- 7 hours ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:13yeah that's dinner when you see a lot of that steam coming out of your mouth then
00:17you know he's cooking real well on the inside the outback can seem like a different world
00:26especially if you're from the inner city these talented young musicians are part of the Sydney
00:34Youth Orchestras Australia's premier training ground for the next generation of classical
00:40musicians and they're about to find out just how different rural Australia is
00:50Backroads is joining them on a journey all the way from big bustling Sydney
00:55to tiny Wilcannia in the middle of the vast New South Wales outback
01:02where they'll perform in an unforgettable concert with local singers and musicians
01:10for the kids from the bush it'll be a rare chance not only to see an orchestra
01:16but to perform with one here we go
01:23and for those from the city it'll be a special opportunity to learn about life in the outback
01:30and you just have to pull really gently for both groups it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet
01:35people from far-off places and maybe even make friends you did that yourself yeah that's insane
01:42that's like talent but will it all come together in time for the big gala performance in Broken Hill
01:50here we go choir ready I'm Jeremy Fernandez newsreader and classical music tragic I'm going along for the
01:59ride I can't wait to see if music can bridge the divide between the city and the bush
02:22for more than 50 years the Sydney youth orchestras or SYO has been a stepping stone for hundreds of young
02:29musicians
02:30keen to turn their hobby into a profession this morning around 70 of them heading off from the big sky
02:40tour
02:48over the next 11 days they'll travel more than 3,000 kilometers through rural New South Wales
03:01along the way they'll collaborate with local performers
03:06many of them like 15 year old Demille have never seen the outback before hi Demille what are you
03:14looking forward to I'm really looking forward to sort of meeting new people connecting with them
03:19um just sort of talking about each other's cultures learning about each other for these city folk it'll
03:26be a journey into the unknown music can connect pretty much anyone the power you feel when like
03:32there's a massive orchestra here and everything is like the dynamics it's incredible some of these
03:36people are going to be hearing that for the first time yeah absolutely it's gonna be insane insane
03:43while the orchestra's big sky tour hits the road I'm skipping forward to Wilcannia where they're due to
03:51perform in just four days and the anticipation is building I've never actually been this far west in New
04:00South Wales before like hundreds of people every day I've flown overhead lots of times I've always
04:06wondered what life looks like on the ground so this is gonna be a learning experience for me
04:11too Wilcannia is a small outback town on the banks of the Darling River the stately sandstone
04:22buildings dotted about are reminders of its heyday as one of the busiest river port towns in Australia
04:30these days only about 700 people call Wilcannia home and more than 60 percent of them are indigenous
04:38most are Barkindji the traditional owners in the past this town has received a bad rap in the media
04:46but Wilcannia has much to be proud of we hope our banner makes people feel proud calm and connected
04:52to Barkindji culture and lean including the Wilcannia children's choir will soon meet the syo big sky
05:13orchestra for the first time and they'll perform together first here in Wilcannia and then in a gala
05:25concert in Broken Hill so the choir is basically a thing to give kids opportunities to sing and just to
05:36enjoy themselves and just feel amazing for 11 year old Zaley the choir is a chance to practice some of
05:44the Barkindji language she's been learning at school we like to sing songs that have like our Aboriginal
05:54words in it to learn our culture it's really nice learning all the Aboriginal words and stuff all righty
06:06guys let's start the family song the kids themselves formed the choir in 2022 with the help of teachers at
06:16the Wilcannia Central School 14 year old Imogen was one of the founding members I've always wanted to
06:25sing since I was little it makes me happy singing we all like sat down one day and we were
06:30just talking
06:30about it and so we decided to do it and her 12 year old sister Olivia joined soon after everyone
06:38was just like nice no one judged anyone and I felt like myself like I could just sing and singing
06:45just
06:45makes you feel better it takes away like all your frustrations and like your feelings and emotions
06:52and that and it just makes you feel calm Imogen and Olivia come from a large musical family they can't
07:10wait
07:10to perform with the Big Sky Orchestra so we are making clapping sticks for the past few weeks they've
07:18devoted their free time to making souvenirs for their visitors this wood is boxwood and this is
07:25mulga they're just like it was something that all of us kids in the student leadership came up with we
07:32just wanted a way to like give them something from us that means something to us so they can take
07:40a part
07:41of our country it'll also be a way to raise money for the choir now tell me about what you
07:48know about
07:48the orchestra nothing there's gonna be heaps of kids and heaps of instruments have you seen an
07:56orchestra before I'm not in real life only on like movies and TV shows and stuff like that and what
08:03do
08:03you think it's gonna be like seeing that for the first time it looks very confusing confusing I think it
08:09would sound like a dream I can just imagine like walking in and hearing them all together the
08:16melodies and the harmonizing it would just be a magical experience will be anxious I think over
08:26time it'll get better we have a couple days with them and I think it will settle down what do
08:33you want
08:34to teach them about your community to respect that community and not trash the place and to show them
08:41that as a caring and loving community what about you imagine what do you want to share with your
08:47visitors um I heard that they go home wanting to come back that they enjoy the experience of being out
08:57everybody and that they have fun but also learn some of our culture ways and learn some of our
09:05Barkindji words but yeah most of all just have fun these girls care deeply about the home they're about
09:14to share we'll go places go anywhere in the world but this will always be our home
09:21this will always be our namaka namaka means mother so this is our mother land and just the privilege of
09:31calling this my home that's so beautiful
09:39I wasn't sure what to expect from Wilcannia but in the short time I've been here the young
09:45people I've met have really blown me away I hope the orchestra will feel the same
09:54having already visited the towns of Warren Burke and Coba they're finally arriving in Wilcannia
10:08I love your hair thank you almost immediately these kids from different worlds are starting
10:18to find common ground what's your name you did that yourself yeah that's insane dude that's like
10:25talented I could never do that good and you should feel it like vibrating if you press in quite hard
10:35it seems like friendships are already being formed you've met a few members of the choir first
10:42impressions I think they're all like insanely talented and they're just they're so warming and
10:48so inviting it's really really nice but the scale of the performance is just beginning to dawn on some
10:55of them are we gonna be performing on stage with Tom yes and feel very very tiny and there's a
11:06little
11:06apprehension will you notice if someone messes up I don't think anyone really cares I think it's like
11:15you say it's about the joy of making music together right do you think they're very nervous and scared
11:20racking I think everyone just wants to do their best so everyone's a bit nervous about that do you
11:26reckon everyone will make fun of everyone or just not support everyone I think everyone's really
11:30supportive and just want to make some good music together good luck the whole gang is heading back to
11:41school for their first rehearsal but Zaley's dad Davrick has invited me to an emu in the hole cooker so
11:52I can
11:52experience some traditional Bakanji culture this kind of cooking is only rarely practiced these days so I
12:00feel very lucky to be asked along just grab that shovel film at the side buddy yeah yeah that's dinner
12:16all done all done Davrick and his friend uncle Suno are preparing this bird for a lunch honoring their
12:23elders see where you can see the smoke coming out yeah that's what we want to stop that steam coming
12:29out
12:29got it I want to minimize all that that's when all the heat is basically in the hole like many
12:34members of this community they're determined to keep their traditions alive so you've just got
12:40the emu's head still sticking out still sticking out yeah we'll break a stick we'll open up the beak
12:46put the stick in there when you see a lot of that steam coming out of his mouth then you
12:49know he's
12:50cooking real well on the inside so that's almost like a your temperature gauge yeah yeah Uncle Suno
12:55learned this skill from his elders and it's important to him to pass it on to younger generations just
13:02gotta be practicing every time when you do them you're cooking and then you're showing someone else
13:07and then you know that you taught them and when I'm finished like after the night this might be my
13:13last one so it's up to these two guys either be doing to see a couple of hours later it's
13:23time to check in
13:24on the big chook he's done he's ready to roll beautiful and then you get him up next on them
13:41it's in there it's smoky taste taste the gum leaf too the gum leaves stays in it and the smoky
13:48taste from the feathers you get them in there it's a good good mix before I came here I read
14:05warnings
14:06that Wilcania was a rough town one to avoid but really all I've seen so far is friendliness and
14:13generosity from a community proud of its culture and passionate about preserving it back at Wilcania
14:27Central School the choir and the orchestra are about to find out whether the appearing is going to work
14:35after just a short rehearsal they'll now perform for the local community this will be a warm-up for
14:43the big gala concert in Broken Hill in just a few days the school only has 82 students so have
14:54an
14:54orchestra of 70 visit is a big deal now the most important part of the concert our wonderful choir
15:16friends come and join us please make them welcome this song called family song is special to both the
15:40choir kids and the community it was written by the Barkindji musician Nancy Bates and includes words from
15:54their language are they amazing thank you so much for locals it's emotional to hear songs performed in
16:21their own language just lifted me I almost cried to watch them sing in language and I it just warms
16:29me
16:30I I'm quite inspired myself to learn more language and for the visitors it's a real eye-opener I've never
16:43really experienced this raw out back then I come here and I see that they're musical they're setting
16:50up choirs they really love what they're doing I saw kids with their eyes closed I saw kids just feeling
16:57the music smiling because they were so happy it's a lot in the playground Imogen's clapping sticks are a hit
17:30the excitement humor and goodwill these kids share is evident you can see them discovering the things
17:38that connect them are far greater than their differences while this warm-up performance has gone
17:51well it's only a few days until the group will face a much bigger test in their Broken Hill gala
17:57concert and
17:58before then they need to learn a brand new song walk on by they don't look at me I'm forgotten
18:14people in my country that song rise up was written by the Barkindji singer-songwriter Leroy Johnson
18:25who's a bit of a star in these parts
18:37Leroy was born in Wilcannia and now works as a national parks manager how does it make you feel listening
18:44to the Wilcannia
18:45kids children from your hometown singing that that's pretty deadly um that makes me very proud you know I'm
18:52hoping that they take those messages and form their own and and do good things for themselves for their families
18:58and you know make us proud
19:05tell me about your song rise up what the words mean it's a song about oppression and how we oppose
19:14that you know stand up to that oppression being held back and being overlooked um and it's a song about
19:21hey this is our country we stand up here and we're gonna use our voice rise up with the concert
19:28just a couple of days away
19:29it doesn't leave long for everyone to perfect the song
19:35you will see the time is now for you and most of them haven't really performed together before is that
19:45a difficult thing to do bringing these two groups together
19:47it's an anxious thing to do i think everyone gets anxious but all those kids are learning my song rise
19:52up not much notice
19:53but uh i think once we all mash it together we can make something pretty special
20:01well tonight's the night the sydney youth orchestra's big sky tour comes to an end at the civic center
20:07seven o'clock doors will open a big performance a massive collaboration between many many talented musicians
20:13the broken hill philharmonic choir the community choir and the wilcannia children's choir i'm joined by
20:19zaley and imogen girls how are we feeling about tonight very nervous but i think
20:25and excited probably i think once we get on stage it'll wear away especially because there's like heaps of
20:31people up there with us agreed the last few days have felt like a whirlwind but the day of the
20:38garlic
20:38concert is finally here what does it mean to you to have this kind of opportunity to perform in front
20:45of
20:45a big group like you're going to do tonight at the civic center like i'm excited for tonight tiny bit
20:51nervous
20:51but the fact that i'm standing with heaps of other people and all of the eyes aren't going to be
20:56just on me
20:57takes it away
21:00in very little time it feels like this group has bonded over their shared love of music
21:06please give them a huge welcome
21:09but the proof will be in the pudding and i've got my fingers and toes crossed for them
21:33only to the winner in the mit четвервон bla bla bla bla bla bla bla la bla bla bla bla
21:43bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla
21:43We've got a face in you in the hole.
21:50This country, this model,
21:55Lucania, Lucania.
22:01We love Lucania!
22:14Now to join them, can we please welcome the wonderful Leroy Johnson to sing one of Leroy's works, Rise Up.
22:32They walk on back
22:37They don't look at me
22:40Cause I'm forgotten people
22:46In my country
22:50I'm on the streets
22:54I'm on the land
22:59Visible
23:02To the every man
23:05Rise up
23:07Come sit back
23:09Take the future
23:11Get your pride back
23:14Rise up
23:15And we'll see
23:18This is a summer land
23:20It's not a white tree
23:24It's not a white tree
23:42It's been a triumph, and after getting to know these kids, I feel like a proud parent.
23:48And the excitement is palpable, both from the audience and the cast.
23:54How did the kids go today?
23:57Oh my God, they were absolutely amazing.
24:00Way better than we expected.
24:02Yeah, great.
24:02Big voices, big energy.
24:04Absolutely.
24:04Yeah, they were insane.
24:06Insane.
24:06Seeing as if they were professionals.
24:08What did it feel like to be on stage, with a big audience looking at you and clapping?
24:13Probably popular or something.
24:15You felt popular?
24:16Yeah.
24:18Do you want to do that again?
24:19Yes!
24:21They were awesome.
24:22The audience loved them.
24:23They loved the audience.
24:24You could just see pure joy on their faces, the sparks.
24:27It just felt so alive.
24:29It feels really different to a lot of performances that I do.
24:32So I'm really glad I went on this tour.
24:33It feels really special.
24:35Well done, everyone.
24:37Thank you so much.
24:51After the success of the concert, the kids get to spend one final day hanging out together in Woodowindji National
24:57Park.
24:58This is a sacred place to the Barkanji, and one that some of the choir kids will be expected to
25:05look after when they're older.
25:14And as their time together draws to an end, everyone's feeling the weight of saying goodbye.
25:21I'll probably be crying in my room tonight, but...
25:23Really?
25:24Yeah.
25:24Why?
25:25Because it's actually fun meeting new people and hanging around, because they're really fun to hang around.
25:30Do you think all of you had music in common?
25:33Yeah.
25:34Some are instruments and some are with our voice.
25:37Do you think that's why you got along really well?
25:41No.
25:41Just our humour.
25:47What do you think the other kids will take out of this experience?
25:50I just hope that they had fun and that they'd want to come back again.
25:59In the past week or so, I've seen these kids from different worlds share experiences that will shape them.
26:07We think of rural Australia as what everybody depicts it as, the stereotypes, kangaroos, complete desert.
26:19But then we come to little communities like this, and yet we see choirs being set up, we see people
26:25being able to play instruments.
26:27It's hopeful.
26:28That's what it is.
26:29It's hopeful.
26:32The one thing that I'd like to do in life is make my parents proud of me.
26:37And they thought that I was amazing.
26:40And I was just like, I'm not the one that's amazing.
26:43We're all amazing together.
27:02It's a big ask to hurl a bunch of kids and young adults from the city and the bush together
27:07and say,
27:07Hey, you all like music, go hang out and have fun.
27:11But music hasn't been just a bridge.
27:14It's been a gateway to sharing so much more.
27:18A sense of humour, friendships, curiosity and pride in where you're from.
27:26In an Australia that can feel so vast and divided sometimes, seeing these young musicians come together has been hugely
27:34uplifting.
27:43Next time, we're exploring Australia's very own Jurassic Park.
27:52Where two World Heritage icons meet.
27:57It makes it really hard to pick a holiday destination when you live here.
28:01And as a Queenslander, am I still a banana bender?
28:06If you get a dud bunch, next time you're in the supermarket, it's not them.
28:10It's me!
Comments