By Tess Wheeler

The conductor was just raising her baton as I arrived for the start of Romeo and Juliet, performed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) and a group of students from UWA’s own Conservatorium of Music.

I’m so glad I made it on time as I was in for a treat – the program consisted of a mix of the classic Romeo and Juliet score composed by Sergei Prokofiev and a selection of original compositions by a small group of musicians in UWA’s talent development program.

The concert was the culmination of a week-long creative development program that saw UWA students working alongside their mentors from WASO. The success of the evening was ensured by conductor Jen Winley and director Paul Rissmann who skillfully combined the new and old scores together.

While I preferred the romance of the Prokofiev pieces, the original compositions were just as evocative, often drawing on the anxiety and tension that fills the story of Romeo and Juliet.

If you’re interested in attending a WASO performance, people under 30 years old can access significantly discounted tickets! Keep an eye on their calendar of events; there’s something there for everyone.