Ballet de Penzance

About the Artist

Sydney Composer Loc Schuster debuts with Ballet de Penzance, Performed by the Sydney Youth Orchestra. Sydney-based composer Loc Schuster announces the release of Ballet de Penzance, his debut orchestral single, performed by the Sydney Youth Orchestra under Conductor James Pensini. Written as Schuster's first foray into composition for orchestra, Ballet de Penzance began as a deliberate challenge: could he write something that could hold its own in a ballet? The answer, it turns out, is yes. Arranged in collaboration with Andrew Howes, the work was selected by panel to be recorded by the SYO, a significant endorsement for a largely self-taught composer. It was recorded live specifically for release, capturing the full weight and presence of a live orchestra. Ballet de Penzance draws on the grandeur of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, the pastoral sweep of Vaughan Williams, and the restrained emotional clarity of Ryuichi Sakamoto. The title is a playful nod to The Pirates of Penzance, but the music is no joke - it’s under 3 minutes of concentrated drama. About Loc Schuster Schuster has been obsessed with ballet since watching the Barbie adaptations of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake with his sister as a 4-year-old. The grace of movement combined with the enchanting score only an orchestra can produce, is the biggest inspiration behind his compositions. While his love for classical music began as a child, Schuster started learning piano in his late teens, building his compositional craft independently over years of writing. His music has reached a broad fanbase spanning Australia and Europe with early demos on SoundCloud drawing over 600 individual listeners each.