Debut gig at Games
Musicians amped for big stage
A GROUP of southern Gold Coasters who have only ever performed their music in front of family and friends will be catapulted on to the world stage during the Commonwealth Games.
The aspiring musicians have been selected to perform alongside national and international artists at the Athlete’s Village and at Festival 2018 events.
The musicians of Youth Music Venture, based in Palm Beach, have been rehearsing tirelessly with mentor Michael McCartney, a drummer for Grammy Award-winning band Wolfmother, in preparation for their debut.
The Youth Music Venture launched in 2010 and aims to reduce youth crime by reaching out to disengaged youth between the ages of 11-26.
The organisation’s president Ian Grace said it was a huge milestone for the kids to be given the opportunity to perform at the Games.
“Our youth have worked so hard to get to this point and to perform on a world class stage, it is not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but a dream come true for them,” he said. “This is going to create a legacy for our youth, something they will tell their grandchildren about.
“We have seen incredible people come through the program and it’s a huge honour to be a part of the process of watching the kids’ transition into positive and constructive society members.
“Music is an amazing tool to get the best out of people so the more of it, the better.”
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation CEO Mark Peters said the Youth Music Venture continued to go from strength to strength.
“After many meetings and our Festival 2018 team attending the Youth Music Venture auditions in 2017 and their year-end concert, we had no doubts we wanted the Youth Music Venture to be in included in our program,” he said.