What do youth orchestras and kids sports have in common?

Both provide training grounds for future stars.

"I've had my entire pathway of musical training in Australia," says conductor, musician and arranger Benjamin Northey.

"Youth orchestras bring together the crème de la crème of musicians across the state."

Northey is in demand across Australia's biggest stages and over the ditch in New Zealand where he's been chief conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra since 2015.

He's stepping down at the end of this year, but there's no shortage of his involvement with major orchestras across Australia.

Northey attributes a huge part of his success to the opportunities he received while being in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, an extracurricular activity he took back in high school.

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