YouTube Symphony Orchestra: Guest Post

Mathisha Panagoda, YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 cellist, of Sydney, shares his thoughts on the experience in this guest post:

Bringing the world together: We Australians did it in 2000 with the Olympics held right here in Sydney, but seldom before has the phenomenon of classical music been able to reach such a global audience, all hosted from our own backyard and live-streamed to the world online.

This past week I was often asked why I decided to audition for the YouTube Symphony seeing as it was to be held in my home town. I can honestly say I haven’t been more proud of where I live. After 24 years in Sydney, I can now finally say I’ve climbed the Harbour Bridge!

From over 30 countries, members of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 gather atop Sydney’s famous Harbour Bridge.

Yes, I unashamedly patted a koala, came face to face with a kangaroo, and did just about every touristy thing Sydney has to offer. And I loved it. At the same time I met over 100 inspirational friends, musicians and mentors and had the awesome opportunity to show them my own town. It was a full-on week of intense rehearsals, concerts and activities, but we made time to explore the best of what Sydney has to offer, from The Rocks to Kings Cross, from the Harbour to Bondi. And of course, what better venue to play home to this group of musicians than Sydney Opera House. The YouTube Symphony Orchestra was also a great way to connect new audiences with my own orchestra here and my personal YouTube channel.

I only wish it could have lasted just a bit longer. One week hasn’t been long enough to get to know everyone as well as I would have liked, but I know we’ll all stay in touch the same way we met — over the Internet. I think we can walk away knowing that we made a lasting impression on the world and pulled off something really innovative and spectacular.

Mathisha Panagoda, cellist, YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011, recently watched Ascending Bird - Kseniya Simonova Sand Art

Coming soon: The YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 Grand Finale live

This is a cross-post from the Official YouTube blog

What began with auditions from around the world uploaded to YouTube, millions of video views, and hours of rehearsals, finally comes to life this Sunday, March 20. It has been an extraordinary experience for the 101 winning musicians of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, and in just a couple of days their collaborative experience will come to life at Sydney Opera House.

Here’s a preview of what’s to come:

The week-long YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 festival includes musical collaboration between orchestra members and world-class mentors, outdoor performances, local Aussie experiences, ensemble concerts and more. In just a few days, the creativity and technology that have powered this journey will literally light up Sydney Opera House—with animated visuals on the interior and exterior projections on the iconic sails, all synchronised to the music of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011’s performance.

You’re invited to experience this wonderful event, whether you’re inside Sydney Opera House, out around Sydney Harbour, or watching from your computer elsewhere in the world. The Grand Finale will be live-streamed on youtube.com/symphony beginning at 8:00pm Australian Eastern Standard time, and rebroadcast until the concert performance is uploaded in full, so tune in on Sunday, March 20.

Ernesto Soriano III, YouTube Australia, recently watched “YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 Day 4 Highlights.”

The YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 arrives in Sydney

This is a cross-post from the Official YouTube blog.

This weekend, 101 musicians from more than 30 countries descended upon Sydney to form the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011. After a process of online auditions, public voting, and decisions by our orchestra partners and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, the 97 orchestral musicians and four winning soloists are now hard at work to ensure their finale performance in Sydney on March 20 is nothing short of extraordinary.

This week marks the final phase of their journey: A seven-day festival of music, creativity and technology in and around one of the world’s most iconic symbol of the arts, Sydney Opera House. They’ve arrived from all over the world, speak multiple languages, and bring with them diverse musical and cultural insights from around the globe. And their days have been filled with experiences they’re sure to carry with them beyond Sydney — from the first rehearsal inside Sydney Opera House under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas, to a trip to the zoo to pet the marsupials and feed the giraffes.

Here’s a peek at how the week is shaping up:

We’ll be following the orchestra all week to find out how the collaborative work of these musicians, who met in person for the first time just days ago, translates into a single finale performance, brought to life through real time projections on the sails of Sydney Opera House. The grand finale on March 20 will be live streamed around the globe on youtube.com/symphony.

A sneak peek of what’s to come at the Grand Finale.

Want to know what the orchestra is up to this week? Follow us on twitter (@googledownunder, #ytso) and be sure to tune into youtube.com/symphony for daily highlights from around Sydney!

Posted by Ernesto Soriano, YouTube Australia product marketing, recently watched “Vloggin Day 1 Sydney.”

Two Weeks until the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011

In just a few days the YouTube Symphony Orchestra arrives in Sydney. The 97 orchestral musicians, winning improvisers, and Michael Tilson Thomas have been hard at work to ensure that their performances in Sydney are nothing short of extraordinary. And to give you a sneak peek, Tourism Australia has flown four winning musicians down under in advance of the full orchestra’s arrival to spend some time with some of Australia’s up and coming musical talent. The pair, Desmond from London, and Luke from NSW have completed a musical track, inspired by their journey:

The YouTube Symphony Orchestra kicks off March 15 for a week-long festival of creativity, technology and the arts. The Grand Finale is nearly sold out, but be sure to pick up your tickets at the Sydney Opera House website for any of the week’s ensemble concerts and the Saturday matinee.

This year, we’ll also be joining an additional YouTuber to jam with the YouTube Symphony Orchestra at a special, pre-finale performance at The Basement. Here’s the winning entry from Qantas’ open mic competition, Zak Gottleib:

Even if you don’t have tickets, be sure to come down to Dawes Point to watch the Opera House sails come to life during the Grand finale performance on 20 March. And stay tuned for more sneak peeks of what’s to come!

Posted by Ernesto Soriano, YouTube Team, just watched Making Tracks: Stu and Sam cycling in Canberra