra they’re auditioning for, they made up for it with energy and exuberance.