Side by Side with Melbourne Youth Orchestra

Side by Side

with Melbourne Youth Orchestra

8 June

Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall

Artists

Featuring Melbourne Youth Orchestra

side by side with members of the MSO

Johannes Fritzsch conductor

Program

WAGNER Lohengrin: Prelude

STRAVINSKY The Firebird Suite (1911)

HOLLY HARRISON Jammed

Running time: approximately 1 hour with no interval

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

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.

SIDE BY SIDE: MELBOURNE

MSO Musicians Performing in this Concert

FIRST VIOLINS

Tair Khisambeev

Assistant Concertmaster

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio#

Sarah Curro

Deborah Goodall

Kirstin Kenny

Eleanor Mancini

Anne Neil#

Kathryn Taylor

SECOND VIOLINS

Robert Macindoe

Associate Principal

Isin Cakmakçioglu

Tiffany Cheng

Glenn Sedgwick#

Isy Wasserman

Roger Young

Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan#

VIOLAS

Christopher Moore

Principal

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio#

Lauren Brigden

Will Clark

Isabel Morse

CELLOS

Elina Faskhi

Assistant Principal

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio#

Sarah Morse

Anna Pokorny

DOUBLE BASSES

Caitlin Bass*

Stephen Newton

Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser#

Emma Sullivan*

FLUTE

Wendy Clarke

Associate Principal

OBOE

Michael Pisani

Acting Principal

CLARINET

David Thomas Principal

BASSOON

Elise Millman Associate Principal

CONTRABASSOON

Brock Imison Principal

HORNS

Rebecca Luton*

Ian Wildsmith*

TRUMPET

Yoram Levy

TROMBONE

Richard Shirley

PERCUSSION

John Arcaro

Tim and Lyn Edward#

Shaun Trubiano

HARP

Yinuo Mu

Principal

PIANO & CELESTE

Louisa Breen

Laurence Matheson

Correct as of 25 May 2023

Learn more about our musicians on the MSO website

MYO Musicians Performing in this Concert

FIRST VIOLINS

Edgar Chen

Naamah Hanna

Paulina Huang

Autumn Lee

Adel Kalnoki

Katherine Ma

Rianah McInnes

Holly Sutton

Claire Yeung

SECOND VIOLINS

Raistlin Chan

Matilda Daly

Eric Dao

Anna Davidson

Najia Hanna

Eliza Henson Gregg

Avelyn Reynolds

VIOLAS

Emma Amery

Cyrus Cheng

Millie Davidson

Charlotte Parker

George Pourpouras

Tom Protat

Max Topor

CELLOS

Christopher Cheng

Madeleine Davies

Rowan Parr

Mahalia Shelton

Ryan Tan

Katelyn Woodyatt

DOUBLE BASSES

Ella Evans

Maxwell Harders

Wei Keat Lim

Will Murphy

Grace Reynolds

FLUTES

Laura Dickie

Anushi Fernandopulle

Dennis Wang

OBOES

Michael Beech

Kenneth Li

COR ANGLAIS

Harry Chen

CLARINETS

Ben Fitzsimons

Freya Parr

Jorja Withall

BASSOONS

Josh Elrom

Jake Newman

HORNS

Scott Plenderleith

Cecilia Xu

TRUMPETS

Ben Ball

Rebekka Walker

TROMBONES

Angus Hood

Oscar Milic

TUBA

Jancia Schepisi

TIMPANI

Felix Gilmour

PERCUSSION

Jasmine Lai

Sasha Wee

* Denotes Guest Musician # Position supported by

Johannes Fritzsch conductor

Johannes Fritzsch was appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in February, 2021 having previously served as their Chief Conductor (2008-2014). Since 2018, Johannes has held the position of Principal Guest Conductor of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

From 2006–2013 he was Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester (Austria). Prior to his appointment in Graz, Johannes held the position of Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Staatsoper Nürnberg. From 1993 until 1999, he was Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Städtische Bühnen and the Philharmonic Orchestra in Freiburg.

Johannes was born in 1960 in Meissen, near Dresden, Germany, where he completed his musical education. He has conducted many leading orchestras, both within Germany and internationally. He regularly conducts the major Australasian orchestras as well as leading productions for Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, West Australian Opera and State Opera of South Australia.

In January 2015, Johannes was appointed Adjunct Professor, The Conservatorium of Music, School of Creative Arts and Media at the University of Tasmania; in June 2019, he joined the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University as Professor of Opera and Orchestral Studies.

SIDE BY SIDE: MELBOURNE

Melbourne Youth Orchestras

Melbourne Youth Orchestras (MYO) brings young Victorian musicians together to participate in ensemble music-making. Through their educational program, MYO continues to unleash creativity and empower tomorrow’s leaders through a commitment to excellence, ultimately inspiring its members to reach their potential through music.

MYO plays a leadership role in collaborating with education and music partners to ensure that a high-quality music education is available for all students in Victoria. MYO is recognised as one of Australia’s leading centres for ensemble music making and training, and a meeting place for young musicians and their families who travel from all over metropolitan and regional Victoria to participate.

SIDE BY SIDE:

Program Notes

RICHARD WAGNER (1813–1883)

Lohengrin, Act I: Prelude

Divided strings high in their compass alternating with four solo violins and a chorus of flutes and oboes begin Lohengrin, Wagner’s sixth opera and the last of his works that could be considered opera as distinct from music drama, his preferred designation. This is not an operatic curtain-raiser that parades the themes we will hear in the ensuing work; it is a poetic introduction to the work, creating in one breath an image against which the ensuing plot may be compared. Here, as Wagner says in his own program note: ‘Out of the clear blue ether of the sky there seems to condense a wonderful yet at first hardly perceptible vision; and out of this there gradually emerges, ever more and more clearly, an angel host bearing in its midst the sacred Grail.’ The shimmering instrumental effect well illustrates Wagner’s image. Gradually a theme emerges which will gain significance later as the Grail theme. Skilfully introducing deeper and deeper instruments, Wagner suggests a long descent. The horns and brass gradually enter and the Prelude gathers force, until ‘the Grail is revealed in all its glorious reality.’ Having reached a climax the music returns to its quiet origins in the rarefied atmosphere of the higher strings. The angels return to heaven, says Wagner, ‘having once more made pure the hearts of men.’

The story of Lohengrin concerns the knight of the Grail, Lohengrin, who arrives in Brabant to champion the falsely-accused Elsa. In return he asks her never to ask his name or origin, and they pledge themselves to each other.

Elsa’s accuser Friedrich of Brabant

is defeated, but he and his wife later sow doubt in Elsa’s mind, and on their wedding day Elsa asks Lohengrin to reveal his identity. Publicly he reveals that he is the son of Parsifal; he is a knight of the Grail whose assistance to Elsa and the German people was conditional on his anonymity. His anonymity destroyed, he leaves Brabant and Elsa, who falls lifeless to the ground.

Lohengrin stands at the midpoint between Wagner’s experiments with traditional opera forms (grand opera, comic opera) and the development of his music dramas. He had previously based his operas on histkjhorical fiction, Shakespeare and a Gozzi fairy tale. Now he turned to German myth, as a way of speaking to his audience’s inmost being. In 1845 Wagner read the epic poems Parzival and Titurel by Wolfram von Eschenbach and the anonymous Lohengrin. Much of the material of Parzival would surface in his last opera. By 3 August 1845 he had sketched a prose scenario of Lohengrin; the verse version followed almost four months later. Wagner drafted the music on two staves by the middle of 1846, and completed the full score 28 April 1848. He could not attend the 1850 premiere in Weimar under Liszt because he was in exile for his part in the 1848 disturbances, so he did not hear the work until 1861 in Vienna.

Wagner intended his music dramas to elevate the dramatic side of opera, as a way of making opera more significant and socially influential. He was revolted by the contemporary operas of Meyerbeer or Rossini which were, respectively, pompous or had degenerated into superficial vocal virtuosity hung on absurdly slender plots. But Wagner did not fully succeed in balancing the musical and dramatic elements in Lohengrin. He had, for example, begun using leitmotifs, those musical ideas associated with

characters and concepts whose musical development in the later Ring dramas would map, underscore and enhance the developments of the plot. (The main theme of the Lohengrin Prelude, for example, is identified by Lohengrin in Act III as representing the ‘vessel of wondrous blessing [in Montsalvat] that is watched over as a sacred relic’.) But he had yet to find a way to make those musical elements terse, concise or plastic enough to allow an economic telling of the plot: we wait until each musical phrase is finished, long having already twigged to the dramatic point. Fortunately, Lohengrin is one of Wagner’s most beautifully melodic scores containing many fine musical moments.

Lohengrin was one of the first Wagner operas to be performed in Australia. Mr Emil Sander wrote to Wagner about the production of Lohengrin in Melbourne in 1877 and Wagner wrote back to him (22 October 1877) to thank him but also to say that he would have preferred the production to have been in English so that the English-speaking audience could understand the plot: ‘I hope to be able to have this done in London. The views you have sent us from Melbourne have greatly interested me and my family.’ Wagner may have considered the plot of paramount importance, but this Prelude is among those musical extracts that suggest we attend Wagner’s theatre principally because of the magnificence of the music.

G.K. Williams Symphony Australia © 2003

IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882–1971)

The Firebird (1911 Suite)

Just a few years before The Firebird premiered in Paris, Igor Stravinsky was an undistinguished law student in Saint Petersburg wishing he was a composer instead. By chance he met the son of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, who was the reigning tsar of Russian composers, ingratiated himself with the family, and soon was taking lessons with the master himself.

Meanwhile, Serge Diaghilev was developing plans to bring Russian art to Western European capitals, beginning with painting and sculpture, then experimenting with opera, and finally settling on ballet. Together with the dancer Michel Fokine, he established the Ballets Russes in Paris, which at first mostly choreographed to existing works by Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, and 19 th century Russian composers. To repurpose non-ballet music for dance was itself an innovative idea, but soon Parisians were clamoring for fresh sounds. Diaghilev and Fokine began to develop an ambitious new ballet with an original score for their French audience, and they paired two Russian folk characters – the magical Firebird and the evil Kashchei the Deathless –  for the story.

The ballet follows Prince Ivan Tsarevich, who walks through the garden of Kashchei, a monstrous king. The prince sees the Firebird near a golden apple tree and captures it, only releasing it in exchange for a feather. Soon he meets 13 maidens and falls in love with one, who turns out to be under Kashchei’s evil spell and lures the prince into a trap. The captured prince summons the Firebird with its feather, and the creature reveals that Kashchei’s immortality derives from a magical egg he keeps in a box. The prince smashes

the egg, Kashchei dies, the maidens are liberated, and everyone rejoices.

At least three established composers turned down the project before Diaghilev tried the 27-year-old Stravinsky, who had previously only orchestrated a few Chopin piano pieces for the Ballets Russes. He was the last choice, and Diaghilev could not have had particularly high expectations for the untested composer. Stravinsky set to work writing in his Saint Petersburg apartment between December 1909 and May the following year, sometimes meeting with Fokine to improvise music and dance together.

The Firebird was Stravinsky’s first major piece, and it set him on course to write The Rite of Spring and other innovative works over the next five decades. An original voice already comes through in The Firebird, but current scholarship has emphasised its links to earlier Russian music – links that Stravinsky himself downplayed, not wanting to appear indebted to the country of his birth, or to the past.

But many of the melodies are borrowed from Russian folk music, and even his harmonic sleights-of-hand and modern orchestrational wizardries don’t stray far from those of RimskyKorsakov. The Firebird ’s distinctive sound is largely created through the contrast of murky, chromatic harmonies (representing supernatural evil) against bright, singable melodies (representing human good). It’s a vivid effect, but one borrowed from 19 th century Russian opera – not a 20 th century innovation. What really distinguishes Stravinsky is the shaping of melodies and his rhythmic sense – how he trims and arranges the sinewy phrases, creating jagged exclamations in fast sections and undulating tension in slow ones.

So what if The Firebird wasn’t quite as original as it might at first seem, when

it has such an irresistible pull? The French critic Robert Brussel visited a piano rehearsal in Saint Petersburg in the winter of 1910. Perhaps the very first member of the public to hear it, he immediately recognised: “the moment [Stravinsky] began to play, the modest and dimly lit dwelling glowed with a dazzling radiance. By the end of the first scene, I was conquered: by the last, I was lost in admiration. The manuscript on the music stand, scored over with fine penciling, revealed a masterpiece.”

Stravinsky traveled to Paris that spring for the premiere at the Palais Garnier, and it was met with universal acclaim. Nearly every musical and literary figure in Paris attended the first night – and suddenly Stravinsky, who the day before had been a complete unknown, was shaking hands with Claude Debussy and Marcel Proust.

Stravinsky revisited the Firebird three times (in 1911, 1919, and 1945) to create suites for concert performance. Of these, the 1919 suite is the most frequently performed – but on today’s concert, we hear the 1911 version. This suite omits a few popular numbers like the gorgeous lullaby, but it maintains the original lavish scoring with a huge brass section, three harps, and two keyboards – forces Diaghilev could afford at the Ballets Russes, but which Stravinsky pared back in 1919 to accommodate more modest organisations.

The music emerges from the dark in the lowest depths of the orchestra (Introduction), setting the stage as Kashchei’s cursed domain. In Scene I, the Firebird appears and dances against glittering violins, chirping clarinet and flutes (Dance of the Firebird ). Soon Prince Ivan encounters the thirteen princesses, who dance a khorovod – a Russian circle dance – warmly accompanied by solo violin, winds, and cello (Khorovod of the Princesses). In a

sudden eruption of timpani, brass, and xylophone, Kaschei is forced to dance (Infernal Dance) before his destruction.

© Benjamin Pesetsky 2023

HOLLY HARRISON (born 1988)

Jammed

The title Jammed has two meanings. It refers to the main musical riff which is repeated and reimagined throughout: it is implied that the players are part of an improvised jam session, freely drawing from funk, rock, and metal styles. The work also embraces the idea of ‘jam’ as something which is ‘stuck’. This is heard in the piece through jarring brass chords and rapid changes between sections, which could be likened to a CD skipping or vinyl warping.

© Holly Harrison

My first experience with the MSO was when I was very young....We were taken to a school concert, in the Melbourne Town Hall, conducted by Sir Bernard Heinze.… and I can honestly say that the MSO has never been out of my life since.

A Lifetime of Music

From nourishing the soul, lifting the spirits, or igniting passion, music has the ability to evoke the vast expanse of human emotions like nothing else.

For 117 years, our great Orchestra has had the honour and privilege of creating these moving musical moments – delivering a lifetime of music to generations of Victorians. But we can’t do this without your support.

A gift today to the MSO will help us deliver our annual suite of concerts and programs for audiences of all ages and musical tastes.

Each and every gift, no matter the size, makes an impact. Please join us on this important journey, and make a donation today by scanning the QR code.

Thank you for your support.

Mary Armour – MSO Patron and lifelong concert-goer.

Supporters

MSO PATRON

The Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO, Governor of Victoria

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Mr Marc Besen AC and the late Mrs Eva Besen AO

Gandel Foundation

The Gross Foundation

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

Harold Mitchell Foundation

Lady Potter AC CMRI

Cybec Foundation

The Pratt Foundation

The Ullmer Family Foundation

Anonymous

ARTIST CHAIR BENEFACTORS

Cybec Assistant Conductor Chair

Carlo Antonioli Cybec Foundation

Concertmaster Dale Barltrop

David Li AM and Angela Li

Assistant Concertmaster

Tair Khisambeev Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

Young Composer in Residence

Melissa Douglas Cybec Foundation

2023 Composer in Residence

Mary Finsterer Kim Williams AM

PROGRAM BENEFACTORS

MSO Now & Forever Fund: International Engagement Gandel Foundation

Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers

Program Cybec Foundation

Digital Transformation The Margaret

Lawrence Bequest – Managed by Perpetual, Perpetual Foundation – Alan (AGL) Shaw Endowment

First Nations Emerging Artist Program

The Ullmer Family Foundation

East meets West The Li Family Trust, National Foundation for Australia-China Relations

MSO Live Online Crown Resorts Foundation, Packer Family Foundation

MSO Education Anonymous

MSO Academy Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

MSO For Schools Crown Resorts Foundation, Packer Family Foundation, Department of Education, Victoria, through the Strategic Partnerships Program

Melbourne Music Summit Department of Education, Victoria, through the Strategic Partnerships Program

MSO Regional Touring Creative Victoria, Freemasons Foundation Victoria, Robert Salzer Foundation, The Sir Andrew & Lady Fairley Foundation

The Pizzicato Effect Hume City Council’s Community Grants program, The Marian and E.H. Flack Trust, Flora & Frank Leith Charitable Trust, Australian Decorative And Fine Arts Society, Anonymous

Sidney Myer Free Concerts Sidney Myer

MSO Trust Fund and the University of Melbourne

PLATINUM PATRONS

$100,000+

Mr Marc Besen AC and the late Mrs Eva Besen AO

The Gandel Foundation

The Gross Foundation

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

David Li AM and Angela Li

Lady Primrose Potter AC CMRI

The Ullmer Family Foundation

Anonymous (1)

VIRTUOSO

PATRONS $50,000+

Margaret Jackson AC

Weis Family Anonymous (1)

IMPRESARIO PATRONS $20,000+

H Bentley

The Hogan Family Foundation

David Krasnostein AM and Pat Stragalinos

Opalgate Foundation

Elizabeth Proust AO and Brian Lawrence

Lady Marigold Southey AC

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

Kim Williams AM

Anonymous (2)

MAESTRO PATRONS $10,000+

Christine and Mark Armour

Margaret Billson and the late Ted Billson

Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM

Andrew Dudgeon AM

Dr Mary-Jane H Gething AO

Colin Golvan AM KC and Dr Deborah Golvan

Danny Gorog and Lindy Susskind

David R Lloyd

Peter Lovell

Maestro Jaime Martin

Ian and Jeannie Paterson

Christopher Robinson and the late Joan P Robinson

Yashian Schauble

Glenn Sedgwick

The Sun Foundation

Gai and David Taylor

Athalie Williams and Tim Danielson

Lyn Williams AM

Wingate Group

Jason Yeap OAM – Mering Management Corporation

Anonymous (2)

PRINCIPAL PATRONS $5,000+

Mary Armour

Barbara Bell in memory of Elsa Bell

Bodhi Education Fund

Julia and Jim Breen

Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan

Oliver Carton

John Coppock OAM and Lyn Coppock

Perri Cutten and Jo Daniell

Ann Darby in memory of Leslie J. Darby

Mary Davidson and the late Frederick Davidson AM

The Dimmick Charitable Trust

Tim and Lyn Edward

Jaan Enden

Bill Fleming

Dr John and Diana Frew

Susan Fry and Don Fry AO

Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser

Geelong Friends of the MSO

Dr Rhyl Wade and Dr Clem Gruen

Cecilie Hall and the late Hon Michael Watt KC

Hilary Hall in memory of Wilma Collie

Louis J Hamon OAM

Nereda Hanlon and Michael Hanlon AM

Merv Keehn and Sue Harlow

Dr Alastair Jackson AM

Paul and Amy Jasper

Suzanne Kirkham

Hyon-Ju Newman

Dr Elizabeth A Lewis AM

Sherry Li

Dr Caroline Liow

Gary McPherson

Rosemary and the late Douglas Meagher

The Mercer Family Foundation

Marie Morton FRSA

Anne Neil in memory of Murray A. Neil

Newton Family in memory of Rae Rothfield

Ken Ong OAM

Bruce Parncutt AO

Professor Sam Ricketson and Dr Rosemary Ayton

Andrew and Judy Rogers

Rosemary and the late Douglas Meagher

The Rosemary Norman Foundation

Guy Ross

The Kate and Stephen Shelmerdine Family Foundation

Helen Silver AO and Harrison Young

Anita Simon

Supporters

Brian Snape AM

Dr Michael Soon

Dawna Wright and Peter Riedel

ASSOCIATE PATRONS $2,500+

Carolyn Baker

Marlyn Bancroft and Peter Bancroft OAM

Sue and Barry Peake

Sascha O. Becker

Janet H Bell

Alan and Dr Jennifer Breschkin

Patricia Brockman

Drs John D L Brookes and Lucy V Hanlon

Stuart Brown

Lynne Burgess

Dr Lynda Campbell

Janet Chauvel and the late Dr Richard

Chauvel

Katherine Cusack

Leo de Lange

Dr Paul Nisselle AM

Elaine Walters OAM

Barry Fradkin OAM and Dr Pam Fradkin

Carrillo Gantner AC and Ziyin Gantner

Kim and Robert Gearon

Steinicke Family

Janette Gill

Goldberg Family

Goldschlager Family Charitable Foundation

Jennifer Gorog

Catherine Gray

Susan and Gary Hearst

Hartmut and Ruth Hofmann

Jenny Tatchell

John Jones

Mrs Qian Li

The Cuming Bequest

Margaret and John Mason OAM

H E McKenzie

Dr Isabel McLean

Ian Merrylees

Alan and Dorothy Pattison

David and Nancy Price

Peter Priest

Ruth and Ralph Renard

Peter and Carolyn Rendit

Tom and Elizabeth Romanowski

Liliane Rusek and Alexander Ushakoff

Jeffrey Sher KC and Diana Sher OAM

Barry Spanger

Peter J Stirling

Clayton and Christina Thomas

Janet Whiting AM

Shirley and Jeffrey Zajac

Anonymous (4)

PLAYER PATRONS $1,000+

Dr Sally Adams

Anita and Graham Anderson

Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society

Geoffrey and Vivienne Baker

Allen and Kathryn Bloom

Michael Bowles and Alma Gill

Joyce Bown

Youth Music Foundation

Professor Ian Brighthope

Miranda Brockman

Nigel Broughton and Sheena Broughton

Suzanne Brown OAM and the late Harvey Brown

Jill and Christopher Buckley

Dr Robin Burns and Dr Roger Douglas

Ronald and Kate Burnstein

Kaye Cleary

John and Mandy Collins

Dr Daryl Daley and Nola Daley

Panch Das and Laurel Young-Das

Caroline Davies

Michael Davies

Natasha Davies for the Trikojus Education Fund

Rick and Sue Deering

Suzanne Dembo

John and Anne Duncan

Jane Edmanson OAM

Diane Fisher

Grant Fisher and Helen Bird

Alex Forrest

Frank Tisher OAM and Dr Miriam Tisher

Applebay Pty Ltd

David and Esther Frenkiel OAM

Anthony Garvey and Estelle O’Callaghan

David I Gibbs AM and Susie O’Neill

Sonia Gilderdale

Dr Celia Godfrey

Dr Marged Goode

Dr Sandra Hacker AO and Mr Ian Kennedy AM

Dawn Hales

David Hardy

Tilda and the late Brian Haughney

Cathy Henry

Dr Jennifer Henry

Dr Keith Higgins

Anthony and Karen Ho

Jenny and Peter Hordern

Katherine Horwood

Penelope Hughes

Shyama Jayaswal

Basil and Rita Jenkins

Sandy Jenkins

Sue Johnston

John Kaufman

Angela Kayser

Drs Bruce and Natalie Kellett

Anne and Leonard Kennedy

Tim Knaggs

Professor David Knowles and Dr Anne McLachlan

Dr Jerry Koliha and Marlene Krelle

Jane Kunstler

Ann Lahore

Kerry Landman

Kathleen and Coran Lang

Bryan Lawrence

Phil Lewis

Andrew Lockwood

Elizabeth H Loftus

Chris and Anna Long

Gabe Lopata

John MacLeod

Eleanor & Phillip Mancini

Aaron McConnell

Wayne McDonald and Kay Schroer

Ray McHenry

John and Rosemary McLeod

Don and Anne Meadows

Dr Eric Meadows

Professor Geoffrey Metz

Sylvia Miller

Ian Morrey and Geoffrey Minter

Anthony and Anna Morton

Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James

Roger Parker

Ian Penboss

Kerryn Pratchett

Professor Charles Qin OAM and Kate Ritchie

Eli Raskin

Jan and Keith Richards

James Ring

Dr Peter Rogers and Cathy Rogers OAM

Dr Ronald and Elizabeth Rosanove

Marie Rowland

Marshall Segan in memory of Berek Segan

OBE and Marysia Segan

Martin and Susan Shirley

P Shore

John E Smith

Dr Peter Strickland

Dr Joel Symons and Liora Symons

Russell Taylor and Tara Obeyesekere

Geoffrey Thomlinson

Andrew and Penny Torok

Christina Turner

Ann and Larry Turner

Leon and Sandra Velik

The Reverend Noel Whale

Edward & Paddy White

Nic and Ann Willcock

Terry Wills Cooke OAM and the late Marian Wills Cooke

Robert and Diana Wilson

Richard Withers

Lorraine Woolley

Anonymous (12)

OVERTURE PATRONS $500+

Margaret Abbey PSM

Jane Allan and Mark Redmond

Mario M Anders

Jenny Anderson

Dr Judith Armstrong and Robyn Dalziel

Benevity Australia Online Giving Foundation

Mr Peter Batterham

Peter Berry and Amanda Quirk

Linda Brennan

Dr Robert Brook

Elizabeth Brown

Suzie Brown OAM and the late Harvey Brown

John Brownbill

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

David and Geraldine Glenny

Hugo and Diane Goetze

Louise Gourlay OAM

Jan and the late Robert 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 Keys

Belinda and Malcolm King

Janet and Ross Lapworth

Paschalina Leach

Dr Jenny Lewis

Sharon Li

Dr Susan Linton

The Podcast Reader

Janice Mayfield

Shirley A McKenzie

Dr Alan Meads and Sandra Boon

Marie Misiurak

Joan Mullumby

Dr Judith S Nimmo

Estelle O’Callaghan

Brendan O’Donnell

David Oppenheim

Sarah Patterson

Pauline and David Lawton

Adriana and Sienna Pesavento

Geoffrey Ravenscroft

Alfonso Reina and Marjanne Rook

Professor John Rickard

Dr Anne Ryan

Viorica Samson

Carolyn Sanders

Dr Nora Scheinkestel

Julia Schlapp

Madeline Soloveychik

Dr Alex Starr

Dyan Stewart

Ruth Stringer

Tom Sykes

Reverend Angela Thomas

Rosemary Warnock

Amanda Watson

Deborah Whithear and Dr Kevin Whithear OAM

Dr Susan Yell

Daniel Yosua

Anonymous (15)

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 Horsburgh

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

Gwennyth St John

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

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

Dr Mary-Jane Gething AO

Monica Curro

The Gross Foundation

Matthew Tomkins

Dr Clem Gruen and Dr Rhyl Wade

Robert Cossom

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

Elina Fashki, Benjamin Hanlon, Tair Khisambeev, Christopher Moore

Dr Elizabeth A Lewis AM

Anthony Chataway

David Li AM and Angela Li

Dale Barltrop

Gary McPherson

Rachel Shaw

Rosemary and the late Douglas Meagher

Craig Hill

Anne Neil

Eleanor Mancini

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, Rachel Tobin

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

Sir Andrew Davis CBE

Conductor Laureate

Hiroyuki Iwaki †

Conductor Laureate (1974–2006)

Warren Trevelyan-Jones

MSO Chorus Director

Siobhan Stagg

Soloist in Residence

Gondwana Voices

Ensemble in Residence

Christian Li

Young Artist in Association

Mary Finsterer

Composer in Residence

Melissa Douglas

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

Martin Foley

Lorraine Hook

Margaret Jackson AC

David Krasnostein AM

Gary McPherson

Farrel Meltzer

Edgar Myer

Glenn Sedgwick

Mary Waldron

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)

Principal Partner

Premier Partners

Education Partner

Major Partners

Orchestral Training

Partner

Government Partners

Venue Partner

Supporting Partners

Quest Southbank

Bows for Strings

Ernst & Young

Media and Broadcast Partners

Trusts and Foundations

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