By Matthew Lorenzon

Aaron Wyatt conducted the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in Long Time Living Here, a musical Acknowledgement of Country by Deborah Cheetham AO, at a free outdoor concert.

Dutala Ensemble members with Deborah Cheetham AO at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. (MSO)

Playing alongside the MSO were four members of Ensemble Dutala, Australia’s first ensemble for classically trained First Nations musicians.

In an interview with Virginia Trioli on ABC Radio Melbourne, Wyatt reflected on his journey from Australia’s youth orchestras to conducting the MSO.

“For a very long time I was with the WA Symphony Orchestra as a casual and I was the only Indigenous person there. There’s not a huge number of Indigenous classical musicians. So it’s great to be surrounded by other Indigenous classical musicians in this kind of environment and setting.”

Source: ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Classic