Musician Onboarding · New Horizons
Welcome to Horizon.
Everything you need before your first rehearsal —
and the agreement that confirms your place.
Read through. Then complete the form below.
Welcome
You were invited intentionally.
You have been invited to take part in a Horizon Orchestral Studio project because we believe you are capable of contributing to a high-level ensemble. This is not a casual playing environment — it is a space for musicians who want to work seriously, think carefully, and perform at a high standard.
Your presence here is deliberate.
What Horizon Is
Formation and performance, built together.
Horizon Orchestral Studio is a professional orchestral environment in which advanced conductors develop their craft within a mentored setting, while musicians work at a high level within a disciplined and artistically serious ensemble.
The rehearsal room is not only a place of preparation, but a place of active formation — where musical decisions are shaped with guidance, clarity, and accountability.
Horizon Classical
Outwardly, Horizon Orchestral Studio presents Horizon Classical — a concert conceived as a guided, immersive encounter with music. Coined as "cinema for the ears", it is not a traditional recital format, but a direct and personal experience designed for first-time listeners and those returning with fresh ears alike.
The one-hour programme opens with a short documentary by JSquared Studios, exploring how classical music shapes lives and how anyone can enter into it. This guides audiences in how to listen — preparing them to engage more deeply with what follows. The documentary leads directly into forty to forty-five minutes of live performance.
Artistic Leadership
Conducting Fellow
Hans Sangtoki
Hans Sangtoki is an emerging conductor based in Sydney, currently the inaugural Honours in Conducting student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Professor Benjamin Northey. He has participated in masterclasses with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra. Hans is developing platforms for advanced conducting training through Horizon Orchestral Studio, and continues his work educating younger generations in orchestral music as Artistic Director of Cantate Deo Youth Orchestra.
Mentorship
Hans is mentored by Professor Benjamin Northey as part of his studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. This project supports the practical component of that training. Professor Northey may be present during the rehearsal process.
Artistic Mentorship
Dr Susan Collins is a distinguished Sydney-based violinist with an extensive career as orchestral leader and chamber musician. She serves as Concertmaster of Horizon Orchestral Studio, bringing decades of professional experience to the ensemble and guiding musicians through the rehearsal process.
New Horizons — Artistic Vision
"From dawn to dusk,
from beginning to arrival."
This inaugural programme is titled New Horizons. It brings together Haydn's Symphony No. 6 'Le Matin' — meaning "The Morning" — and Copland's Appalachian Spring, a work that traces a wide emotional and scenic landscape from first light to the close of day. Together, they form a single arc.
For conductors
A first step into something that will continue to unfold and deepen over time.
For audiences
A direct and personal encounter with classical music — without preconception, without barrier.
For musicians
A renewed way of bringing the music we care about into the world: with clarity, sincerity, and intention.
Programme
Two works. One arc.
These works require different modes of precision and ensemble awareness. The rehearsal process is designed to build both clarity and cohesion across contrasting styles.
Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 6 in D major
"Le Matin" — The Morning
Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring
Chamber version
Schedule
Two rehearsals. One concert.
All sessions are mandatory. If you have a confirmed conflict, declare it in the form before submitting.
Rehearsal 1
Tuesday 21 April
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Haydn Symphony No. 6
Break — players not required for Copland released
Copland Appalachian Spring
Rehearsal 2
Wednesday 22 April
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Haydn Symphony No. 6
Break — players not required for Copland released
Copland Appalachian Spring
Haydn sessions
Instrumentation: Strings (2.2.2.2.1), Flute, 2 Oboes, Bassoon, 2 Horns, Keyboard Continuo
Copland sessions
Instrumentation: Strings (2.2.2.2.1), Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Piano
Performance
Thursday 23 April
Concert 7:00pm
Sound check
Horizon Classical concert — presented under the New Horizons programme
Location
Getting there.
International Reformed Evangelical Church
556–558 Botany Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015
Limited parking via the rear entrance on Beaconsfield Lane. Plenty of free street parking in the surrounding area during evening sessions.
Route 309 from Waterloo Metro Station or Green Square Station.
Allow sufficient time to arrive, unpack, and be ready at the start time. Rehearsals begin promptly.
Sheet Music
Practice parts will be sent to your email shortly — please watch your inbox.
Digital sheet music is encouraged where possible.
Spare parts will be available on the day if needed.
Concert Logistics
Concert attire: standard concert blacks — all black, formal, no bright accents.
Performing order: Haydn Symphony No. 6 followed by Copland Appalachian Spring.
Sound check for all players: 6:00pm – 6:30pm on Thursday 23 April.
Expectations
Rehearsal culture at Horizon.
These are not rules imposed from outside. They are the conditions that make the work possible.
Arrive fully prepared.
Having learnt your part and understood the structure of the work. Rehearsal time is for building ensemble, refining detail, and shaping musical direction — not for individual note learning.
Arrive early.
Be physically and mentally ready at the start time. Rehearsals begin promptly, and the ensemble depends on every member being present and engaged from the outset.
Listen as much as you play.
Attention to detail is central to the process. Adjusting to balance and responding quickly to direction are part of your contribution — not additions to it.
Communicate directly.
If anything arises that may affect your participation, raise it as early as possible. This environment rewards honesty. It does not reward silence in the face of a problem.
What You Can Expect
What Horizon offers in return.
From Horizon, you can expect clear musical direction, a structured rehearsal process, and an environment that takes the work seriously. You will be challenged in ways designed to develop your musicianship, ensemble awareness, and artistic discipline.
A conductor and artistic team who take your development seriously.
Rehearsals that are structured, focused, and do not waste your time.
A professional performance presented under the Horizon Classical concert series.
Payment of $300 + superannuation where applicable, on receipt of invoice.
Genuine consideration for future Horizon projects, based on standard and conduct.
The Performance
"Cinema for the ears. New audiences and a new way to encounter classical music."
The performance is presented under Horizon Classical — the public expression of the work developed within Horizon Orchestral Studio. This is not a student concert. It is a professional-level presentation of a carefully built process.
The evening opens with a documentary by JSquared Studios, guiding audiences into the music before the ensemble takes the stage.
After the Project
What happens when the concert is done.
Horizon is building toward a reputable ensemble with high standards for advanced conducting training — alongside artistically serious, paid projects for early-career professionals. Your participation matters now and moving forward.
Several projects are already in development, with the next planned for early June. New Horizons is the beginning of something ongoing — where we pursue excellence, meaning, and depth together.
Submit your invoice to the Horizon team promptly after the performance. Your fee is $300 + superannuation where applicable.
Musicians who engage seriously with the process will be considered for future Horizon projects. The next project is planned for early June.
Photography and video from rehearsals and performance may be used by Horizon for promotional and archival purposes, as agreed in your contract.
Following your form submission, you will receive any remaining materials. Preparation should begin immediately — your readiness will directly shape the first rehearsal.
We look forward to working with you.
— Hans Sangtoki
Section 2 of 2
Confirmation & Agreement
Complete all sections below to confirm your place in the ensemble. Fields marked with an asterisk are required before submission.