Steel City Strings artistic director and concert master, Kyle Little said the young musicians were looking forward to performing the world premiere of 21-year-old composer Adrian Whitehall’s piece 'Absence of Light'.

 “These concerts provide our selected award-winning young musicians with a truly unique opportunity to develop their soloist potential through working with our own professional chamber orchestra," he said. 

Adrian, whose music has been performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, composed this piece specifically for the Celebration of Youth series.

Wollongong's, Cedar-Rose Newman is 15-year-old and a violin soloist. Dedar-Rose is set to play Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, a work that combines playful virtuosity with beautiful lyricism.

Cedar began violin lessons with Sarah Hindson in 2010 and studied piano, music theory and singing at the Wollongong Conservatorium.

In 2016 she was invited to the United States to study with Albert Markov, and joined the Pre-College Division of the Manhattan School of Music, where she was the recipient of the Kate Bamberger Memorial Scholarship for violin 2018/19. 

While Cedar says she does get nervous before a performance, she's excited to have had so many opportunities to develop her craft. 

“From the beginning my violin teacher encouraged us to perform, she also made performing a celebration through her studio concerts, from there I have been lucky to have been given many opportunities to perform by the local community," she said. 

"As a musician so many hours are spent practicing in solitude, but in the end music is about sharing.”

Bassoonist, Peter Lavilles, was winner of the 2018 Wollongong Conservatorium Concerto Competition. Also 15, Peter is the feature soloist for Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto in F major.

Tickets for Steel City Strings’ Celebration of Youth in Kiama on March 24, Wollongong on March 30 and Burradoo on March 31 are available through www.steelcitystrings.com.au.