Woonona artist and performer Molly Stewart in her recent performance as The Witch in Into the Woods. Photo: Molly Stewart.
A unique concert series is giving young musicians the chance to stretch their skills and showcase their favourite pieces.
Inspire Music Australia’s Emerging Concert Artists Series will hold its final event of the year at the Wollongong Art Gallery at 11 am on Thursday, 5 December.
‘Being Alive’ Songs from Musical Theatre was curated by Woonona’s Molly Stewart.
The only restriction she was given was time.
Molly said the program featured songs that captured the highs and lows of life.
“It includes some of my favourites, all on the theme of the best and worst parts of being alive,” she said.
“Love, death, loss, excitement – I hope the audience can lose themselves in the songs.
“Maybe they’ll be introduced to some songs they haven’t heard before, enjoy some beautiful music and reflect on how music affects us.”
Molly is one of three young Illawarra singers who will perform the program, alongside Sydney Parker and Jagger Leith.
The 24-year-old is studying a Bachelor of Music at the Sydney Conservatorium, but her love of performance began at a very young age.
Molly started dance classes when she was four. When she saw Wicked on stage at the age of nine, she asked to take singing lessons, too.
She went on to become the youngest winner of the Sydney Eisteddfod senior singing award and complete a Diploma of Musical Theatre at NIDA in 2020.
“I was a very shy kid and I still experience a lot of social anxiety, but I’ve never experienced performance anxiety,” Molly said.
“Playing a character, I can escape into a whole other world and other personality.
“Doing my Bachelor of Music has been such a gift, to develop more of an appreciation of the music itself, understanding composers and how much thought they put into lyrics and music.
“Putting together programs I get to pick songs that really resonate with me. When you’re in a musical you have to find ways into the character when you might not connect with them.
“This is much more about revealing parts of myself, but it’s exciting.”
The monthly, free event runs at St Jude’s in Bowral and Wollongong Art Gallery and aims to develop the next generation of musicians, and provide the community affordable concerts.
Molly said she was delighted to be part of an initiative that brought live music to a broader audience.
“Music should be more accessible, so it’s really exciting to perform for people knowing they’re not having to spend a huge amount of money,” she said.
Tickets for the Emerging Artist Concert Series – Being Alive, at the BlueScope Gallery, 11 am to 12:3o pm on 5 December, are free, but bookings are essential. Book your spot via Humantix.
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