More than 500 young musicians have trained with the Illawarra-based Youth Orchestra founded with our support in 1986.

Right from the start, the orchestra provided a springboard for aspiring young Illawarra musicians to achieve the dream of a career in music. Since the orchestra's inception, numerous members have gone on to inspiring heights with several musicians securing positions with prestigious institutions such as the Royal Philharmonic in London, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Australian Youth Orchestra.

Additionally, some orchestra members have gone on to study at the highly prestigious Australian Academy of Music in Melbourne and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

In the beginning, to give the orchestra a head start, the Company contributed towards its expensive and unusual instruments- bassoons, oboes, French horns and timpani drums. That was an enormous help to a fledgling orchestra and some of these instruments are still in use today.

The Company's sponsorship has provided scholarships for students to learn unusual instruments, and paid for a conductor, management and music. The sponsorship also helped secure the services of conductor Nigel Edwards, who was the original wind tutor of the orchestra in 1986. This enabled the orchestra to have the services of an experienced musician who trained at some of the most prestigious institutions in Europe.

There are currently 60 members of the orchestra, which rehearses at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. The orchestra commenced touring in 1997, and the tours have been important for the students' social and musical development. In 2003, the orchestra undertook its first international tour to New Zealand, which was a huge success.

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