The following day was an early wakeup, the day of the Band Championships. After a heavy breakfast, NYSW headed to the hall where the competition was held. On stage, the silence could, on a scale of 1 to 10, be described as 11. We played very well in the competition, earning 2^nd place. The only other ensemble in it was Castle Hill, who won the competition. Still, it was an amazing experience for everyone, especially those who performed in their very first National Band Championships. We had a relaxing time afterwards, watching the Minecraft Movie in a cinema we had all to ourselves. We had dinner at a bar just down the street, a hearty meal of chicken schnitzel and burgers.

The third and final day started off with the exact same breakfast as the day before, this time, though, with hot chocolate. We checked out of the hotel and then went to Zone Bowling. Teddy and me
had fun with the arcade games, then we hopped over to bowling. We finished off the camp activities with an intense laser tag game and then went back to our accommodation to collect our luggage. Half of the kids went back to Sydney, and the other half either had a holiday in Melbourne, which is what I did, or stayed to compete in the National Solo Competition.

Overall, the experience was not just for the performance, but for bonding and fun. It was important for making friends and strengthening relationships.

Mr Walmsley has been the successful conductor of NYSW since 2009, when the ensemble was formed. The ensemble consists of ex-Artarmon students and students from other schools. In previous years, NYSW has won many awards, and are still going strong in their 16^th year. Mr Walmsley offers early entry into NYSW, to those willing to participate, from year 6, Some students have even been accepted in year 5! If you are one of these players wishing for an entry into NYSW, make sure to keep at it.

By Jacob Teh 6JB