A Night of Compassion | Concert Program

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Presented by

A MESSAGE FROM MANAGING DIRECTOR, SOPHIE GALAISE

It is with great pleasure that, on behalf of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, I welcome you to A Night of Compassion.

Tonight’s performance is the culmination of many months’ collaborative work on stage and off, between the artists you will soon hear perform, as well as between my MSO colleagues and our friends at FOJAM.

Lior and Nigel Westlake’s Compassion is a touchstone of 21 st century Australian music. Although a collaboration wrought from heartbreak, its message of hope and love is one we can all share and it is an honour for the MSO to perform this work – in full – for the first time in almost a decade.

Tonight’s program is made even more special by two further collaborations. One is between two good friends of the MSO, Emma Donovan and our Composer in Residence, Paul Grabowsky AO; the other between two artists whose stars will brighten before your eyes this evening, Billie Tumarkin and Alex Burkoy.

Working alongside other major cultural institutions such as FOJAM is a thrill for us at the MSO, and tonight’s special event is testament to the power of shared musical experiences.

Our love of music has brought us together tonight – I hope we will leave with our hearts full.

Thank you for being here with us tonight.

Sophie Galaise Managing Director, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

A MESSAGE FROM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, LIOR ALBECK-RIPKA

It is not by accident that A Night of Compassion falls during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah (Ten Days of Repentance), the time between Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), the most significant and holy period in the Jewish calendar. It’s a time of reflection and renewal where we are asked to take pause and consider the consequences of our actions.

Avinu Malkeinu, one of the songs you will hear tonight as part of Lior and Nigel Westlake’s award winning song- cycle, Compassion, is a Jewish prayer recited during these Ten Days of Repentance.

There is a line in the song that translates to “Instill me with compassion so I can be liberated.”

At a time when we are faced with what feels like insurmountable suffering around the world, we all experience ‘compassion fatigue’ and the guilt associated with that.

Tonight’s special FOJAM event in partnership with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra features outstanding artists presenting their interpretation of what compassion means to them, through song.

We stand in solidarity with all those who are suffering and acknowledge our responsibility as part of humanity to work towards a just and equal world.

Tonight’s show is our way of sharing hope. Shana Tova, Lior Albeck-Ripka Artistic Director, FOJAM

ARTISTS

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Nigel Westlake conductor

Lior vocalist

Emma Donovan vocalist

Paul Grabowsky AO piano

Billie Tumarkin vocalist

Alex Burkoy violin PROGRAM

PAUL GRABOWSKY AND EMMA DONOVAN

I’ll Fly Away (Albert E. Brumley)

Miracle Man (Micko Donovan)

Bridge Over Troubled Water with the MSO (Paul Simon; Arrangement Alex Turley)

BILLIE TUMARKIN AND ALEX BURKOY

Poviy vitre na Vkrainu (Повiй, вiтре, на Вкраiну) (Blow, Wind, to Ukraine)

Ukrainian folk melody with text by Ukrainian poet Stepan Rudansky

Rivkele Di Shabesdike (Rivkele the Sabbath Widow)

Yiddish song and poem written by Polish-Jew Pesach Kaplan in the Bialystok Ghetto in 1941

Nich Yaka Misyachna (What a Moonlit Night) with the MSO (Arrangement Nicholas Buc)

LIOR AND NIGEL WESTLAKE Compassion

This concert may be recorded for future broadcast on MSO.LIVE

Running time: approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with a 20 minute interval.

Our musical Acknowledgment of Country, Long Time Living Here by Deborah Cheetham AO, will be performed at these concerts.

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

In the first project of its kind in Australia, the MSO has developed a musical Acknowledgment of Country with music composed by Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham 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.

About Long Time Living Here

In all the world, only Australia can lay claim to the longest continuing cultures and we celebrate this more today than in any other time since our shared history began. We live each day drawing energy 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 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 2022, the MSO’s new Chief Conductor, Jaime Martín has ushered in 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, Composer in Residence, Paul Grabowsky 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.

FESTIVAL OF JEWISH ARTS AND MUSIC (FOJAM)

FOJAM is a contemporary international arts and music organisation showcasing the diversity and vitality of Jewish identity, culture and life since 2018. We are proud to be part of a wider arts community that seeks to explore contemporary Jewish life through music and arts. We are a platform for Jewish artists engaging with Jewish culture to explore and showcase their work. We seek to broaden perceptions of what it means, and what it looks like, to express being Jewish today. While music sits at the heart of what we do, we explore all art forms and are open to anything that sparks discussion, empathy and curiosity in our cultural consciousness.

Through our annual calendar of high quality, meaningful and progressive contemporary live music events, FOJAM also presents panel discussions, spoken word, contemporary dance and In Conversations with artists. Through the universal language of music and arts, we provide an opportunity to explore contemporary Jewish culture and the many intersections of Jewish identity.

Jaime Martín

Chief Conductor

Mr Marc Besen AC and the late Mrs Eva Besen AO#

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)

FIRST VIOLINS

Dale Barltrop Concertmaster David Li AM and Angela Li#

Sophie Rowell Concertmaster Tair Khisambeev Assistant Concertmaster Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio#

Peter Edwards Assistant Principal Kirsty Bremner Sarah Curro Peter Fellin

Deborah Goodall Lorraine Hook Anne-Marie Johnson

Kirstin Kenny Eleanor Mancini Mark Mogilevski

Michelle Ruffolo

Kathryn Taylor Zoe Black* Karla Hanna* Madeleine Jevons*

SECOND VIOLINS

Matthew Tomkins

Principal The Gross Foundation# Robert Macindoe Associate Principal Monica Curro Assistant Principal Danny Gorog and Lindy Susskind#

Mary Allison

Isin Cakmakcioglu Tiffany Cheng Glenn Sedgwick#

Freya Franzen

Cong Gu Andrew Hall Isy Wasserman Philippa West Andrew Dudgeon AM#

Patrick Wong Hyon Ju Newman#

Roger Young Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan#

Jacqueline Edwards* Michael Loftus-Hills*

VIOLAS

Christopher Moore

Principal Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio#

Lauren Brigden

Katharine Brockman

Anthony Chataway Dr Elizabeth E Lewis AM# Gabrielle Halloran

Trevor Jones Anne Neil# Fiona Sargeant Molly Collier-O’Boyle* Jenny Khafagi* Karen Columbine*

Caroline Henbest* Kate Worley* Isabel Morse*

CELLOS

David Berlin Principal Rachael Tobin Associate Principal Nicholas Bochner

Miranda Brockman Geelong Friends of the MSO# Rohan de Korte Andrew Dudgeon AM#

Sarah Morse

Angela Sargeant Michelle Wood Andrew and Judy Rogers#

Alexandra Partridge* Jonathan Chim*

DOUBLE BASSES

Benjamin Hanlon Frank Mercurio and Di Jameson#

Rohan Dasika

Suzanne Lee

Stephen Newton Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser#

Caitlin Bass*

Emma Sullivan* Nemanja Petkovic*

FLUTES

Prudence Davis Principal Anonymous#

Wendy Clarke Associate Principal Sarah Beggs

PICCOLO Andrew Macleod Principal

Correct as of 15 September 2022. Learn more about our musicians on the MSO website.

OBOES

Ann Blackburn

The Rosemary Norman Foundation#

Nicola Bell*

COR ANGLAIS

Michael Pisani Principal CLARINETS

David Thomas Principal Philip Arkinstall Associate Principal Craig Hill

BASS CLARINET

Jon Craven Principal BASSOONS

Jack Schiller

Principal Elise Millman Associate Principal Natasha Thomas Dr Martin Tymms and Patricia Nilsson#

Jamie Dodd*^

CONTRABASSOON

Brock Imison

Principal

HORNS

Nicolas Fleury

Principal Margaret Jackson AC#

Saul Lewis

Principal Third The Hon Michael Watt KC and Cecilie Hall#

Abbey Edlin

Nereda Hanlon and Michael Hanlon AM# Trinette McClimont

Rachel Shaw Gary McPherson#

TRUMPETS

Owen Morris

Principal Shane Hooton Associate Principal Glenn Sedgwick# William Evans Rosie Turner John and Diana Frew#

TROMBONES

Richard Shirley Mike Szabo

Principal Bass Trombone Colin Prichard*

TUBA

Timothy Buzbee

Principal Rachel Kelly*^

TIMPANI

David Clarence*

PERCUSSION

John Arcaro Anonymous# Robert Cossom Drs Rhyl Wade and Clem Gruen# Arwen Johnston* Rebecca Lagos* Alexander Meagher*

HARP Yinuo Mu Principal KEYBOARD Louisa Breen*

# Position supported by

* Denotes Guest Musician

^ Member of the 2022 MSO Academy. The MSO Academy is supported by Platinum Patrons Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

NIGEL WESTLAKE

Nigel Westlake is one of Australia’s most respected composers. Recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music from the University of New South Wales, his compositions have earned many accolades, including the Gold Medal at the New York International Radio Festival, 15 APRA awards and the prestigious Paul Lowin Orchestral prize in 2013. vHis film score credits include Miss Potter, Babe, Babe: Pig in the City, and the IMAX films Antarctica, Imagine, The Edge & Solarmax. He has conducted all the major Australian symphony orchestras in recordings and performances of his own works.

LIOR

Lior burst on to the Australian music scene in 2005 with his stunning debut album – Autumn Flow. Recorded and released entirely independently, the album became one of the most successful independent debuts in Australian history with sales surpassing Platinum. A swag of accolades followed, amongst them three ARIA nominations – including Best Male Artist. Most artists set out with an ambition to build a career based on musical credibility and integrity whilst maintaining an independence and individuality in their craft. Lior is certainly part of that rare breed that has achieved this whilst garnering a great degree of success and critical acclaim.

EMMA DONOVAN

Critically acclaimed soul singer and songwriter, Emma Donovan, is part of the famed Donovan family of singers of the Gumbaynggirr people from Northern NSW (on her mother’s side) and is of the Yamatji people in Western Australia (on her father’s side). Best known for her work with The Putbacks and The Black Arm Band Project, this concert sees her perform in duo with one Australia’s most distinguished artists, Paul Grabowsky.

PAUL GRABOWSKY AO

It is difficult to describe Paul Grabowsky’s career easily. He has been a director of some of Australia’s most prominent arts festivals, the composer of nearly thirty feature film scores, and several works of music theatre, the founder and leader for nineteen years of the Australian Art Orchestra, an executive at the ABC, and currently heads up Monash University Performing Arts Centres. Whether as composer, teacher, television personality, mentor or advocate for the role of artistic expression as a defining attribute of contemporary life, for him this is all informed by his work as a pianist, and composer, particularly in the field of jazz, where, according to him, ‘the piano never lies’. His musical journeys have resulted in collaborations with musicians from many countries, not least with the First Nations peoples of Australia, and those journeys continue. Among his many awards are eight ARIA Awards, the Melbourne Prize for Music and an H.C. Coombs Fellowship. In recognition of his achievements he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2014.

BILLIE TUMARKIN

Billie Tumarkin is a classically trained Ukrainian–Jewish–Australian singer. Tumarkin transforms songs from the past half-millennia into embodied lamentations and celebrations of the present. A chanteuse in over a dozen languages, she is a graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

ALEX BURKOY

Virtuosic strings player Alex Burkoy has been playing violin, mandolin, guitar and bass since before anyone can remember. He graduated from NMIT in 2006 and was accepted into the VCA to study bass in 2007. Alex has toured nationally and internationally with Tinpan Orange, Julia Stone, Felix Reibl, and YID! To name a few. Alex has been a guest musician with bands such as The Cat Empire, Mama Kin and Monsieur Camembert.

PROGRAM NOTES COMPASSION

Song cycle for voice and orchestra

1. Sim Shalom / Grant Peace

2. Eize Hu Chacham? / Who is Wise?

3. La Yu’minu / Until You Love Your Brother

4. Inna Rifqa / The Beauty Within

5. Al Takshu L’vavchem / Don’t Harden Your Hearts

6. Ma Wadani Ahudun / Until the End of Time

7. Avinu Malkeinu / Hymn of Compassion

Compassion draws from the rich worlds of Islam and Judaism to present a collection of profound and poetic messages surrounding the idea of compassion between human beings.

The texts are largely a collection of poems, proverbs and songs that give us an insight into such wisdom. Their similarities are immense and their universality is undeniable.

Far from the misguided commentaries that have so often steered humanity away from the true enactment of compassion, these texts affirm that attaining a greater sense of compassion is an ultimate goal, and letting it guide our actions is the ultimate wisdom.

The Genesis of Compassion by Nigel Westlake

The catalyst for Compassion can be traced to a single watershed moment, the occurrence of my first Lior concert.

It was the winter of 2009 in the tiny rural village of St Albans NSW, the occasion being the inaugural fund raising event for the “Smugglers of Light”, a foundation formed by our family in memory of my son Eli.

At dusk, as the winter mist settled upon the forgotten valley (as it is sometime known), quietly nestled between the towering ridges of Hawkesbury river sandstone, Lior began to weave his magic upon the crowd, many of whom had travelled long distances to join us for the weekend music festival.

It was a poignant occasion that had been planned to coincide with the 12 month anniversary of Eli’s death, and the music held a very special meaning for our friends and family, many of whom were still grappling with the tragic loss that had befallen us the previous year.

Lior’s music had been introduced to me several years earlier by my son Joel, and had quickly become absorbed into the family playlist, underscoring many happy times and celebratory moments. As it happened, Autumn Flow, the album that rocketed Lior to prominence in 2005 was among the last music I shared with my son Eli the week before his death, thereby forever imbuing these sweet songs with a very unique and deeply personal significance for me.

A fortuitous family connection with a dear friend had facilitated a personal introduction and Lior had graciously accepted our request to perform for the foundation.

It was one of those special nights that people talk about for years afterwards

and also featured some wonderful performances from the Grigoryan Brothers and the Goldner String Quartet.

Lior concluded the proceedings with one of his best known songs, This Old Love. As he was brought back on stage for the encore, little did I realise that his final offering for the night would hold the germ of an idea that would become the catalyst for a life changing and enriching journey. Coaxing us gently into another world, as if possessed by unseen forces, and without accompaniment, Lior began to embrace the plaintive and heartfelt strains of the ancient Hebrew hymn of compassion Avinu Malkeinu.

In stark contrast to what had preceded, here was another side to Lior’s artistry, his keening and emotionally charged voice allowing us an intimate glimpse into the rich vein of middle eastern heritage that is his birthright. The power and spirituality of the song struck a deep resonance amongst the crowd, all of whom were captivated in spellbound rapture. For my own part, I had just experienced a small taste of a tantalising and exotic soundworld and was overcome by a strange yearning to be a part of it. Following the concert I suggested to Lior that I take a solo vocal recording of his performance and create a symphonic arrangement around it. Neither of us were sure where this might lead, but I had a hunch it was at least worth a shot.

Weaving my orchestration around Lior’s voice was a little like writing a movie score, the vocal part an intractable dramatic narrative, the orchestral accompaniment a fluid underscore replete with abundant possibilities.

We could both sense potential in the finished idea and it seemed a natural progression to expand the material into a song cycle for voice and orchestra.

In passing, I casually mentioned our plan to Peter Czornyj (Director of Artistic Planning, Sydney Symphony Orchestra) and he suggested the orchestra would be interested in bringing the idea to fruition through a commission. We set to work.

Just as our first attempt Avinu Malkeinu had begun life as a solo vocal, we now followed a similar pattern for the rest of the composition process, and using the concept of compassion as a common theme, Lior proposed the texts be sourced from a combination of Hebrew and Arabic writings.

In the context of a troubled and divisive history, the drawing together of these common threads of Judaism and Islam struck me as a bold and courageous strategy, and a perfect fit for Lior’s middle eastern ancestry and family history.

Through painstaking research, he managed to unearth a wonderful collection of ancient proverbs, writings and poetry. For each text he devised a vocal part which he sent me as a solo recording, sometimes embodying the germ of a melodic fragment and at other times as a complete series of mellifluous phrases.

Many of the songs sounded for all the world like ancient chants exhumed from a long lost tomb somewhere on the shores of the Red Sea, yet the melodies were very much alive and fresh, full of richness, vibrancy and spontaneity. It was inspiring to hear Lior working outside his comfort zone, experimenting with new vocal timbres and using his extraordinary three octave vocal range to great effect.

Every few weeks we would get together to review progress and examine the overall form of each piece. Given our dissimilar experiences in music, I

couldn’t believe how we both seemed to be on the same wave length, striving toward a common goal, critical of the same issues and agreeing on the ideas that seemed to work.

Some of the songs evolved over a period of months, others over days, but what has emerged is a true collaboration, and music that neither of us could ever have written on our own.

Compassion inhabits a vast array of emotions and colours, at times pulsating and riotous, at others reflective and textural, and draws upon the myriad of influences the two of us have been able to bring to the table from our incredibly diverse backgrounds.

With the utmost respect, we have tried to imbue these ancient texts with a contemporary interpretation, adhering to the purity of a single voice and orchestra, and although the songs are all sung in their original language, there are no conscious references to traditional Hebrew or Arabic musical forms, melodies or scales (with the exception for Avinu Malkeinu which is based on a traditional melody).

The support of the SSO in bringing this project to the stage has been absolutely extraordinary and Lior and I are profoundly grateful to Peter Czornyj and the orchestral management for their enthusiasm and encouragement.

We would also like to thank the wonderful musicians of the Sydney Symphony for the commitment and finesse they bring to this music.

Seeing this piece come together has been a major highlight in my career and it is my hope that this music might offer its listeners the space and opportunity to reflect upon the qualities of that most noble of human sentiments, the good stuff that enriches our lives with

meaning, insight, depth and intrinsic worth. The virtue of compassion.

Two Worlds in Common by Lior Attar

The research that eventually led me to the texts threaded through Compassion took me far and wide, from conversations with religious leaders and linguists, to regular consultations with my good friend Waleed Aly, who took me through the finer details of Arabic pronunciation and the subtleties of the Arabic texts.

Being a fluent Hebrew speaker, I initially thought that singing some of the texts in Arabic would feel foreign and disingenuous, yet to my surprise, many of the words I encountered were common to both languages. It became clear in learning these texts that these two languages shared a deep and common source. Just as experience often validates the existence of a wellworn cliché, it is difficult to escape the analogy of two brothers starting from a common source and branching out to gather their own rich experience and identity to become what we now know as modern Hebrew and Arabic.

In time, I would also come to learn not only of the similarities in language, but in the very essence of the messages embodied throughout these proverbs and poems. What began with a feeling of trepidation as to whether Nigel and I could sincerely encapsulate the artistic concept and vision we shared for this undertaking, has ended with a full embrace and a somewhat unexpected sense of renewed optimism.

It may seem strange in the context of this work, yet neither Nigel nor I consider ourselves religious people. We do however share a firm belief that much of the beauty and wisdom

found within so many works of art and philosophy attributed to a certain religion need not lie exclusive to those who subscribe to its faith, or only to those who seek a connection with God through directional prayer. They have so much to offer to those who might accept them without bias or judgement.

“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and, therefore, the foundation of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.”

– J.K. Rowling

1. Sim Shalom / Grant Peace

Sim Shalom

Chen vachesed v’rachamim

Aleinu ve’al kol am V’imru Amen

Sim Shalom

Aleinu ve’al kol am Tova u’vracha

Ahavat chesed u’tzdaka u’vracha verachamim

Vecha’im veshalom

Barchenu Avinu Kulanu k’echad

More than any of the texts used in Compassion, Sim Shalom demonstrates that a literal translation is often inadequate in conveying the depth and richness of these texts. An example can be found in one of the stanzas relating to the vital virtues of character – “chesed, tzedakah, u’vracha’, v’rachamim”, –“charity, integrity and compassion”.

The word “rachamim” can be quite simply translated as “compassion”.

When uncovered however, this word has far richer and deeper meaning, being a derivation of the Hebrew word for ‘womb’. More importantly, a closely related word of the same origin – ‘Rachaman’ – which can be translated as “the Compassionate One”, is one of the three names for God in the Jewish religion.

Interestingly, the origin, meaning and use of “Rachaman” is almost identical between the two worlds of Judaism and Islam. Such is the centrality and esteem these two religions place on the virtue of compassion, that it is in fact one of the names given to God.

2. Eize Hu Chacham? / Who is Wise?

Eize Hu Chacham ?

Halomed mikol adam

Eize hu gibor shebagiborim Mi she’ose soneh ohavo Al tehi baz lechol adam U’maflig lechol davar She’ein adam she’ein lo sha’ah Ve’ein davar she’ein lo makom Dabru emet ish et re’ehu Emet u’mishpat shalom Shiftu b’sha’areichem Eile hadvarim asher ta’asu

Eize Hu Chacham is a collection of ethical and moral statements of the Sages taken from Pirkei Avot – Ethics of our Fathers. Pirkei Avot is a section of the Mishna, one of the fundamental works of the Jewish Oral Law.

“Who is wise ? One who learns from every man” (Ben Zoma – Pirkei Avot 4:1)

“Who is a hero ? One who turns an enemy into a friend” (Avot d’Rabbi Natan Ch 23:True Heroism)

“Do not scorn any person, and do not discount any thing. For there is no one who has not their hour, and no thing that has not its place”

(Ben Azzai – Pirkei Avot 4:3)

3. La Yu’minu / Until You Love Your Brother

La yu’minu

Ahadukum hatta yuhibbu li akhihi Ma yuhibbu li nafsihi

Al rahimuna yarhamuhum

Ar rahman urhamu

Man fil arda yarhamakum

Man fis samaa

“None of you will have faith until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1 : #12) Reporter – Hadhrat Anas (r)

“Those who are merciful will be granted mercy from the Most Merciful; be merciful to those on the earth and those in the heavens will have mercy on you.”

(Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Righteousness, Number 1924, Sahih] Reporter – Abdullah ibn Amr

A Hadith is a report of something the Prophet Muhammad said or did. Hundreds of thousands of these reports have been gathered together in the Hadith collections that form the basis of so much Islamic thought and teaching.

This piece, titled La Yu’minu is a melding of two central hadiths. These two proverbs relay a simple yet universal truth, the closest approximation of the first being that of “the golden rule” : ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’, while the second speaks of what some of us might otherwise call karma.

4. Inna Rifqa / The Beauty Within

“Inna rrifqa la yakunu fi shay Illa zanahu wa la yunza’u min shay illa shanahu”

(Hadith 6767, Sahih Muslim) Reported by A’isha

“Compassion does not enter into anything without beautifying it, and is not removed from anything without making it ugly.”

For several hundred years, the narrations of the Prophet were passed down via word of mouth. As time passed, and the chain of narration grew, it became more difficult to be certain of the authenticity of a hadith, and hence a rigorous science of examining the authenticity of hadiths grew.

Such was the importance placed on the science of verifying the credibility of Hadith, that it grew to become a complex academic field and for many, a lifetime’s dedication and pursuit. The most authentic collection of Hadith is widely recognised as those based on the study of Imam al-Bukhari.

There is a famous story highlighting the level of Imam al-Bukhari’s rigorous approach. Upon one of his journeys to seek out and examine the character of those involved in the chain of narration, al-Bukhari noticed one such person gesturing to his horse to come over to him by tricking him that there was food when in fact there was not. Al-Bukhari cited this act of trickery towards the animal as behavior not worth of trustworthiness, and hence the chain of narration to which this man was involved in was thereby deemed inauthentic.

5. Al Takshu L’vavchem / Don’t Harden Your Hearts

“Al takshu l’vavachem” (Tehilim – Book of Psalms 95:8)

“Limnot yameinu ken hoda venavi l’vav chochma” (Tehilim – Book of Psalms 90:12)

“Vekhi yagur itcha ger, be’artzechem lo tonu oto” (Lev 19:33)

“K’ezrach mikem yihiyeh lachem hager hagar itchem. Ve’ahavta lo kamocha ki gerim ha’item” (Lev 19:34)

“Don’t harden your hearts.”

“Teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

“And if a stranger is among you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.”

“The stranger that is among you, shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself, for you once were also strangers.”

There is a beautiful quote by The Dalai Lama – “There are no strangers, only friends you haven’t yet met.”

“Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends.” – Shirley Maclaine

6. Ma Wadani Ahadun / Until the End of Time

“Ma Wadani ahadun illa bathaltu lahu Ssafwal mawadati minni akhiral abadi Wala qalani wa in kana almasi’u bina Illa da’awtu lahu rahmanu bil rushdi Wala tumintu ala sirrin fabuhtu bihi Wala madattu illa li ghayr aljameel yadi”

“None ever showed me compassion

Except that I showed them compassion until the end of time

And if someone were to show me harshness

I would pray to the most merciful to give him wisdom”

Ma Wadani Ahadun is a poem written by Ali Ibn Abi Talib, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth Caliph after the Prophet some 1400 years ago. Widely known for his calm wisdom and use of reason in place of hot-headedness, Ali is a universally revered figure in the Muslim world: a man through whom both the Sunni and Shi’ite traditions pass, whose strong character of kindness and compassion inspires people across sectarian divides.

7. Avinu Malkeinu / Hymn of Compassion

“Avinu Malkeinu chanenu v’aneinu ki ein banu ma’asim Aseh imanu tzedakah vachesed ve’hoshi’enu”

I have vivid memories of hearing Avinu Malkeinu emanating out of synagogues in my childhood. The prayer is recited on Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year. What initially drew me to the prayer was its haunting melody, yet it was only later in life when I learnt of its meaning and universal resonance, that I felt drawn to perform it. One such performance later came to be the very seed of this project, as Nigel and I entertained the notion of orchestrating this beautiful ancient melody which I had only ever previously performed acapella.

The text of Avinu Malkeinu houses a beautiful link between not only compassion and wisdom, but that of freedom. It highlights the notion of compassion being the path to liberation, a concept that has always stayed with me.

SUPPORTERS

MSO PATRON

The Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Mr Marc Besen AC and the late Mrs Eva Besen AO

The Gandel Foundation

The Gross Foundation

Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio Harold Mitchell Foundation

Lady Potter AC CMRI

The Cybec Foundation

The Pratt Foundation

The Ullmer Family Foundation

Anonymous

ARTIST CHAIR BENEFACTORS

Chief Conductor Jaime Martín Mr Marc Besen AC and the late Mrs Eva Besen AO

Cybec Assistant Conductor Chair Carlo Antonioli The Cybec Foundation

Concertmaster Chair Dale Barltrop

David Li AM and Angela Li

Assistant Concertmaster Tair Khisambeev Di Jameson and Frank Mercurio

Young Composer in Residence Alex Turley

The Cybec Foundation

2023 Composer in Residence Mary Finsterer Kim Williams AM

PROGRAM BENEFACTORS

MSO Now & Forever Fund: International Engagement Gandel Foundation

Cybec 21 st Century Australian Composers Program The Cybec Foundation

Digital Transformation The Ian Potter Foundation, 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

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, The Department of Education and Training, Victoria, through the Strategic Partnerships Program and the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series (VCES)

Melbourne Music Summit Erica Foundation Pty Ltd, The Department of Education and Training, Victoria, through the Strategic Partnerships Program

MSO Regional Touring Creative Victoria, Freemasons Foundation Victoria, John T Reid Charitable Trusts, Robert Salzer Foundation, The Sir Andrew & Lady Fairley Foundation

The Pizzicato Effect Supported by Hume City Council’s Community Grants program, The Marian and E.H. Flack Trust, Scobie and Claire Mackinnon Trust, Australian Decorative And Fine Arts Society, Anonymous

Sidney Myer Free Concerts Supported by the 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

The Ullmer Family Foundation

Anonymous (1)

VIRTUOSO PATRONS $50,000+

Margaret Jackson AC

Lady Primrose Potter AC CMRI Weis Family

Anonymous (1)

IMPRESARIO PATRONS $20,000+

Harold Bentley

The Hogan Family Foundation

David Krasnostein and Pat Stragalinos Opalgate Foundation

Elizabeth Proust AO and Brian Lawrence Lady Marigold Southey AC

Kim Williams AM

Anonymous (2)

MAESTRO PATRONS $10,000+

Christine and Mark Armour

Margaret Billson and the late Ted Billson Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan ◊ Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM

Andrew Dudgeon AM ◊

Colin Golvan AM KC and Dr Deborah Golvan

Danny Gorog and Lindy Susskind◊

Robert and Jan Green

Doug Hooley

Peter Lovell

Ian and Jeannie Paterson

Glenn Sedgwick◊

The Sun Foundation

Gai and David Taylor

Athalie Williams and Tim Danielson

Jason Yeap OAM – Mering Management Corporation

Anonymous (1)

PRINCIPAL PATRONS $5,000+

Mary Armour

John and Lorraine Bates

Barbara Bell in memory of Elsa Bell

Bodhi Education Fund (East meets West)

Lyn and John Coppock OAM

Ann Darby in memory of Leslie J. Darby

Mary Davidson and the late Frederick Davidson AM

The Dimmick Charitable Trust

Jaan Enden

Bill Fleming

Susan Fry and Don Fry AO

Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser◊

Jennifer Gorog

Dr Clem Gruen and Dr Rhyl Wade ◊ Hilary Hall in memory of Wilma Collie Louis J Hamon OAM Dr Alastair Jackson AM

John and Diana Frew◊ Suzanne Kirkham

Dr Jerry Koliha and Marlene Krelle Dr Elizabeth A Lewis AM ◊ Sherry Li

Dr Caroline Liow Gary McPherson ◊

Douglas and Rosemary Meagher

Nereda Hanlon and Michael Hanlon AM ◊ Marie Morton FRSA Anne Neil◊ Hyon-Ju Newman ◊ Bruce Parncutt AO

Dr Rosemary Ayton and Dr Sam Ricketson Andrew and Judy Rogers ◊

The Rosemary Norman Foundation ◊ The Kate and Stephen Shelmerdine Family Foundation

Helen Silver AO and Harrison Young Anita Simon Dr Michael Soon

The Hon Michael Watt KC and Cecilie Hall◊ Lyn Williams Anonymous (3) ◊

ASSOCIATE PATRONS $2,500+

Marlyn Bancroft and Peter Bancroft OAM

Sue and Barry Peake Sascha O. Becker

Janet H Bell

Julia and Jim Breen

Alan and Dr Jennifer Breschkin Patricia Brockman

Drs John D L Brookes and Lucy V Hanlon

Stuart Brown

Lynne Burgess

Oliver Carton

Janet Chauvel and the late Dr Richard Chauvel

Breen Creighton and Elsbeth Hadenfeldt Leo de Lange

Elaine Walters OAM

Barry Fradkin OAM and Dr Pam Fradkin Carrillo Gantner AC and Ziyin Gantner Kim and Robert Gearon Geelong Friends of the MSO Steinicke Family

Janette Gill

R Goldberg and family

Goldschlager Family Charitable Foundation Catherine Gray

Merv Keehn and Sue Harlow

Susan and Gary Hearst Hartmut and Ruth Hofmann

John Jones

Graham and Jo Kraehe

The Cuming Bequest

Margaret and John Mason OAM

H E McKenzie

Dr Isabel McLean

Ian Merrylees

Patricia Nilsson ◊

Alan and Dorothy Pattison Ruth and Ralph Renard Tom and Elizabeth Romanowski Liliane Rusek and Alexander Ushakoff

Jeffrey Sher KC and Diana Sher OAM Barry Spanger

Peter J Stirling Jenny Tatchell

Clayton and Christina Thomas Janet Whiting AM

Nic and Ann Willcock

Anonymous (4) ◊

PLAYER PATRONS $1,000+

Dr Sally Adams

Anita and Graham Anderson

Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society

Geoffrey and Vivienne Baker

Joyce Bown

Nigel Broughton and Sheena Broughton

Elizabeth Brown

Suzie Brown OAM and the late Harvey Brown Ronald and Kate Burnstein

Dr Lynda Campbell Kaye Cleary

John and Mandy Collins

Andrew Crockett AM and Pamela Crockett Panch Das and Laurel Young-Das Natasha Davies, for the Trikojus Education Fund

Rick and Sue Deering John and Anne Duncan

Jane Edmanson OAM Diane Fisher Grant Fisher and Helen Bird 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 Marged Goode Chris Grikscheit and Christine Mullen Margie and Marshall Grosby

Dr Sandra Hacker AO and Mr Ian Kennedy AM Jean Hadges Dawn Hales

David Hardy Tilda and the late Brian Haughney Cathy Henry

Dr Keith Higgins

Anthony and Karen Ho

Jenny and Peter Hordern Katherine Horwood

Penelope Hughes Paul and Amy Jasper Shyama Jayaswal Basil and Rita Jenkins Sandy Jenkins Sue Johnston

John Kaufman

Angela Kayser

Irene Kearsey & Michael Ridley

Drs Bruce and Natalie Kellett

Dr Anne Kennedy

Tim Knaggs

Jane Kunstler

Ann Lahore

Kerry Landman

Janet and Ross Lapworth

Diana Lay

Phil Lewis

Andrew Lockwood

Elizabeth H Loftus

Chris and Anna Long

Gabe Lopata

Eleanor & Phillip Mancini

Aaron McConnell

Wayne McDonald and Kay Schroer

Margaret Mcgrath

John and Rosemary McLeod

Don and Anne Meadows

Dr Eric Meadows

Sylvia Miller

Ian Morrey and Geoffrey Minter

Dr Anthony and Dr Anna Morton

Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James Roger Parker

Ian Penboss

Eli Raskin

Jan and Keith Richards

James Ring

Dr Peter Rogers and Cathy Rogers OAM

Dr Ronald and Elizabeth Rosanove

Marie Rowland

Elisabeth and Doug Scott

Martin and Susan Shirley

P Shore

John E Smith

Barry Spanger

Dr Joel Symons and Liora Symons

Russell Taylor and Tara Obeyesekere

Geoffrey Thomlinson

Frank Tisher OAM and Dr Miriam Tisher

Andrew and Penny Torok

Christina Turner

Ann and Larry Turner

The Hon Rosemary Varty Leon and Sandra Velik

The Reverend Noel Whale Edward and Patricia White Edward and Paddy White

Terry Wills Cooke OAM and the late Marian Wills Cooke Robert and Diana Wilson

Richard Withers

Shirley and Jeffrey Zajac Anonymous (15)

OVERTURE PATRONS $500+*

Margaret Abbey PSM

Jane Allan and Mark Redmond

Mario M Anders

Jenny Anderson Benevity

Mr Peter Batterham

Heather and David Baxter Peter Berry and Amanda Quirk

Dr William Birch AM

Allen and Kathryn Bloom Graham and Mary Ann Bone Stephen Braida Linda Brennan

Dr Robert Brook

Roger and Coll Buckle

Ian and Wilma Chapman Cititec

Charmaine Collins

Dr Sheryl Coughlin and Paul Coughlin

Gregory Crew

Michael Davies

Nada Dickinson

Bruce Dudon

Cynthia Edgell

Melissa and Aran Fitzgerald

Brian Florence

Elizabeth Foster

Mary Gaidzkar

Simon Gaites

Mary-Jane Gething

Sandra Gillett and Jeremy Wilkins

David and Geraldine Glenny Hugo and Diane Goetze

Pauline Goodison Louise Gourlay OAM

Geoff Hayes

Jim Hickey

Clive and Joyce Hollands

R A Hook Gillian Horwood Rob Jackson

Wendy Johnson Fiona Keenan

John Keys

Belinda and Malcolm King

Conrad O’Donohue and Rosemary Kiss

Professor David Knowles and Dr Anne McLachlan

Paschalina Leach

Dr Jenny Lewis

Dr Susan Linton

The Podcast Reader

Janice Mayfield

Shirley A McKenzie Marie Misiurak

Joan Mullumby

Adrian and Louise Nelson Dr Judith S Nimmo

Rosemary O’Collins

David Oppenheim

Sarah Patterson

Pauline and David Lawton Adriana and Sienna Pesavento

Kerryn Pratchett

Professor Charles Qin OAM and Kate Ritchie Alfonso Reina and Marjanne Rook

Professor John Rickard Viorica Samson Carolyn Sanders

Julia Schlapp

Dr Frank and Valerie Silberberg

Brian Snape AM and the late Diana Snape Colin and Mary Squires Allan and Margaret Tempest

Reverend Angela Thomas Max Walters

Rosemary Warnock

Amanda Watson Deborah Whithear and Dr Kevin Whithear OAM

Fiona Woodard

Dr Kelly and Dr Heathcote Wright Dr Susan Yell

Daniel Yosua

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

* The MSO has introduced a new tier to its annual Patron Program in recognition of the donors who supported the Orchestra during 2020, many for the first time. Moving forward, donors who make an annual gift of $500–$999 to the MSO will now be publicly recognised as an Overture Patron. For more information, please contact Donor Liaison, Keith Clancy on (03) 9929 9609 or clancyk@mso.com.au

Marguerite Garnon-Williams

Drs L C Gruen and R W Wade

Louis J Hamon AOM

Carol Hay

Graham Hogarth

Rod Home

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

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

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

The Hon Michael Watt KC and Cecilie Hall

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

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

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

Artistic Ambassadors

Tan Dun

Lu Siqing

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 BOARD

Chairman

David Li AM

Co-Deputy Chairs

Di Jameson

Helen Silver AO

Managing Director

Sophie Galaise Board Directors

Shane Buggle

Andrew Dudgeon AM

Danny Gorog

Lorraine Hook

Margaret Jackson AC

David Krasnostein AM

Gary McPherson

Hyon-Ju Newman

Glenn Sedgwick Company Secretary

Oliver Carton

SUPPORTERS OF FOJAM

Jadig Finance

Besen Family Foundation

James and Leo Ostroburski

Spotlight Foundation Cher Family Foundation

Harry Kestin Foundation Sunraysia Foundation

Belle Property Caulfield Kooyong Group

Krystal Fund

Danny Almagor & Berry Liberman Erdi Foundation

Ricci Swart

Anonymous donors

FOJAM BOARD

Gary Samowitz

Lior Attar

Andrew Millingen

Timnah Baker

James Ostroburski OAM

Kate Ben-Tovim Adriana Gomberg

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)

Get closer to the Music

Become an MSO Patron

Help us deliver an annual Season of musical magic, engage world-renowned artists, and nurture the future of Australian orchestral music by becoming an MSO Patron.

Through an annual gift of $500 or more, you can join a group of like-minded musiclovers and enhance your MSO experience. Be the first to hear news from the MSO and enjoy exclusive MSO Patron activities, including behind-the-scenes access, special Patron pre-sales, and events with MSO musicians and guest artists.

To find out more, please call MSO Philanthropy on (03) 8646 1551, or scan the QR code.

Thank you for your support.

Thank

to

Orchestral

Media and Broadcast Partners

Trusts and Foundations

Erica Foundation Pty Ltd, The Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trusts, Scobie & Claire Mackinnon Trust, Perpetual Foundation – Alan (AGL) Shaw Endowment, Sidney Myer MSO Trust Fund, The Ullmer Family Foundation

Freemasons Foundation Victoria

BEST SEAT in the house

As Principal Partner of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, we know the importance of delighting an audience. That’s why when you’re in Emirates First, you’ll enjoy the ultimate flying experience with fine dining at any time in your own private suite.

*Emirates First Class Private Suite pictured. For more information visit emirates.com/au, call 1300 303 777, or contact your local travel agent.