Most teenagers spend their holidays with friends, family, travelling and enjoying the features our region has to offer.
However, Port Macquarie High student Ben Robinson managed to put this aside in his precious holidays to attend an elite program for national composers.
In late 2011, Ben was accepted to attend the Gondwana Composers School, an eight-day intensive workshop for 15 of Australia’s elite up and coming composers. During the January holidays, Ben attended the intensive school program held at DunmoreLang College, Macquarie University, NSW.
“It was fantastic being with 14 other composers for a whole week. We talked music all day and then after learning hours too,” said Ben.
The Gondwana workshops were under the direction of internationally acclaimed choral composer Stephen Leek.
“Learning under Stephen Leek was brilliant,” Ben said.
“For the first two days we learnt all different techniques and methods for composition.”
As part of the workshops, Ben and his fellow composers wrote choral pieces for a range of choirs. The team worked in collaboration as well as a solo task to be completed in under a day.
“On the third day we were given our first solo task, where we had approximately three hours to start and finish a complete SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) song for one of the Gondwana choirs,” Ben said.
“I chose the “Choral’ choir as they are the most mature choir at Gondwana.
“Once completed, the Choral received copies of the music, sight read the music and sang it in small groups.
“The best part of the week was hearing the entire Choral choir sing a piece of mine.”
By the end of the workshop Ben had made an impression on everyone including Mr Leek, along with making new friends from around the nation.
Stephen Leek wrote to Ben’s piano teacher and local Musical Director of the Hastings Choristers, Robyn Ryan OAM, stating: “It was such a pleasure to have Ben at the Composers School – he was great to have in the class and very popular with all the composers and choristers. He made many new good friends which I know will last him a lifetime…. and he is very talented too…’
This magnificent achievement has followed a successful 18 months for Ben, winning numerous competitions for his works such as 2011 first Harmony Day Songwriting competition, and placing first in 2010’s ACMF songwriting competition – song with no lyrics.
What lies ahead is unknown for most 15-year-olds, however music is definitely a part of this young man’s future.
“Before that week I had never written for more than one voice and now I confidently can,” Ben said
