Ensemble Apex has announced its 2019 season with three concerts across the year. The orchestra, which started at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, has grown significantly since its debut four years ago.

“Over time, I think the most important lesson I have learnt is that if you give all your energy and dedication to a group of players, and they can see that a project is worth working for, they will move mountains for you,” Ensemble Apex’s Artistic Director Sam Weller tells Limelight.

Sam Weller conducting Ensemble Apex at last year’s The Miraculous Mandarin. Photo © Keith Saunders

Since its first performance in 2016, the fledgling ensemble has evolved from “a small student-run project to (almost) a proper organisation,” as Weller puts it, and has already made its mark on the Sydney scene, offering interesting programming and vibrant concerts, despite operating with scant resources.

“Running our season on a shoestring budget is always tricky,” Weller says. “We don’t have the luxury of big advertising campaigns nor can we book out large concert halls, however; each concert we have performed always feels intimate and I always feel like the orchestra has a dedicated...