This unconventional “education” film is about music making, talent and courage, about the difficulties of growing up, and about rebellion and encouragement, always from the perspective of a great passion for music. Karen Carey, principal music teacher at the Methodist Ladies College in Sydney, prepares her students for a festival performance at the Sydney Opera House. She firmly believes in the transformative power of music and therefore demands much: a programme of classical works, a high level of proficiency and the participation of every girl in the school.

In realising this ambitious project, Karen Carey is dealing with teenagers and their typical behaviour. She encounters both enthusiasm and resistance. Some students are inspired, while others don’t share Mrs. Carey’s views and say so openly. The greatest challenge for the enthusiastic teacher and her colleagues is to win over the unwilling: for example, her foil, 16-year-old Iris Shi, who in no way shares Mrs. Carey’s ambitions and engenders negative feelings.

The talented Emily Sun can also be a headache. Emily is to play the solo part in the Bruch G minor Violin Concerto – she is already a skilled violinist – but is yet to be convinced. The path to true success is arduous but rewarding, as the final outcome attests.