Queensland Youth Orchestras’ artistic director Simon Hewett is about to hand the baton to someone else, but don’t worry. It’s only a temporary handover.
Hewett, who all and sundry judge to be the rightful heir to the late great John Curro, is not going anywhere. However, at the Queensland Youth Orchestras fundraising gala on March 29 he will briefly pass his baton to someone else.
To none other than former lord mayor Sallyanne Atkinson.
“Sallyanne bid for the 2025 Golden Baton and she won the bidding,” Hewett explains. “At our last gala dinner she told me she had always dreamt of finding out what it would be like to conduct an orchestra. She bid and this is her prize, so she will be making her debut as conductor.”
You’d like to see that? Well, there are still some tickets available.
This fundraiser is a fixture on the QYO calendar. The evening will feature dinner and an array of music in the heritage surrounds of QYO’s home, The Old Museum at Bowen Hills.
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But after Atkinson has done her thing, Hewett will be grabbing the baton back and hanging onto it for a while.
After a stellar career in Europe, Hewett and his family returned to their hometown of Brisbane five years ago. He has settled in nicely and isn’t going anywhere. He even has his sights set on the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
“It’s only seven years away and it will go pretty quickly,” the 48-year-old musician and conductor says. (Hewett will be playing piano as an accompanist at the gala dinner, by the way.) “I’m sticking with it. I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business and it’s a time of great opportunity.”
Hewett has managed to keep his international career alive while in the job, last year conducting in Europe including at La Scala in Milan.
He started out as a youngster with QYO and is enjoying giving back.
“Working with these young musicians is the most fulfilling thing I do,” he says. “Working at QYO is like working in a garden. You plant the seeds and watch the garden grow.”
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Anyone who has attended performances by Queensland Youth Symphony and other orchestras under the QYO umbrella knows how good these young musicians are. And there are plenty of opportunities to hear them play this year.
The season launched recently with Queensland Youth Symphony’s thrilling performance of Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 at The Conservatorium Theatre, Griffith University.
The season will continue with major performances on May 31 and August 23, featuring standout repertoire such as John Williams’ The Empire Strikes Back Suite, Walton’s Symphony No. 2 and Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 6. QYS will also showcase the exceptional talents of their principal flautist, Nathan Smith, as a featured soloist.
A significant highlight of 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the prestigious John Curro National Youth Concerto Competition (October 8-12), a cornerstone event that continues to foster the next generation of Australian string players. The year will culminate in the much-anticipated Finale Concert at QPAC on November 2, bringing together all eight QYO ensembles in a spectacular musical celebration.
Beyond the concert stage, QYO remains committed to community engagement and music education. The annual Open Day on July 19 will welcome visitors to explore the historic Old Museum Building, home to QYO. Attendees can enjoy open rehearsals, refreshments, musical activities and stalls from local music stores.
The Morning Music concert series will continue and the QYO Wind Symphony will embark on a regional tour, visiting schools in Dalby, Warwick, Murgon and Kingaroy. As part of this initiative, principal players will offer workshops and tutorials to young musicians.
The instrument drive to provide musical instruments for Cherbourg State School continues, guided by QYO artist-in-residence and First Nations soprano Nina Korbe, who has family connections to the area.
Closing out the year, the QYO Big Band will take their music beyond Australian borders with an exciting tour of Japan in December.
Being in the Olympic precinct will make life interesting (Victoria Park is nearby) and Hewett is excited about the possibilities.
“We have great swimmers but we also have great musicians,” he says.
Opening and closing ceremony organisers take note.