The March 18 concert is Steel City Strings’ first of the year. They have teamed with the BlueScope Youth Orchestra to perform Mozart’s much loved 40th Symphony and Rossini’s exuberant Barber of Seville overture.

‘Celebration of Youth’ includes a commissioned work by young Thirroul composer and double bass player Adrian Whitehall, who until recently was a Steel City Strings member.

In 2016 the orchestra ran a concerto competition for young string players, in partnership with Wollongong Eisteddfod.

The two winners of the competition, Olivia Kowalik and Stephanie Tam, are soloists in this concert. They will be playing concertos by Haydn and Elgar.

Young duo violinists and regular Eisteddfod prizewinners Cedar Newman and Lina Lee, also feature and will play a work specially commissioned for them by Southern Highlands composer Ann Carr-Boyd.

Wollongong’s premier chamber orchestra, Steel City Strings is committed to encouraging and developing the next generation of young local musicians.

The concert on Saturday runs 7.30-9.30pm. Tickets at www.ipac.org.au or 4224 5999.