BUDDING musician Madeline Nickelson will take to the stage this year as the principal bassoonist in Queensland Youth Orchestra Three (QYO3).
The Redlands College year 12 student auditioned successfully for the orchestra in October 2018 and attended a weekend music camp in mid-February.
QYO3 will now rehearse for several concerts which will take place throughout the year, culminating in a finale performance at QPAC in October.
Madeline said she was thrilled to be playing in a large-scale concert hall for the first time.
Mother Karen Nickelson said Queensland Youth Orchestras provided the opportunity for many young musicians, including Madeline, to play in a full-size symphony orchestra for the first time.
"For a lot of these students it's their first experience of what it's like playing in a professional environment," she said.
QYO3 contains about 80 musicians and includes strings, woodwind, brass and percussion.
"I've never played with strings before so it's cool I get to work with other instruments and see which ones I connect with," Madeline said.
She said the experience would stand her in good stead when she auditioned for the Griffith University's Queensland Conservatorium at the end of the year, where she hoped to study to become a professional musician.
"I'd love to be a performer, but it would also be cool to teach bassoon to kids," Madeline said.
"(I like) that not many people play it, so whenever you get it out people are fascinated by it.
"The sound of it is really unique I think."
QYO3 is one of seven orchestras and ensembles run by Queensland Youth Orchestras.
QYO3 will perform concerts at Museum Concert Hall as part of the Concert at Twilight series, a concert at the Gold Coast and the QYO Finale Concert at QPAC in October.