Side by Side with the DSO: Play with the Orchestra 2025

What does it feel like to sit inside a professional orchestra?

In 2025, 25 community musicians found out firsthand when they joined the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra to perform excerpts from Camille Saint-Saëns’ powerful “Organ” Symphony. Under the baton of Principal Guest Conductor James Judd, they took part in our annual Play with the Orchestra workshop — an experience designed for players at Grade 6 level and above.

The workshop offers more than just a reading session. It’s an inside look at how a professional rehearsal runs — the focus, the discipline, the artistry. Participants sit shoulder to shoulder with DSO musicians, hearing the orchestra from within and receiving guidance from the professionals in their section, as well as from the conductor.

Held the day after a Town Hall concert — and featuring music performed in that concert — the experience carries extra meaning. As one participant shared:

“Getting to see the DSO perform, and then playing that same piece yourself… made the experience extra meaningful.”

Another reflected:

“It felt amazing to be in an experienced orchestra and playing a part in creating beautiful music. It really helps with your confidence and orchestral ability!”

Many participants are members of local ensembles such as SMMC Community Orchestra, Dunedin Youth Orchestra, and Collegiate Orchestra, taking what they learn back to their own musical communities.

For a few hours, the distinction between community and professional disappears. There is simply one orchestra — united in sound.

Feby Idrus
Arts Administrator and Education Liaison