Mozart and Beethoven Bliss

Artists

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Carlo Antonioli conductor

Stefan Cassomenos piano

Mairi Nicolson presenter (Melbourne Town Hall only)

Program

BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture

MOZART Piano Concerto No.23

BEETHOVEN Symphony No.8

Running time: approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes including interval

Our musical Acknowledgment of Country, Long Time Living Here by Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, will be performed at this concert.

Pre-concert events

Organ Recital: 23 March at 6.30pm. Arrive early to enjoy a recital performed by Calvin Bowman on the mighty Grand Organ, free for ticket holders.

Please note audience members are strongly recommended to wear face masks where 1.5m distancing is not possible. In consideration of your fellow patrons, the MSO thanks you for silencing and dimming the light on your phone.

Acknowledging Country

Australia, the MSO has developed a musical Acknowledgment of Country with music composed by Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, featuring Indigenous languages from across Victoria. Generously supported by Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Commonwealth Government through the Australian National Commission for UNESCO, the MSO is working in partnership with Short Black Opera and Indigenous language custodians who are generously sharing their cultural knowledge.

The Acknowledgement of Country allows us to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which we perform in the language of that country and in the orchestral language of music.

from a land which has been nurtured by the traditional owners for more than 2000 generations. When we acknowledge country we pay respect to the land and to the people in equal measure.

As a composer I have specialised in coupling the beauty and diversity of our Indigenous languages with the power and intensity of classical music. In order to compose the music for this Acknowledgement of Country Project I have had the great privilege of working with no fewer than eleven ancient languages from the state of Victoria, including the language of my late Grandmother, Yorta Yorta woman Frances McGee. I pay my deepest respects to the elders and ancestors who are represented in these songs of acknowledgement and to the language custodians who have shared their knowledge and expertise in providing each text.

I am so proud of the MSO for initiating this landmark project and grateful that they afforded me the opportunity to make this contribution to the ongoing quest of understanding our belonging in this land.

— Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Established in 1906, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is Australia’s pre-eminent orchestra and a cornerstone of Victoria’s rich, cultural heritage.

Each year, the MSO engages with more than 5 million people, presenting in excess of 180 public events across live performances, TV, radio and online broadcasts, and via its online concert hall, MSO.LIVE, with audiences in 56 countries.

With a reputation for excellence, versatility and innovation, the MSO works with culturally diverse and First Nations leaders to build community and deliver music to people across Melbourne, the state of Victoria and around the world.

In 2023, the MSO’s Chief Conductor, Jaime Martín continues an exciting new phase in the Orchestra’s history. Maestro Martín joins an Artistic Family that includes Principal Guest Conductor Xian Zhang, Principal Conductor in Residence, Benjamin Northey, Conductor Laureate, Sir Andrew Davis CBE, Cybec Assistant Conductor Fellow, Carlo Antonioli, MSO Chorus Director, Warren Trevelyan-Jones, Soloist in Residence, Siobhan Stagg, Composer in Residence, Mary Finsterer, Ensemble in Residence, Gondwana Voices, Cybec Young Composer in Residence, Melissa Douglas and Young Artist in Association, Christian Li.

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra respectfully acknowledges the people of the Eastern Kulin Nations, on whose un-ceded lands we honour the continuation of the oldest music practice in the world.

Musicians Performing in this Concert

FIRST VIOLINS

Dale Barltrop

Concertmaster

David Li AM and Angela Li#

Tair Khisambeev

Assistant Concertmaster

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio#

Kirsty Bremner

Meg Cohen*

Peter Fellin

Deborah Goodall

Lorraine Hook

Eleanor Mancini

Mark Mogilevski

Susannah Ng*

Kathryn Taylor

SECOND VIOLINS

Robert Macindoe

Associate Principal

Monica Curro

Assistant Principal

Danny Gorog and Lindy Susskind#

Mary Allison

Isin Cakmakcioglu

Jacqueline Edwards*

Andrew Hall

Madeleine Jevons*

Isy Wasserman

Philippa West

Andrew Dudgeon AM#

Patrick Wong

Hyon Ju Newman#

Roger Young

Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan#

VIOLAS

Tom Chawner* Guest Principal

Lauren Brigden

Katharine Brockman

Lucy Carrigy-Ryan*

Ceridwen Davies*

Gabrielle Halloran

Helen Ireland*

Isabel Morse*

Fiona Sargeant

Heidi von Bernewitz*

CELLOS

David Berlin

Principal

Elina Faskhi* Guest Assistant Principal

Jonathan Chim*

Rohan de Korte

Andrew Dudgeon AM#

Kalina Krusteva*

Sarah Morse

Angela Sargeant

Michelle Wood

Andrew and Judy Rogers#

DOUBLE BASSES

Luca Arcaro*

Caitlin Bass*

Rohan Dasika

Benjamin Hanlon

Frank Mercurio and Di Jameson#

Suzanne Lee

Stephen Newton

Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser#

Emma Sullivan*

FLUTES

Prudence Davis

Principal

Anonymous#

Sarah Beggs

OBOES

Michael Pisani

Acting Associate Principal

Rachel Curkpatrick*

CLARINETS

Philip Arkinstall

Associate Principal

Craig Hill

BASSOONS

Elise Millman

Associate Principal

Natasha Thomas

Dr Martin Tymms and Patricia Nilsson#

Correct as of 14 March 2023

Learn more about our musicians on the MSO website

HORNS

Nicolas Fleury

Principal

Margaret Jackson AC#

Abbey Edlin

Nereda Hanlon and Michael Hanlon AM#

Rebecca Luton*

TRUMPETS

Shane Hooton

Associate Principal

Glenn Sedgwick#

Rosie Turner

John and Diana Frew#

TIMPANI

John Arcaro Tim and Lyn Edward#

HARP

Yinuo Mu Principal

* Denotes Guest Musician # Position supported by

Carlo Antonioli currently serves as the Cybec Assistant Conductor Fellow to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Previously, Carlo served as the Assistant Conductor to the West Australian Symphony Orchestra working with Principal Conductor Asher Fisch and guest conductors including Ludovic Morlot, Karina Canellakis, Mark Wigglesworth and Fabien Gabel. Whilst in Perth, Carlo also conducted WASO on their 2019 Regional Tour. For the Sydney Symphony Orchestra he has assisted Vladimir Ashkenazy and Simone Young.

2022 saw Carlo conduct the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Contemporary Opera Company’s productions of Book of Longing (Philip Glass), The Loser (Lang) and To Hell and Back (Heggie). He has regularly worked with the Australian Youth Orchestra, and conducted Sydney Youth Orchestras, the Australian Doctors Orchestra, Kuringai Youth Orchestra, Eastern Sydney Chamber Orchestra and Orange Symphony Orchestra. Carlo is a composer and member of the Sydney-based Dreambox Collective.

Carlo holds a Master of Music Studies (Conducting) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has participated in the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program and the Australian Conducting Academy with the TSO.

Melbourne pianist and composer Stefan Cassomenos is one of Australia’s most vibrant and versatile musicians. He has been performing internationally since the age of 10, and is now established as one of Australia’s leading pianists. As the recipient of multiple prizes including the Second Grand Prize in the prestigious International Telekom Beethoven Competition Bonn 2013, Cassomenos has performed throughout Europe and Asia, and now performs regularly in Australia, Germany and the UK.

He has performed concertos with several major Australian symphony orchestras, as well as orchestras overseas. Cassomenos is a founding member of chamber ensemble PLEXUS, which since launching in 2014 has commissioned and premiered over 110 new works. Cassomenos’ own compositions are regularly commissioned and performed throughout Australia. Cassomenos is joint Artistic Director of Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, with violinist Monica Curro. Cassomenos is generously supported by Kawai Australia.

Carlo Antonioli conductor Stefan Cassomenos piano

Mairi Nicolson presenter

Melbourne Town Hall only

Mairi’s love-affair with radio began after she graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, majoring in piano & singing. She spent the first decade of her ABC career reading radio news in Sydney, presenting Behind the News with John Hall, broadcasting the Sydney Symphony’s concerts, hosting In Tempo (now The Music Show on Radio National) and the Sydney International Piano Competitions. Mairi also hosted in-flight video and audio programs for major airlines.

From 1988 to 1997 Mairi was based in the UK working as a presenter of music and interview programs for BBC Radio. On Radio 4 she hosted the long-running Woman’s Hour and on Radio 3, the Drive program In Tune. She also hosted many BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall and toured with the BBC Philharmonic in Europe and the USA as the BBC broadcaster.

Since returning to Australia, Mairi has hosted arts programs for Radio National and most programs on ABC Classic FM including Music Makers & the longrunning Opera Show.

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Program Notes

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)

Coriolan: Overture, Op.62

Although Beethoven in his life achieved one great operatic masterpiece, Fidelio, its birth was difficult and he never attempted another. Inspired by a transcendent philosophical concept, such as the theme of human liberty underpinning Fidelio, Beethoven’s instinct drove him to express the idea in elevated symphonic terms – after which some of the necessary stage action could seem an anti-climax. Hence the succession of overtures he wrote for the opera (particularly the epic Leonore Nos 2 and 3) which had to be discarded in turn until eventually he realised the relatively unpretentious, and operatically appropriate, curtain-raiser now known as the Fidelio Overture.

Thus it was when, after the unsuccessful first production of what would eventually become Fidelio, Beethoven channelled his composing for the theatre into incidental music for the plays of others – above all the overtures to Coriolan (1807) and Egmont (1810). Both plays deal with political or human issues which readily captured the imagination of the passionate and committed composer in this middle period of his creative life. Beethoven in his overtures seized immediately on the vital principles of conflict and summed them up in powerful, musically selfsufficient tone poems.

He composed the Coriolan overture for a drama by Heinrich Collin, a contemporary poet doubtless familiar with Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, which was written on very similar lines. Powerful chords in the introduction reflect the iron determination of the hero in his resolve to reconquer and

restore peace to the Rome that has banished him, and his stern rejection of embassies from the city which he now holds under siege. Subsequent vacillating figures reveal the self-doubt that tortures him at the thought of the famine-stricken Roman people and the pleadings of his family. The conflict in his mind is worked out in a powerful development which leads to gradual disintegration and a swift final collapse at the recognition that only the sacrifice of his own life will bring peace without loss of honour.

© Anthony Cane 2001

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)

Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K488

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Allegro assai

Stefan Cassomenos piano

The key of A major is a wonderful thing in Mozart’s music. It is the key of the joyous, coming-of-age Symphony K201, the wise and transcendent Clarinet Concerto K622, and the key of this concerto, one of Mozart’s most alluring creations.

If we were to apply the words ‘pleasing’ and ‘agreeable’ to the first movement, Allegro, it would not be to suggest that the music is featureless and bland, but to highlight the skillful way in which the concerto captures the sound ideal of late 18th century music. It opens with a melody in the ‘singing style’; that is to say, a gently flowing theme that, although played on instruments, is eminently singable. Mozart was without peer when it came to fashioning themes of this kind: pithy and melodious, varied yet beautifully balanced. For all of these reasons, it is memorable (which is just as well, given that it is the principal theme!). To really hammer the melody

home, Mozart offers it twice at the beginning – strings alone in the first instance, winds in the second – and then delivers it a third time, albeit in slightly embellished form, when the piano soloist enters. This is a marvellous example of Mozart taking the listener by the hand and guiding them through the music. Listen up, he seems to be saying, this is the building block at the centre of our work. Other themes are heard in the first few minutes – the opening movement presents at least five clearly differentiated themes – all of which are kept in play as the movement unfolds. As for the piano writing, it is glittering and dextrous with featherlight runs up and down the keyboard in the transition passages. In a departure from convention, Mozart wrote out the first-movement cadenza in full rather than have the performer improvise it on the spot.

Mozart did something very bold in the second movement, Adagio, when he turned to the rarely used key of F sharp minor, the relative minor of A major. This ushers us into a sombre realm. The opening piano theme, one of Mozart’s most soulful, is in siciliana rhythm and conjures up a sorrowful mood with chromatic inflections, accented dissonances and shifts in register. The orchestra answers the opening melody with a poignant theme of its own. Mozart’s tasteful and discreet orchestration is exemplary, particularly his colouristic use of woodwind instruments. This concerto, which dates from 1786, was written towards the end of Mozart’s most concentrated period of composing piano concertos and, as in the majority of his other so-called ‘Vienna piano concertos’, he liberates the winds from a background role, highlighting the entire section and individual instruments. Unusually, there are no oboes in this concerto. Instead, Mozart includes two clarinets, the wind instrument he prized above all others.

After the introspective middle movement, the finale, which is back in the key of A major, is unabashedly exuberant. Mozart juggles an astonishing variety of themes reminding us that, at a fundamental level, a concerto aims to dazzle and delight.

Robert Gibson © 2017

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)

Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93

I. Allegro vivace e con brio

II. Allegretto scherzando

III. Tempo di minuetto

IV. Allegro vivace

This symphony was one of Beethoven’s own favourites. He described it affectionately as his ‘little’ symphony. Unfortunately, that description has led many listeners to regard it as slight. Actually, the work may be a listener’s best opportunity to get a comprehensive musical portrait of the composer. It is Beethoven’s most personal utterance, according to Sir George Grove in his book, Beethoven and His Nine Symphonies. And it’s not just the popular stereotype of ‘Beethoven the thunderer’ we hear –although his forceful personality drives the workings-out of the first and last movements – it is Beethoven the rough humourist.

The Eighth is an example of the sort of pithy statement Beethoven could make when he worked quickly. He usually sketched his symphonies in summer before writing them up in detail, in the studio so to speak, during the winter and spring. But that doesn’t appear to have been the method this time.

The Eighth was composed during the summer months of 1812, close upon the completion of Symphony No.7. The whole composition took only four months.

Beethoven spent the summer of 1812 travelling around the various mineral baths of Bohemia – from Teplitz to Karlsbad to Franzensbrunn and back to Karlsbad and Teplitz. He was hoping to alleviate various stomach ailments by taking the waters, unsuccessfully as it turns out. There were various other disturbances in the composer’s life at the time. This was the period of his letter to the ‘Immortal Beloved’, an artefact of his unrequited love for a woman whose identity still eludes scholars. And he was, as always, struggling with money. The value of his annuity from Archduke Rudolph, Prince Lobkowitz and Count Kinsky had shrunk due to devaluation of the Austrian currency.

At Teplitz, Beethoven met the great poet and playwright, Goethe, for whose play, Egmont, he had provided incidental music in 1810. Goethe’s diary notes the 19, 20, 21 and 23 July as occasions on which they met. But Goethe’s overall impression of Beethoven could be distilled in one word. He is ‘uncontrolled’ (ungebändigt) he wrote to the songwriter, Carl Zelter, on 2 September 1812. Notwithstanding the fact that Goethe noted that Beethoven played for them (‘beautifully’) on 21 July, he was shocked by Beethoven’s personal behaviour. Much of Vienna’s aristocracy was present at Teplitz that summer, all anxious about Napoleon’s latest exploit: his foray into Russia. Beethoven deliberately snubbed the Austrian royal family in front of Goethe who had stood to one side and bowed as they passed. ‘Goethe delights far too much in the court atmosphere, far more than is becoming in a poet,’ said Beethoven. Of course, we might agree; Beethoven and Goethe are better remembered these days. But that didn’t make Goethe feel any better about Beethoven’s behaviour.

Yet this work gives the lie to any perception that Beethoven was ‘uncontrolled’ in his musical mind.

It is probably more important to note that Beethoven the composer was able to master violent contradictory impulses in this music. Goethe’s ‘ungebändigt’ refers, of course, to Beethoven’s personality. But it is also true that Goethe would probably not have recognised the immense control Beethoven exercised in curbing his violent musical impulses. This symphony is arguably Beethoven’s most disciplined. Its containment of jokes and distortions within the prevailing classical style reveals immense intellectual power.

The symphony begins with a phrase that sounds like the posing of a rhetorical question and its various answers. A consequent development in a series of long notes could be considered deepening of the subject matter except that it goes on so long you wonder if Beethoven is pulling our legs. And then the music peters out in staccato leaps leaving the solo bassoon exposed just prior to the second subject. All jokes aside, the development almost rises to the intense heights of some of Beethoven’s longer first movements. There is dissonant drama, fugal intensity, dizzying displacement of metre, a whiff of victory...Then the sustained notes from the exposition return. We hear the petering-out prior to the return of the ‘second subject’. But are we already in the recapitatulation? We haven’t heard the return of the first subject yet! Yes, we have: disguised as development. Beethoven has played expertly with classical sonata form in this first movement, and it ends pertly with an exact repetition of the symphony’s opening phrase: a neat punchline.

Perhaps the genuine novelty in this symphony is the second movement. Not a typical slow movement, it has almost a ‘comic opera’ feel. The ‘tocktock-tock’ woodwind accompaniment to the opening theme was said to have

been inspired by a new time-keeping instrument, Mälzel’s chronometer.

It was Beethoven who had pioneered the replacement of the standard third-movement minuet and trio with the scherzo and trio in his Second Symphony. Such was the Allegretto scherzando’s level of whimsy here, however, that Beethoven reverted to a minuet and trio – albeit a robust one –for this work.

The final movement is a sonata rondo, but once again Beethoven is not content to work safely within a standard form. The movement makes its way to the end via the expedient of a march – joking? Or intensifying the form?

In October 1812, Beethoven left the spas and moved on to Linz. There he finished this work, but his real purpose in travelling south was to intervene in his brother’s personal life. Beethoven was scandalised by the fact that his brother was living ‘in sin’ with his housekeeper, Therese Obermeyer; he took unjustified steps to put an end to it; the brothers came to blows. We have already noted Goethe’s judgement of Beethoven as ‘uncontrolled’. At least he was disciplined in the music, and, as Goethe concedes, his playing was ‘beautiful’.

The Eighth premiered on 27 February 1814 in a concert which saw repeats of the Symphony No.7 and Wellington’s Victory, a display piece Beethoven had originally written for another of Mälzels inventions, the panharmonicon. In Beethoven’s day, the Seventh Symphony was much admired, and Wellington’s Victory (celebrating the defeat of Napoleon) made quite a splash. But Beethoven’s ‘kleine’ symphony deserved, and still deserves, more appreciation.

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Roger and Coll Buckle

Cititec Systems

Charmaine Collins

Dr Sheryl Coughlin and Paul Coughlin

Judith Cowden in memory of violinist

Margaret Cowden

Dr Oliver Daly and Matilda Daly

Merrowyn Deacon

Bruce Dudon

Melissa and Aran Fitzgerald

Brian Florence

Elizabeth Foster

Mary Gaidzkar

Simon Gaites

Dr Mary-Jane Gething

David and Geraldine Glenny

Hugo and Diane Goetze

Louise Gourlay OAM

Robert and Jan Green

George Hampel AM KC and Felicity Hampel AM SC

Geoff Hayes

Jim Hickey

William Holder

Clive and Joyce Hollands

Rod Home

R A Hook

Gillian Horwood

Geoff and Denise Illing

Wendy Johnson

John and Christine Keys

Belinda and Malcom King

Janet and Ross Lapworth

Professor David Knowles and Dr Anne McLachlan

Pauline and David Lawton

Paschalina Leach

Dr Jenny Lewis

Sharon Li

The Podcast Reader

Janice Mayfield

Shirley A McKenzie

Dr Alan Meads and Sandra Boon

Marie Misiurak

Joan Mullumby

Dr Judith S Nimmo

Brendan O’Donnell

David Oppenheim

Sarah Patterson

Adriana and Sienna Pesavento

Kerryn Pratchett

Professor Charles Qin OAM and Kate Ritchie

Alfonso Reina and Marjanne Rook

Professor John Rickard

Dr Anne Ryan

Viorica Samson

Carolyn Sanders

Dr Nora Scheinkestel

Julia Schlapp

Dr Alex Starr

Dylan Stewart

Ruth Stringer

Reverend Angela Thomas

Rosemary Warnock

Nickie Warton and Grant Steel

Amanda Watson

Deborah Whithear and Dr Kevin Whithear OAM

Dr Susan Yell

Anonymous (14)

CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE

Jenny Anderson

David Angelovich

G C Bawden and L de Kievit

Lesley Bawden

Joyce Bown

Mrs Jenny Bruckner and the late Mr John Bruckner

Ken Bullen

Peter A Caldwell

Luci and Ron Chambers

Beryl Dean

Sandra Dent

Alan Egan JP

Gunta Eglite

Marguerite Garnon-Williams

Drs L C Gruen and R W Wade

Louis J Hamon AOM

Charles Hardman

Carol Hay

Jennifer Henry

Graham Hogarth

Rod Home

Lyndon Horsburg

Tony Howe

Lindsay and Michael Jacombs

Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James

John Jones

Grace Kass and the late George Kass

Sylvia Lavelle

Pauline and David Lawton

Cameron Mowat

Ruth Muir

David Orr

Matthew O’Sullivan

Rosia Pasteur

Penny Rawlins

Joan P Robinson

Anne Roussac-Hoyne and Neil Roussac

Michael Ryan and Wendy Mead

Andrew Serpell and Anne Kieni Serpell

Jennifer Shepherd

Suzette Sherazee

Dr Gabriela and Dr George Stephenson

Pamela Swansson

Lillian Tarry

Tam Vu and Dr Cherilyn Tillman

Mr and Mrs R P Trebilcock

Peter and Elisabeth Turner

Michael Ulmer AO

The Hon. Rosemary Varty

Terry Wills Cooke OAM and the late Marian Wills Cooke

Mark Young

Anonymous (19)

The MSO gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Estates:

Norma Ruth Atwell

Angela Beagley

Christine Mary Bridgart

The Cuming Bequest

Margaret Davies

Neilma Gantner

The Hon Dr Alan Goldberg AO QC

Enid Florence Hookey

Gwen Hunt

Family and Friends of James Jacoby

Audrey Jenkins

Joan Jones

Pauline Marie Johnston

C P Kemp

Peter Forbes MacLaren

Joan Winsome Maslen

Lorraine Maxine Meldrum

Prof Andrew McCredie

Jean Moore

Joan P Robinson

Maxwell Schultz

Miss Sheila Scotter AM MBE

Marion A I H M Spence

Molly Stephens

Halinka Tarczynska-Fiddian

Jennifer May Teague

Albert Henry Ullin

Jean Tweedie

Herta and Fred B Vogel

Dorothy Wood

COMMISSIONING CIRCLE

Mary Armour

Cecilie Hall and the Late Hon Michael Watt KC

Tim and Lyn Edward

Kim Williams AM

Weis Family

FIRST NATIONS CIRCLE

John and Lorraine Bates

Colin Golvan AM KC and Dr Deborah Golvan

Sascha O. Becker

Maestro Jaime Martín

Elizabeth Proust AO and Brian Lawrence

The Kate and Stephen Shelmerdine Family Foundation

Michael Ullmer AO and Jenny Ullmer

Jason Yeap OAM – Mering Management Corporation

ADOPT A MUSICIAN

Mr Marc Besen AC and the late Mrs Eva Besen AO

Chief Conductor Jaime Martín

Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan

Roger Young

Andrew Dudgeon AM

Rohan de Korte, Philippa West

Tim and Lyn Edward

John Arcaro

Dr John and Diana Frew

Rosie Turner

Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser

Stephen Newton

The Gross Foundation

Matthew Tomkins

Dr Clem Gruen and Dr Rhyl Wade

Robert Cossom

Danny Gorog and Lindy Susskind

Monica Curro

Cecilie Hall and the late Hon Michael Watt KC

Saul Lewis

Nereda Hanlon and Michael Hanlon AM

Abbey Edlin

Margaret Jackson AC

Nicolas Fleury

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

Benjamin Hanlon, Tair Khisambee, Christopher Moore

Dr Elizabeth A Lewis AM

Anthony Chataway

David Li AM and Angela Li

Dale Barltrop

Gary McPherson

Rachel Shaw

Hyon-Ju Newman

Patrick Wong

Newton Family in memory of Rae Rothfield

Cong Gu

The Rosemary Norman Foundation

Ann Blackburn

Andrew and Judy Rogers

Michelle Wood

Glenn Sedgwick

Tiffany Cheng, Shane Hooton

Dr Martin Tymms and Patricia Nilsson

Natasha Thomas

Anonymous

Prudence Davis

HONORARY APPOINTMENTS

Life Members

Mr Marc Besen AC

John Gandel AC and Pauline Gandel AC

Sir Elton John CBE

Harold Mitchell AC

Lady Potter AC CMRI

Jeanne Pratt AC

Michael Ullmer AO and Jenny Ullmer

Anonymous

MSO Ambassador

Geoffrey Rush AC

The MSO honours the memory of Life Members

Mrs Eva Besen AO

John Brockman OAM

The Honourable Alan Goldberg AO QC

Roger Riordan AM

Ila Vanrenen

MSO ARTISTIC FAMILY

Jaime Martín

Chief Conductor

Xian Zhang

Principal Guest Conductor

Benjamin Northey

Principal Conductor in Residence

Carlo Antonioli

Cybec Assistant Conductor Fellow

Sir Andrew Davis

Conductor Laureate

Hiroyuki Iwaki †

Conductor Laureate (1974–2006)

Warren Trevelyan-Jones

MSO Chorus Director

Siobhan Stagg

2023 Soloist in Residence

Gondwana Voices

2023 Ensemble in Residence

Christian Li

Young Artist in Association

Mary Finsterer

2023 Composer in Residence

Melissa Douglas

2023 Cybec Young Composer in Residence

Christopher Moore

Creative Producer, MSO Chamber

Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO

MSO First Nations Creative Chair

Dr Anita Collins

Creative Chair for Learning and Engagement

Artistic Ambassadors

Tan Dun

Lu Siqing

MSO BOARD

Chairman

David Li AM

Co-Deputy Chairs

Di Jameson

Helen Silver AO

Managing Director

Sophie Galaise

Board Directors

Shane Buggle

Andrew Dudgeon AM

Lorraine Hook

Margaret Jackson AC

David Krasnostein AM

Gary McPherson

Farrel Meltzer

Hyon-Ju Newman

Glenn Sedgwick

Company Secretary

Oliver Carton

The MSO relies on your ongoing philanthropic support to sustain our artists, and support access, education, community engagement and more. We invite our supporters to get close to the MSO through a range of special events.

The MSO welcomes your support at any level. Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible, and supporters are recognised as follows:

$500+ (Overture)

$1,000+ (Player)

$2,500+ (Associate)

$5,000+ (Principal)

$10,000+ (Maestro)

$20,000+ (Impresario)

$50,000+ (Virtuoso)

$100,000+ (Platinum)

Media and Broadcast Partners

Trusts and Foundations

The MSO is committed to a sustainable future for our art form and our audiences. As such, this program has been printed on Revive Laser stock. Revive Laser is 100% Recycled, and Certified Carbon Neutral against Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard. Made in Australia by an ISO 14001 certified mill. No chlorine bleaching occurs in the recycling process.

The Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, Flora & Frank Leith Trust, Perpetual Foundation – Alan (AGL) Shaw Endowment, Sidney Myer MSO Trust Fund