KALEIDOSCOPE

Fri 22 Feb 8pmSat 23 Feb 8pm

TAN DUN’S MARTIAL ARTS TRILOGY

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Sydney Symphony

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and you: let’s make beautiful music together.

Pre-concert talk by Genevieve Lang at 7.15pm in the Northern Foyer. Visit sydneysymphony.com/talk-bios for speaker biographies.

Estimated durations: 45 minutes, 20-minute interval, 30 minutes, 35 minutes

The concert will conclude at approximately 10.20pm.

Tan Dun’s Martial Arts TrilogyTan Dun CONDUCTOR

Ryu Goto VIOLIN

Tan Wei ERHU (CHINESE VIOLIN)

Yingdi Sun PIANO

Tan Dun

Hero Concertofor violin and orchestra

from the original soundtrack ofZhang Yimou’s fi lm Hero

INTERVAL

Crouching Tiger Concertofor erhu, percussion and chamber orchestra

from the original soundtrack of Ang Lee’s fi lm Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

The Banquet Concertofor piano and orchestra

from the original soundtrack of Feng Xiaogang’s fi lm The Banquet

2013season kaleidoscopeFriday 22 February, 8pmSaturday 23 February, 8pm

Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

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KEVIN YATAROLA

Tan Dun conducting Martial Arts Trilogy.

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ABOUT THE MUSIC

The Opera of the Future

Tan Dun’s Martial Arts Trilogy brings together the music and images of three diff erent fi lms, forming a kind of three-act opera or ballet for the concert hall. It’s an invigorating and theatrical re-imagining of the Western concert experience, integrating traditions from Chinese opera, Asian theatre, martial rituals, and modern fi lm technology.

Many great fi lm scores have been adapted as concert music, from Ralph Vaughan Williams’ score for Scott of the Antarctic and Bernard Herrmann’s Hitchcock scores (Vertigo and Psycho) to more recent creations such as Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings Symphony. But the Martial Arts Trilogy is distinctive, and perhaps unique, in bringing the collaborative and creative process full circle.

As Peggy Monastra explains in her commentary on the Crouching Tiger concerto, the original score, written to strengthen and complement the dramatic experience of the fi lm, was profoundly infl uenced by the fi lm’s poetic imagery, landscapes and emotions. Then, in the creation of the concerto with its fi lm sequences, the fi lmmakers were put in the composer’s shoes, with Tan Dun’s music inspiring the reshaping of the images to strengthen and complement the dramatic experience of the music. (Ang Lee and his collaborators regarded these concert video sequences as secondary to the music, not intended to impart any narrative to the concerto.)

In each concerto the solo instrument represents a female character from the fi lm. Each one, explains Tan Dun, sacrifi ces her life for love:

In Crouching Tiger the character Jade sacrifi ces her life for her spiritual love of the wuxia dream. In Hero, the character Snow sacrifi ces her life for the patriotic love of her country. Lastly in The Banquet…Empress Wan sacrifi ces her life and love for desire and revenge.Much as John Williams’ romantic orchestral score for

Star Wars upended audience expectations for ‘sci-fi ’ music, so Tan Dun revolutionised the sound of the martial arts fi lm, taking his lead from Peking opera rather than 1970s martial arts fi lms. ‘Basically, I hate martial arts fi lm music in general,’ he says. ‘That’s why I turned martial arts fi lm music completely upside down.’ It’s a true revolution, with a return to an older tradition: ‘The tradition of martial arts was created from Chinese opera in the 19th century,’ he explains. ‘To me, the opera tradition is an ancient form of cinema and cinema is the opera of the future.’

Hero Concertofor violin and orchestraHero – In the Chess Court –WarriorsLove and Jealousy –Gone with LeavesAbove Water – Assassination – Sorrow in the Desert – Death of Hero –War and Peace

The Hero Concerto calls for an orchestra of piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon; four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and tuba; timpani and four percussionists; harp and strings. The guqin (Chinese zither) also features in the ensemble.

Crouching Tiger Concertofor erhu, percussion and chamber orchestraCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Through the Bamboo Forest – Silk Road: Encounters – Eternal Vow – To the SouthFarewell

The Crouching Tiger Concerto calls for a small orchestra comprising alto flute (doubling piccolo), harp, five percussionists and string orchestra.

The Banquet Concertofor piano and orchestraThe Masks – After TonightLonging in Silence – Sword Dance – DesireExile to Snowy West – Revenge – Only for Love (Theme Song)

The Banquet Concerto calls for an orchestra of piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon; four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and tuba; timpani and four percussionists; harp and strings. Some performances make use of an optional chorus.

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The Sound of the Martial Arts Trilogy

An important aspect of Tan Dun’s fi lm scores is their use of traditional Chinese and Asian instruments. The guqin – heard tonight in the Hero concerto – is a seven-stringed unfretted zither, most often associated with Confucius and, ever since, with the intelligentsia at court. In the sequence In the Chess Court, Tan Dun makes inspired use of it as both a diegetic element (part of the action) and exegetic element (part of the soundtrack), placing the martial aspect of the fi lm on an elevated level. In the fi lm, Nameless pays a blind guqin player to accompany his duel with Sky. The music draws a connection between chess – where more time is spent in thought than in action – and swordplay, and underlines the suspicion that some deception is being worked here.

The erhu – solo instrument in the Crouching Tiger concerto – is a two-stringed bowed fi ddle, an 18th-century descendant of the Huqin (‘barbarian fi ddle’) imported into China in about the 10th century. It is now one of the most popular traditional concert instruments, and occupies the second fi ddle desk at a Peking Opera performance. In the Crouching Tiger concerto, the sound of the erhu imparts an extraordinary yearning tone to the story of unrequited love.

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The Hero Concerto in performance

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In the original soundtrack of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the bawu/dizi pairing of low and high-pitched wooden fl utes off ers an exquisite consonance of image and sound when Li Mu Bai duels with Jen – Through the Bamboo Forest. Most of the accompaniment is a mournful fl ute line played over softly repeated eight- or twelve-note string fi gures; very sparse and restrained, as if to emphasise the spiritual, rather than the physical, signifi cance of a fi ght to the death. It’s quite unusual in its treatment of a sword fi ght. Although the Crouching Tiger concerto can include bawu and dizi, these performances use their Western equivalents: fl ute and piccolo.

Percussion instruments play a prominent part in Chinese opera, especially in the martial arts sequences. The brief Sword Dance sequence in The Banquet is impressive, with the percussive character of the piano supplemented by roto toms, pairs of stones, timpani, cymbals, bass drum, brake drum, tam tam, vibraphone and triangle, before the orchestra swells to lyrical mode at the end of the dance.

Also in The Banquet, there’s a delightfully playful and

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Maggie Cheung as Flying Snow in Hero.

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incongruous Baroque-style version of the main theme for strings (that is, ‘traditional European instruments’) in the sequence Desire, which leads to revelations of the Empress’ intention to usurp the Emperor, as if to suggest that what went on in China was no better or worse than in Baroque-era Europe!

ADAPTED FROM A NOTE BY ROD WEBB © 2013

The Sydney Symphony gave the Australian premiere of the Crouching Tiger Concerto, in the version with solo cello, in 2003. Tan Dun was the conductor and Maya Beiser the cello soloist. In the same program, we performed Tan Dun’s Water Concerto. More recently, in 2006, Tan Dun conducted the Sydney Symphony in performances of the Paper Concerto and The Map.

This is the Sydney Symphony’s first performance of the Hero and Banquet concertos.

Zhang Ziyi as Empress Wan in The Banquet.

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ABOUT THE FILMS

Hero (Ying Xiong, 2002)Directed by Zhang Yimou

CAST Jet Li (Nameless), Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (Broken Sword), Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk (Flying Snow), Zhang Ziyi (Moon), Daoming Chen (Qin Emperor), Donnie Yen (Sky)

SYNOPSIS227 BCE. During the Period of the Warring States in pre-unifi ed China, a nameless swordsman (Jet Li) is called before the King of Qin (Daoming Chen) to be rewarded for having disposed of three notorious would-be assassins of the Emperor. ‘Nameless’ tells the king of his successes in duels with Sky (Donnie Yen), Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), but the king disbelieves him.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo Hu Cang Long, 2000)Directed by Ang Lee

CASTYun-Fat Chow (Li Mu Bai), Michelle Yeoh (Yu Shi Lien), Zhang Ziyi (Jen Yu, a Manchurian princess), Chen Chang (Lo ‘Dark Cloud’), Pei-pei Cheng (Jade Fox)

SYNOPSIS1779 CE. Famous martial arts master Li Mu Bai wants to sheath his magic sword forever, but he feels compelled to honour his pledge to avenge the murder of his master. He is also troubled that the pledge distracts him from his aff ection for his lifelong friend Yu. The beautiful Manchurian princess Jen (Zhang Ziyi) and a mysterious assassin (Pei-pei Cheng) enter the scene, the sword is stolen and Li Mu Bai is forced to act when Jen is wooed by the Uyghur bandit leader Lo ‘Dark Cloud’ (Chen Chang).

The Banquet (Ye Yan, 2006)Directed by Feng Xiaogang

CAST Zhang Ziyi (Empress Wan), Ge You (Emperor Li), Daniel Wu (Prince Wu Luan)

SYNOPSIS907 CE. During the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, an emperor marries the noblewoman Wan (Zhang Ziyi), beloved of his son, the Crown Prince Wu Luan (Daniel Wu). Wu Luan seeks solace in a remote artistic retreat, and barely escapes death when his father’s brother, Li (Ge You), murders the emperor and sends assassins to kill the prince. The uncle intends to take the throne himself and confi rm Wan as his empress. In scenes reminiscent of Hamlet, Wu Luan returns to the court and, learning that his father was poisoned by his uncle, stages a play to re-enact the murder.

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... a shared operatic tradition...telling stories on stage with spectacular effects and grand musical accompaniment.

A Tale of Exile and Return: Wuxia in the cinema

Upon its release in 2000, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon became the highest-earning foreign-language fi lm ever to be shown in the United States. It has won over 40 awards, including Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Score, and provoked a renewed public interest in Chinese martial arts cinema. Not unexpectedly, it also inspired a move towards big-budget period co-productions with China, involving the most important directors, casts and crews with experience in any genre. Two of these, Hero (2002) and The Banquet (2006), have themselves gone on to break records at home and abroad, and the latest, The Grandmaster by Wong Kar-Wai, was chosen to open the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2013.

Martial arts movies seem, at the moment at least, to be the fi lms most likely to connect with Western viewers. This may have something to do with a shared operatic tradition: alike but still diff erent, and about as old and entrenched in their respective cultures, telling stories on stage with spectacular eff ects and grand musical accompaniment.

The story of Chinese cinema begins with opera and with martial arts. The fi rst Chinese fi lm, Dingjun Mountain (1905), was an excerpt from an opera, and contained displays of martial arts as an important part of classical Chinese drama. Audiences who enjoyed dazzling sword-play and acrobatics in opera responded warmly to stories of incorruptible men and women righting wrongs with sword, fi st and magic in the cinema. Thus was born a new cinema genre: wuxia (literally ‘martial hero’, after the literary genre). The story of this genre is one of exile and return.

More than two hundred wuxia fi lms were made before the Nationalist government banned the genre in the early 1930s, forcing the industry’s move to Hong Kong. It reached its peak when director King Hu left Hong Kong to make Dragon Gate Inn (1967) in Taiwan. His heightened employment of the operatic style was admired by a young Ang Lee, who eventually directed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Kung fu developed in Hong Kong as a modern version of wuxia, dependent on fewer weapons and less ceremony, with Bruce Lee as its most famous exponent. His fi rst fi lm, The Big Boss (1971), was a sensation across the Chinese markets, but his dream of breaching the bamboo curtain

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Zhang Ziyi as Jen Yu in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

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wasn’t realised until after his death at age 32, with the global release of his fi nal fi lm, Enter the Dragon, in 1973.

The next big star was Jackie Chan, a graduate of a Peking opera school in Hong Kong. In 1978 he played real-life legendary martial artist Wong Fei-Hung in Drunken Master, directed by Yuen Woo-ping, thus creating a new sub-genre, comedy kung fu, and giving Chan a worldwide audience.

Wuxia remained banned in China. The fi lm industry had been almost destroyed by the ‘ten lost years’ of the Cultural Revolution, and the Beijing Film Academy didn’t re-open its doors until 1978, off ering entrance places to Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige and Feng Xiaogang. The fi rst two were to become leaders of the celebrated Fifth Generation; Feng went into television.

Then, in 1982, came the fi rst opening of the ‘door to China’. The Shaolin Temple, a China/Hong Kong co-production, was the fi rst wuxia movie to be made in China since the 1930s. Its star was the 18-year-old national

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wushu champion, Jet Li. The fi lm and its sequel were huge successes. Li went on to play Wong Fei-Hung in Tsui Hark’s Once Upon a Time in China I, II and III (1991–93).

New Chinese cinema reached the international stage in 1988 when Zhang Yimou’s Red Sorghum won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, encouraging the production of more Chinese fi lms with global appeal. Zhang and his Fifth Generation colleague Chen Kaige became internationally renowned and in demand for co-productions in the West.

Ang Lee secured an international career with his second fi lm, The Wedding Banquet, a Taiwan/USA co-production, in 1993. Feng Xiaogang, meanwhile, had become a household name with a movie genre of his own invention: the Mainland version of Hong Kong’s hesui pian, a comedy designed for annual Lunar New Year release, beginning with The Dream Factory in 1997.

None of these three directors had much to do with wuxia cinema before 2000, yet their respective embraces of the genre, as represented in tonight’s Martial Arts Trilogy, ensured the triumphant return of wuxia to China. With the help of some of the best creative minds in contemporary Chinese cinema, they chose stories, locations, casts and crews capable of delighting a global audience with their artistry.

ROD WEBB © 2013

Rod Webb is a former director of the Sydney Film Festival, and head of programming at SBS Television and Australia Network Television. He is now a freelance programming consultant in film and television.

... delighting a global audience...

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MORE MUSIC

TAN DUN ON DISC

The original soundtrack for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features performances by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai National Orchestra and Shanghai Percussion Ensemble, with cellist Yo-Yo Ma as soloist.SONY 760859

The violin solo in the original soundtrack of Hero was played by Itzhak Perlman. You can also hear Liu Li, lute, and You Yan, soprano, joined by the Central Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus of China and the KODO Drummers of Japan.SONY 87726

Superstar pianist Lang Lang is the soloist on the original soundtrack for The Banquet, with Tan Dun conducting the Shanghai Opera House Chorus, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Percussion Ensemble. The disc includes the theme song ‘Only for love’ with vocalist Jane Zhang.DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 6459

For the Martial Arts Trilogy – music from the soundtracks – look for the recording released in 2011. Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang and Itzhak Perlman make for an illustrious line-up of soloists and Tan Dun conducts.SONY CLASSICAL 88697923632

In previous years, the Sydney Symphony has performed Tan Dun’s Paper Concerto and Water Concerto, highly visual concert works that are worth watching as well as hearing. Tan Dun and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra have recorded these for DVD with percussion soloists Rika Fujii, David Cossin and Tamao Inano.OPUS ARTE 1013 (PAPER)OPUS ARTE 1014 (WATER)

Also in the Sydney Symphony’s repertoire is The Map, and this has been recorded for DVD by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra with cellist Anssi Karttunen and Tan Dun conducting.DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 000339009

For a comprehensive discography, visit www.tandunonline.com/recordings

Broadcast DiaryFebruary–March

abc.net.au/classic

Saturday 23 February, 10amrachmaninoff (2012)Vladimir Ashkenazy conductorScott Davie pianoRachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.4 (original version)

Thursday 7 March, 8pmjazz trumpet meets the orchestraKristjan Järvi conductorJames Morrison trumpetBrahms, Koehne, Rachmaninoff The concert will also be webstreamed live from 6.30pm.

Thursday 14 March, 1.05pma finnish epicVladimir Ashkenazy conductorHelena Juntunen sopranoVille Rusanen baritoneJean-Effl am Bavouzet pianoMen of the Sydney Philharmonia ChoirsRavel, Sibelius

Friday 15 March, 8pmfate and festivalsCharles Olivieri-Munroe conductorJoyce Yang pianoDvorák, Tchaikovsky, Respighi

Tuesday 19 March, 1.05pmrussian passions (2012)Thomas Sanderling conductorAlexander Gavrylyuk pianoLiadov, Rachmaninoff , Sculthorpe, Tchaikovsky

Fine Music 102.5sydney symphony 2013Tuesday 12 March, 6pmMusicians, staff and guest artists discuss what’s in store in our forthcoming concerts.

Webcasts

Selected Sydney Symphony concerts are webcast live on BigPond and Telstra T-box and made available for later viewing On Demand. Our next webcast:jazz trumpet meets the orchestraThursday 7 March at 6.30pmVisit: bigpondmusic.com/sydneysymphony

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Tan Dun CONDUCTOR

As a composer and conductor, Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world music scene, with a repertoire that spans classical music, multimedia performance and Eastern and Western traditions. His accolades range from Grammy and Academy awards to the prestigious Grawemeyer Award for classical composition. He has also been named Musical America’s Composer of the Year and is a recipient of the Bach Prize of the City of Hamburg and the 2012 Shostakovich Award (Moscow).

Tan Dun’s music has been presented throughout the world by leading orchestras, opera houses and festivals, and broadcast on radio and television. As a composer-conductor, Tan Dun has directed the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala and Munich Philharmonic, among others. In 2010 he served as Cultural Ambassador to the World for the World EXPO Shanghai.

Tan Dun’s creative voice reaches a vast audience. His Internet Symphony, commissioned by Google/YouTube in 2009, has reached more than 15 million people online. His Organic Music Trilogy of Water, Paper and Ceramic concertos has been heard in major venues and festivals. The Paper Concerto was premiered by the Los Angeles Philarmonic at the opening of the Walt Disney Hall. His multimedia work, The Map, premiered by Yo-Yo Ma and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has toured more than 30 countries worldwide.

Other important premieres include Four Secret Roads of Marco Polo for the Berlin Philharmonic and a piano concerto, The Fire, for Lang Lang and the New York Philharmonic. He was also commissioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to write the Award Ceremony Music for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Recent projects include a percussion concerto for Martin Grubinger, and a harp concerto inspired by the secret Nushu calligraphy of his home province.

Tan Dun’s previous conducting appearances with the Sydney Symphony were in 2003 (Water and Crouching Tiger concertos) and 2006 (Paper Concerto and The Map).

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Ryu Goto performs on the 1715 Stradivarius known as the ‘Ex-Pierre Rode’ and the ‘Duke of Cambridge’ – this instrument is on loan to him from the non-profit organisation Yellow Angel.

Ryu Goto VIOLIN

Japanese-American violinist Ryu Goto grew up in a musical family (Midori is his sister) and his career began at the age of seven, when he made his debut at the Pacifi c Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, playing Paganini’s Violin Concerto No.1.

Since then, he has appeared as a soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington DC), London Philharmonic, Wiener Symphoniker, European Union Youth Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. He has worked with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Fabio Luisi, Myung-Whun Chung and Jonathan Nott, as well as Tan Dun, and he has performed in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Tokyo Suntory Hall, Shanghai Grand Theater, Taipei National Concert Hall, Munich’s Herkulessaal and the Musikverein in Vienna.

He enjoys a large and growing public in Asia, North America and Europe, and the 2012–13 season includes debut appearances with the Munich Philharmonic and Lorin Maazel – to be followed by a tour with the orchestra to Japan. He also returns to Colombia and Ghana, and his annual solo tour of Japan has been extended to include performances in China.

His recordings include several recital discs with pianist Michael Dussek and a recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. He has also recorded the Brahms Violin Concerto for DVD, with the European Youth Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Ryu Goto works with student musicians throughout the world, conducting masterclasses in conjunction with the world’s top institutions. These include the Ryu Goto Excellence in Music Initiative Scholarship with the New York City Department of Education, as well as collaborations with the Juilliard School and Harvard Bach Society Orchestra.

In 2011 Ryu Goto graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics. This is his fi rst appearance with the Sydney Symphony.

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Tan Wei ERHU

Winner of the most prestigious award in the Chinese entertainment industry, the Golden Bell Award, Tan Wei is the leading erhu performer of her generation. She has performed in dozens of countries throughout Europe, Africa and Asia and has gained worldwide recognition.

Originally from Hunan, Tan Wei was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing in 1999. She won scholarships such as the Chinese Academy of Music Tan Xiaowei Scholarship and the Folk Instrument Liu Mingyuan Scholarship, and is now an active soloist and chamber musician in modern and traditional music in China.

Since winning the 2009 National Erhu competition for new works, Tan Wei has become known as a champion of contemporary works for classical Chinese instruments. She has been invited to participate in a variety of televised live concerts and special events, including the opening ceremony of the Italian World Conference on Education, the International Music Festival and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, as well as the Hang Zhou West Lake International Music Festival and the closing ceremony of the third West Lake International Expo. Tan Wei was the fi rst erhu soloist to perform with the Xiamen National Orchestra and has recorded a number of works with them.

In the 2012–13 season she performs with the Chinese Broadcasting Orchestra, Shanghai National Orchestra, Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, as well as making her debut with the Sydney Symphony.

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Yingdi Sun PIANO

Yingdi Sun studied with Professor Shen Yi-qi at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and came to world attention when he won the 2005 International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (Utrecht) at the age of 25. Since then he has performed throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, as well as in New Zealand and Australia.

He has appeared as soloist with orchestras such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic (conducted by Michel Plasson), Czech National Symphony Orchestra, French Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (Myung-Whun Chung) and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. In Asia he has performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic (Edo de Waart), Shanghai Opera Orchestra (Zoltán Kocsis), Shanghai Philharmonic, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, China National Symphony Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra, among others.

In 2008 he made his Wigmore Hall debut. He has also performed in the Vienna Musikverein, Zurich Tonhalle and the National Performance Arts Centre in Beijing, where he has appeared in a piano trio with violinist Siqing Lu and Australian cellist Liwei Qin.

In 2009 he released his fi rst recording, a Liszt recital disc. As a lover of contemporary music, Yingdi Sun works closely with composers such as Tan Dun, Guo Wenjing and Jack Body.

Yingdi Sun has previously appeared in Australia with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (2009); this is his fi rst engagement with the Sydney Symphony.

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MUSICIANS

FIRST VIOLINS

Dene Olding Concertmaster

Sun Yi Associate Concertmaster

Kirsten WilliamsAssociate Concertmaster

Jennifer Booth Brielle Clapson Sophie Cole Amber Davis Nicola Lewis Alexander Norton Alexandra D’Elia*Rebecca Gill†Claire Herrick°Elizabeth Jones*Fiona Ziegler Assistant Concertmaster

Julie Batty Marianne Broadfoot Jennifer Hoy Georges LentzAlexandra Mitchell Léone Ziegler

SECOND VIOLINS

Kirsty Hilton Marina Marsden Emma Jezek Assistant Principal

Susan Dobbie Principal Emeritus

Maria Durek Shuti Huang Benjamin Li Nicole Masters Philippa Paige Maja Verunica Kelly Tang†

Alexander Read Emma Hayes Stan W Kornel Emily Long Biyana Rozenblit

VIOLAS

Roger Benedict Anne-Louise Comerford Justin Williams Assistant Principal

Sandro Costantino Graham Hennings Justine Marsden Felicity Tsai Amanda Verner*Tobias Breider Robyn Brookfield Jane Hazelwood Stuart Johnson Leonid Volovelsky

CELLOS

Tim Hugh*Catherine Hewgill Leah Lynn Assistant Principal

Kristy Conrau Fenella Gill Elizabeth Neville Christopher Pidcock David Wickham Timothy Nankervis Adrian Wallis

DOUBLE BASSES

Kees Boersma Alex Henery Richard Lynn David Murray Benjamin Ward Neil Brawley Principal Emeritus

David CampbellSteven Larson

FLUTES

Emma Sholl Carolyn Harris Rosamund Plummer Principal Piccolo

Janet Webb

OBOES

Shefali Pryor David Papp Diana Doherty Alexandre Oguey Principal Cor Anglais

CLARINETS

Francesco Celata Christopher Tingay Craig Wernicke Principal Bass Clarinet

Lawrence Dobell

BASSOONS

Roger Brooke Fiona McNamara Noriko Shimada Principal Contrabassoon

Matthew Wilkie

HORNS

Ben Jacks Geoffrey O’Reilly Principal 3rd

Euan Harvey Marnie Sebire Robert Johnson

TRUMPETS

David Elton John Foster Peter Miller*Justin Lingard*Paul Goodchild Anthony Heinrichs

TROMBONES

Ronald PrussingNick Byrne Colin Burrows*Scott Kinmont Christopher Harris Principal Bass Trombone

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Steve Rossé

TIMPANI

Mark Robinson Assistant Principal

Richard Miller

PERCUSSION

Rebecca Lagos Colin Piper Joshua Hill*Philip South*

HARP

Louise Johnson

GUQIN (CHINESE ZITHER)

Xiaoxia Zhao* (Hero Concerto)

Bold = PrincipalItalics = Associate Principal° = Contract Musician* = Guest Musician† = Sydney Symphony FellowGrey = Permanent member of the Sydney Symphony not appearing in this concert

To see photographs of the full roster of permanent musicians and find out more about the orchestra, visit our website: www.sydneysymphony.com/SSO_musiciansIf you don’t have access to the internet, ask one of our customer service representatives for a copy of our Musicians flyer.

The men of the Sydney Symphony are proudly outfitted by Van Heusen.

Vladimir AshkenazyPrincipal Conductor and Artistic Advisor supported by Emirates

Dene OldingConcertmaster

Jessica CottisAssistant Conductor supported by Premier Partner Credit Suisse

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SYDNEY SYMPHONYVladimir Ashkenazy, Principal Conductor and Artistic AdvisorPATRON Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO

Founded in 1932 by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Sydney Symphony has evolved into one of the world’s fi nest orchestras as Sydney has become one of the world’s great cities.

Resident at the iconic Sydney Opera House, where it gives more than 100 performances each year, the Sydney Symphony also performs in venues throughout Sydney and regional New South Wales. International tours to Europe, Asia and the USA have earned the orchestra worldwide recognition for artistic excellence, most recently in the 2012 tour to China.

The Sydney Symphony’s fi rst Chief Conductor was Sir Eugene Goossens, appointed in 1947; he was followed by Nicolai Malko, Dean Dixon, Moshe Atzmon, Willem van Otterloo, Louis Frémaux, Sir Charles Mackerras, Zdenek Mácal, Stuart Challender, Edo de Waart and Gianluigi Gelmetti. David Robertson will take up the post of Chief Conductor in 2014. The orchestra’s history also boasts collaborations with legendary fi gures such as George Szell, Sir Thomas Beecham, Otto Klemperer and Igor Stravinsky.

The Sydney Symphony’s award-winning education program is central to its commitment to the future of live symphonic music, developing audiences and engaging the participation of young people. The orchestra promotes the work of Australian composers through performances, recordings and its commissioning program. Recent premieres have included major works by Ross Edwards, Liza Lim, Lee Bracegirdle, Gordon Kerry and Georges Lentz, and the orchestra’s recording of works by Brett Dean was released on both the BIS and Sydney Symphony Live labels.

Other releases on the Sydney Symphony Live label, established in 2006, include performances with Alexander Lazarev, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Sir Charles Mackerras and Vladimir Ashkenazy. In 2010–11 the orchestra made concert recordings of the complete Mahler symphonies with Ashkenazy, and has also released recordings of Rachmaninoff and Elgar orchestral works on the Exton/Triton labels, as well as numerous recordings on the ABC Classics label.

This is the fi fth year of Ashkenazy’s tenure as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Rory JeffesEXECUTIVE TEAM ASSISTANT

Lisa Davies-Galli

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC PLANNING

Peter Czornyj

Artistic AdministrationARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Eleasha MahARTIST LIAISON MANAGER

Ilmar LeetbergRECORDING ENTERPRISE MANAGER

Philip Powers

Education ProgramsHEAD OF EDUCATION

Kim WaldockEMERGING ARTISTS PROGRAM MANAGER

Mark LawrensonEDUCATION COORDINATOR

Rachel McLarinCUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER

Derek Reed

LibraryAnna CernikVictoria GrantMary-Ann Mead

ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

Aernout KerbertORCHESTRA MANAGER

Chris Lewis ORCHESTRA COORDINATOR

Georgia StamatopoulosOPERATIONS MANAGER

Kerry-Anne CookPRODUCTION MANAGER

Laura DanielPRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Tim DaymanPRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Ian SpenceSTAGE MANAGER

Elise Beggs

SALES AND MARKETING

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Mark J ElliottSENIOR SALES & MARKETING MANAGER

Penny EvansMARKETING MANAGER, SUBSCRIPTION SALES

Simon Crossley-MeatesMARKETING MANAGER, CLASSICAL SALES

Matthew RiveMARKETING MANAGER, WEB & DIGITAL MEDIA

Eve Le GallMARKETING MANAGER, DATABASE & CRM

Matthew Hodge

John C Conde ao ChairmanTerrey Arcus amEwen Crouch amRoss GrantJennifer HoyRory JeffesAndrew Kaldor amIrene LeeDavid LivingstoneGoetz Richter

Sydney Symphony Board

Sydney Symphony Council

Sydney Symphony StaffDATA ANALYST

Varsha KarnikGRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lucy McCulloughCREATIVE ARTWORKER

Nathanael van der ReydenMARKETING COORDINATOR

Jonathon Symonds

Box OfficeMANAGER OF BOX OFFICE SALES & OPERATIONS

Lynn McLaughlinBOX OFFICE SYSTEMS SUPERVISOR

Jacqueline TooleyCUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

Steve Clarke – Senior CSRMichael DowlingJohn RobertsonBec SheedyAmy Walsh

COMMUNICATIONS

HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS & SPONSOR RELATIONS

Yvonne ZammitPUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

Katherine StevensonCOMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Janine Harris DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER

Ben DraismaFELLOWSHIP SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER

Caitlin Benetatos

PublicationsPUBLICATIONS EDITOR & MUSIC PRESENTATION MANAGER

Yvonne Frindle

DEVELOPMENT

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Caroline SharpenEXTERNAL RELATIONS MANAGER

Stephen AttfieldPHILANTHROPY, PATRONS PROGRAM

Ivana JirasekDEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Amelia Morgan-Hunn

BUSINESS SERVICES

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

John HornFINANCE MANAGER

Ruth TolentinoACCOUNTANT

Minerva PrescottACCOUNTS ASSISTANT

Emma FerrerPAYROLL OFFICER

Laura Soutter

HUMAN RESOURCES

HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Michel Maree Hryce

Geoff Ainsworth amAndrew Andersons aoMichael Baume aoChristine BishopIta Buttrose ao obePeter CudlippJohn Curtis amGreg Daniel amJohn Della BoscaAlan FangErin FlahertyDr Stephen FreibergDonald Hazelwood ao obeDr Michael Joel amSimon JohnsonYvonne Kenny amGary LinnaneAmanda LoveHelen Lynch amDavid MaloneyDavid Malouf aoJulie Manfredi-HughesDeborah MarrThe Hon. Justice Jane Mathews aoDanny MayWendy McCarthy aoJane MorschelGreg ParamorDr Timothy Pascoe amProf. Ron Penny aoJerome RowleyPaul SalteriSandra SalteriJuliana SchaefferLeo Schofield amFred Stein oamGabrielle TrainorIvan UngarJohn van OgtropPeter William Weiss aoMary WhelanRosemary White

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sydney symphony 23

SYDNEY SYMPHONY PATRONS

Sydney Symphony Leadership EnsembleAlan Fang, Chairman, Tianda GroupTony Grierson, Braithwaite Steiner PrettyInsurance Australia Grou pMacquarie Group FoundationJohn Morschel, Chairman, ANZAndrew Kaldor am, Chairman, Pelikan Artline

Lynn Kraus, Sydney Office Managing Partner, Ernst & YoungShell Australia Pty LtdJames Stevens, CEO, Roses OnlyStephen Johns, Chairman, Leighton Holdings,

and Michele Johns

Maestro’s CirclePeter William Weiss ao – Founding President & Doris WeissJohn C Conde ao – ChairmanGeoff Ainsworth am & Vicki Ainsworth Tom Breen & Rachael KohnIn memory of Hetty & Egon GordonAndrew Kaldor am & Renata Kaldor aoRoslyn Packer ao

Penelope Seidler amMr Fred Street am & Mrs Dorothy StreetWestfield GroupBrian & Rosemary WhiteRay Wilson oam in memory of the late James Agapitos oam

01 Roger Benedict Principal Viola Kim Williams am & Catherine Dovey Chair

02 Lawrence Dobell Principal Clarinet Anne Arcus & Terrey Arcus am Chair

03 Diana Doherty Principal Oboe Andrew Kaldor am & Renata Kaldor ao Chair

04 Richard Gill oam Artistic Director Education Sandra & Paul Salteri Chair

05 Catherine Hewgill Principal Cello The Hon. Justice AJ & Mrs Fran Meagher Chair

06 Robert Johnson Principal Horn James & Leonie Furber Chair

07 Elizabeth Neville Cello Ruth & Bob Magid Chair

08 Colin Piper Percussion Justice Jane Mathews ao Chair

09 Emma Sholl Associate Principal Flute Robert & Janet Constable Chair

For information about the Directors’ Chairs program, please call (02) 8215 4619.

Directors’ Chairs

01 02 03 04 05

06 07 08 09

Sydney Symphony VanguardVanguard CollectiveJustin Di Lollo – ChairKees BoersmaDavid McKeanAmelia Morgan-HunnJonathan Pease

Ron ChristiansonMatthew ClarkBenoît CocheteuxGeorge CondousMichael CookPaul CousinsJustin Di LolloRose GalloSam GiddingsDerek HandRose HercegJennifer Hoy

Damian Kassagbi Chris KeherElizabeth LeeAntony Lighten Gary LinnanePaul MacdonaldDavid McKeanHayden McLeanAmelia Morgan-HunnHugh MunroFiona OslerPeter Outridge

MembersMatti AlakargasNikki AndrewsJames ArmstrongStephen AttfieldAndrew BaxterMar BeltranKees Boersma Peter BraithwaiteAndrea BrownIan BurtonJennifer BurtonHahn Chau

Archie PaffasJonathan Pease Seamus R QuickMichael ReedeJacqueline RowlandsBernard RyanAdam WandJon WilkieJonathan WatkinsonDarren WoolleyMisha Zelinsky

24 sydney symphony

PLAYING YOUR PART

The Sydney Symphony gratefully acknowledges the music lovers who donate to the orchestra each year. Each gift plays an important part in ensuring our continued artistic excellence and helping to sustain important education and regional touring programs. Donations of $50 and above are acknowledged on our website at www.sydneysymphony.com/patrons

Platinum Patrons $20,000+Brian AbelGeoff Ainsworth am & Vicki AinsworthRobert Albert ao & Elizabeth AlbertTerrey Arcus am & Anne ArcusTom Breen & Rachael KohnSandra & Neil BurnsMr John C Conde aoRobert & Janet ConstableMichael Crouch ao & Shanny CrouchJames & Leonie FurberDr Bruno & Mrs Rhonda Giuff reIn memory of Hetty & Egon GordonMs Rose HercegMr Andrew Kaldor am & Mrs Renata Kaldor aoD & I KallinikosJames N Kirby FoundationJoan MacKenzie Violin Scholarship, SinfoniaJustice Jane Mathews aoMrs Roslyn Packer aoPaul & Sandra SalteriMrs Penelope Seidler amG & C Solomon in memory of Joan MacKenzieMrs W SteningMr Fred Street am & Mrs Dorothy StreetPeter William Weiss ao & Doris WeissWestfi eld GroupMr Brian & Mrs Rosemary WhiteRay Wilson oam in memory of James Agapitos oamKim Williams am & Catherine DoveyJune & Alan Woods Family Bequest

Gold Patrons$10,000–$19,999Mr C R AdamsonStephen J BellAlan & Christine BishopIan & Jennifer BurtonHoward ConnorsCopyright Agency Limited Edward FedermanFerris Family FoundationNora GoodridgeMr Ross GrantThe Estate of the late Ida GuggerHelen Lynch am & Helen BauerRuth & Bob MagidThe Hon. Justice AJ Meagher & Mrs Fran MeagherMrs T Merewether oamMr B G O’ConorMrs Joyce Sproat & Mrs Janet CookeHenry & Ruth Weinberg

Silver Patrons $5000–$9,999Doug & Alison BattersbyMr Alexander & Mrs Vera BoyarskyMr Robert BrakspearMr David & Mrs Halina BrettMr Robert & Mrs L Alison Carr Bob & Julie ClampettEwen Crouch am & Catherine CrouchIan Dickson & Reg HollowayPenny EdwardsDr C GoldschmidtThe Greatorex Foundation The Sherry Hogan FoundationMr Rory Jeff esStephen Johns & Michele BenderJudges of the Supreme Court of NSW Mr Ervin KatzThe Estate of the late Patricia LanceMr David LivingstoneTimothy & Eva PascoeWilliam McIlrath Charitable FoundationDavid Maloney & Erin FlahertyRodney Rosenblum am & Sylvia RosenblumManfred & Linda SalamonMichael & Mary Whelan TrustCaroline WilkinsonJill Wran

Bronze Patrons $2,500–$4,999Jan BowenThe Hon. Ashley Dawson-DamerFirehold Pty LtdStephen Freiberg & Donald CampbellVic & Katie FrenchMrs Jennifer HershonAnn HobanIn memory of Bernard M H KhawMichael & Anna JoelGary LinnaneMatthew McInnesJ A McKernanR & S Maple-BrownGreg & Susan MarieMora MaxwellJames & Elsie MooreDrs Keith & Eileen OngIn memory of Sandra PaulPottingerDr John Roarty oam in memory of Mrs June RoartyIn memory of H St P ScarlettJulianna Schaeff erDavid & Isabel SmithersMrs Hedy SwitzerMarliese & Georges TeitlerJF & A van OgtropDr Richard Wingate

Mr & Mrs T & D YimAnonymous (1)

Bronze Patrons $1,000–$2,499Charles & Renee AbramsMrs Antoinette AlbertAndrew Andersons aoMr Henri W Aram oamDr Francis J AugustusRichard and Christine Banks David BarnesMichael Baume ao & Toni BaumeNicole BergerAllan & Julie BlighDr & Mrs Hannes Boshoff Lenore P BuckleM BulmerIn memory of RW BurleyIta Buttrose ao obeJoan Connery oam & Maxwell Connery oamConstable Estate Vineyards Debby Cramer & Bill CaukillMr John Cunningham SCM & Mrs Margaret CunninghamGreta DavisLisa & Miro DavisMatthew DelaseyMr & Mrs Grant DixonColin Draper & Mary Jane BrodribbMrs Margaret EppsMr Ian Fenwicke & Prof. Neville WillsMichael & Gabrielle FieldMr James Graham am & Mrs Helen GrahamWarren GreenAnthony Gregg & Deanne WhittlestonAkiko GregoryTony GriersonEdward & Deborah Griffi thIn memory of Dora & Oscar GrynbergJanette HamiltonMichelle HiltonThe Hon. David Hunt ao qc & Mrs Margaret HuntDr & Mrs Michael HunterMr Justin LamMr Peter Lazar amIrene LeeAssociate Professor Winston LiauwDr David LuisCarolyn & Peter Lowry oamDeirdre & Kevin McCannIan & Pam McGawMacquarie Group FoundationRenee MarkovicMs Jackie O’BrienMr Robert OrrellMr & Mrs Ortis

sydney symphony 25

To find out more about becominga Sydney Symphony Patron, pleasecontact the Philanthropy Officeon (02) 8215 4625 or emailphilanthropy@sydneysymphony.com

Mr Andrew C PattersonPiatti Holdings Pty LtdAndy & Deirdre Plummer Robin PotterErnest & Judith RapeeKenneth R ReedPatricia H Reid Endowment Pty LtdCaroline SharpenDr Agnes E SinclairCatherine StephenJohn & Alix SullivanThe Hon. Brian Sully qcMildred TeitlerJohn E TuckeyMrs M TurkingtonIn memory of Joan & Rupert VallentineDr Alla WaldmanMr Robert & Mrs Rosemary WalshThe Hon. Justice A G WhealyAnn & Brooks Wilson amDr Richard WingMr R R WoodwardIn memory of Lorna WrightDr John YuAnonymous (14)

Bronze Patrons $500–$999Mr Peter J ArmstrongMr & Mrs Garry S AshBarlow Cleaning Pty LtdBeauty Point Retirement ResortMrs Margaret BellMinnie BiggsMrs Jan BiberDr Anthony BookallilR D & L M BroadfootArnaldo BuchAnn & Miles BurgessPat & Jenny BurnettThe Hon. Justice JC & Mrs CampbellDr Rebecca ChinMrs Sarah ChissickMrs Catherine J ClarkR A & M J ClarkeMr & Mrs CoatesCoff s Airport Security Car ParkMr B & Mrs M ColesMrs Joan Connery oamJen CornishMr David CrossPhil Diment am & Bill Zafi ropoulosElizabeth DonatiThe Dowe Family

John FavaloroDr Nita & Dr James DurhamMalcolm Ellis & Erin O’NeillIn memory of Peter EverettMr & Mrs FarrellMr Tom FrancisMr John GadenVivienne GoldschmidtClive & Jenny GoodwinMr Richard Griffi n amIan R L HarperKen HawkingsMrs A HaywardMr Roger HenningHarry & Meg HerbertSue HewittDorothy Hoddinott aoMr Joerg HofmannMrs Kimberley HoldenMr Gregory HoskingAlex HoughtonBill & Pam HughesNiki KallenbergerMrs W G KeighleyMrs Margaret KeoghDr Henry KilhamChris J KitchingMr Aron & Mrs Helen KleinlehrerAnna-Lisa KlettenbergMr & Mrs Gilles T KrygerSonia LalMr Luigi LampratiDr & Mrs Leo LeaderMargaret LedermanAnita & Chris LevyErna & Gerry Levy amSydney & Airdrie LloydMrs A LohanMrs Panee LowDr David LuisDr Jean MalcolmPhilip & Catherine McClellandMrs Flora MacDonaldMelvyn MadiganAlan & Joy MartinMrs Helen MeddingsMrs Toshiko MericMs Irene Miller & Ms Kim HardingP J MillerDavid & Andree MilmanKenneth N MitchellMs Margaret Moore oam & Dr Paul Hutchins amChris Morgan-Hunn

Mrs Milja MorrisA NhanMr Graham NorthDr Mike O’Connor amMr R A OppenDr A J PalmerJustice George Palmer amDr Kevin PedemontDr Natalie E PelhamMichael QuaileyLois & Ken RaeAnna RoPamela RogersLesley & Andrew RosenbergAgnes RossMrs Pamela SayersGarry Scarf & Morgie BlaxillWilliam SewellPeter & Virginia ShawMrs Diane Shteinman amMs Stephanie SmeeMs Tatiana SokolovaDoug & Judy SotherenMrs Judith SouthamMargaret SuthersMr Lindsay & Mrs Suzanne StoneNorman & Lydia TaylorDr Heng Tey & Mrs Cilla TeyMrs Alma Toohey & Mr Edward SpicerKevin TroyJudge Robyn TupmanGillian Turner & Rob BishopProf Gordon E WallMrs Margaret WallisRonald WalledgeMr Palmer WangMs Elizabeth WilkinsonAudrey & Michael WilsonA Willmers & R PalDr Peter Wong & Mrs Emmy K WongGeoff Wood & Melissa WaitesMr Robert WoodsGlen & Everly WyssMrs Robin YabsleyAnonymous (22)

Learn how, with the people who know books

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T E L L ?

26 sydney symphony

SALUTE

PRINCIPAL PARTNER GOVERNMENT PARTNERS

The Sydney Symphony is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body

The Sydney Symphony is assisted by the NSW Government through Arts NSW

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Stuart was the one who gave us self-belief. Then Edo came – he was a builder…

The Sydney Symphony has been at the centre of Lawrence’s musical life since he joined as an associate principal in 1982. (He was appointed principal in 1985.) Over three decades, he’s played under Mackerras, Mácal, Stuart Challender, Edo de Waart, Gelmetti and now Ashkenazy.

‘Stuart was the one who gave us self-belief. Then Edo came – he was a builder, the demanding maestro. In the 30 years, it’s been fantastic just to be in the orchestra as it gets better and better with every performance.’ Later he adds: ‘The orchestra’s in excellent form. I think I practise more now than I used to – to maintain the stan-dard.’

The concerts that stand out in his memory include Challender’s Mahler 2 and Sinfonia domestica with de Waart in Carnegie Hall. ‘It was astonishing to hear how good the orchestra sounded in a great space,’ he says. ‘Touring every year, as we do now, and playing in other halls has made a huge difference to the culture of the orchestra.’

Among the more recent high-lights are ‘most of the concerts’ with Ashkenazy. ‘I don’t know what it is, but he’s got something! He’s such a great musician, and you just respond to his love of the music.’

The Principal Clarinet chair is supported by Anne and Terrey Arcus. For more information on Directors’ Chairs call (02) 8215 4663.

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Lawrence Dobell didn’t choose the clarinet. His father, a bird dealer and Benny Goodman fan, traded a pair of parrots for a clarinet when Lawrence was 12. ‘I was given the instrument and I just never put it down.’

Playing the clarinet always came easily, which is why it was so devastating when, last year, he broke the little finger of his left hand, enforcing a three-month rest from playing.

The first day back in the prac-tice room was terrible. ‘I put the clarinet together, played for about a minute and my finger kept

missing the key. I just lay on the couch in a catatonic state, think-ing “I can’t play!”’

The left pinkie controls five keys on the clarinet, making its job especially demanding. Recovering his technique presented psycho-logical as well as physical chal-lenges. ‘I’d never picked up the clarinet and not been able to play it, technically,’ Lawrence explains. ‘My fingers had always worked.’ So if a note didn’t speak ‘it felt like a major catastrophe’. ‘Then finally, by the end of last year, I’d started to clear my mind of the finger and just play again.’

IN EXCELLENT FORMPrincipal Clarinet Lawrence Dobell on playing in an orchestra that gets better and better with every performance, and what it’s like to return from an injury.

ORCHESTRA NEWS | FEBRUARY–MARCH 2013

with Damien Beaumont Vienna – Dresden – Berlin – Cologne – Paris24 May–9 June 2013 (17 days)

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For detailed information call 1300 727 095 visit www.renaissancetours.com.auor contact your travel agent

Sir Simon Rattle with the Berlin Philharmonic © Monika Rittershaus

A summer break is a welcome opportunity to recharge. Yet I always find myself missing the music-making and looking forward to the return of the Sydney Symphony musicians to the stage. I hope you feel the same, and I welcome you to the 2013 season and its celebration of Vladimir Ashkenazy’s continuing relationship with the orchestra and the people of Sydney. This celebration is being expressed in the best way of all: through music, with some of Ashkenazy’s favourite composers and leading guest artists who’ve responded to his invitation to join us here in Sydney.

We have some extraordinary music for you this year; and I also look forward to the visit in July of our Chief Conductor designate David Robertson, who’ll be performing two masterpieces: Verdi’s Requiem and Wagner’s Flying Dutchman. Concerts such as the Requiem will reach not only concert hall audiences but music lovers across the world via live webcasts. These are made possible by our partnership with Telstra BigPond, and with our mobile app you don’t even have to be at home to watch! You are the reason we perform, and as a music lover I look forward to sharing this year’s concerts with you.RORY JEFFES

From the Managing Director Philanthropy HighlightNew Sinfonia ScholarshipLast year we mourned the passing of Joan MacKenzie, a member of the Sydney Symphony Council and one of our most committed supporters and advocates. Joan had enjoyed a long career in fashion – from modelling in New York to leading the David Jones couture department – and she ensured that her support for the orchestra would live on in a characteristically vibrant way through a substantial bequest in her will.

This gift has been generously matched by her nephew Gavin Solomon and his wife Catherine, and the funds have been invested to establish an annual scholarship for a violinist in our Sinfonia mentoring orchestra. The new scholarship will support travel for a regional or interstate participant and private lessons with SSO musicians.

The recipient of the inaugural scholarship will be announced, in the presence of Joan’s relatives and friends, at the Sinfonia’s first concert of the year: Discover Beethoven’s Pastoral on 5 March at City Recital Hall Angel Place.If you’re considering making a notified bequest to the Sydney Symphony, write to philanthropy@sydneysymphony.com or call (02) 8215 4625.

Wheel of FortuneThe first thing that normally comes to mind when someone mentions Carmina Burana is the opening and closing number: ‘O Fortuna!’ It’s both thrilling and ominous: the kind of music that has lent itself to use in movies such as The Omen (1976), Excalibur (1981) and Hunt for Red October (1990). The Latin text also lends itself to comedy: there’s a YouTube spoof that turns it into an illustrated mondegreen, beginning with ‘O four tuna’ and moving on from there.

If you know the music well, there’s another number that might spring to mind: the Roasting Swan, in which the hapless tenor soloist must take his voice into the upper limits of its range as he laments the loss of his snowy whiteness and his imminent death and consumption. (Sometimes this part is assigned to a countertenor, but with the loss of its ‘pained’ effect.)

The texts that Carl Orff set for Carmina Burana were collected by mediæval monks, but these aren’t religious texts. If you follow them during a performance you’ll encounter earthy poetry that’s erotic, humorous and lyrical by turn, and always memorable.

Carmina BuranaSpecial Event Premier Partner Credit Suisse

Thu 21, Fri 22 and Sat 23 March | 8pm

The Score

The rostering of the tutti string players is vastly more complicated. The many variables – which are determined by the musicians’ enterprise bargaining agreement – include ensuring each musician doesn’t exceed the maximum number of calls (rehearsals and performances) permitted for the year, or for any given week. In addition, SSO tutti string players rotate their positions on the stage, changing stand partners as well as how to where they sit. To manage all the intricate details, each section votes one of its number to be the rosterer for two years.

With thanks to orchestra manager Chris Lewis.

The composer tells us which and how many instruments are needed. But in a large symphony orchestra, there’s still some deci-sion-making to be done. Before each season begins, the woodwind, brass and string principals decide amongst themselves who will play in each concert and how indi-vidual parts will be distributed within their sections. Factors include personal preference and musical strengths as well as more pragmatic issues, such as when individuals can be rostered off for a week of guest music-making elsewhere (this practice goes by the unexpected name of ‘black box week’).

Ever wondered who decides which musicians in the orchestra appear in any given performance, or where they sit? Wonder no more…

Ask a Musician

POINT COUNTERPOINTEducation Report

for three days of inspiring work-shops. The experience left one participant, Jessop Maticevski-Shumack, ‘flying like a kite’!

The 2012 Sinfonietta Project was supported by major partner Leighton Holdings and Copyright Agency Cultural Fund. Entries for 2013 close on 11 October and the project is open to all Australian high school students. This year’s open workshop will take place on 28 November. sydneysymphony.com/sinfonietta

True counterpoint belongs to the age of Bach, but this way of composing – note against note – endures as a fundamental aspect of musical technique, like classical draughtsmanship for the artist. So it’s no surprise that Richard Gill chose it as the focus for the 2012 Sinfonietta Project.

This national program cul-minated last November with the assembling of seven talented young teenage composers and the Sydney Symphony Fellows

From left: Jessop Maticevski-Shumack, Nathan Moas, Curt Petroff, Richard Gill, Luca Warburton, Kevin Lee, Michael Taurian and Aidan McGartland

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SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE TRUST Mr Kim Williams AM (Chair)Mr Wayne Blair, Ms Catherine Brenner, The Hon Helen Coonan, Ms Renata Kaldor AO, Mr Robert Leece AM, Mr Peter Mason AM, Mr Leo Schofi eld AM, Mr John Symond AM, Mr Robert Wannan

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE EXECUTIVEChief Executive Offi cer Louise HerronExecutive Producer, SOH Presents Jonathan BielskiDirector, Theatre & Events David ClaringboldDirector, Marketing, Communications & Customer Services Victoria DoidgeDirector, Building Development & Maintenance Greg McTaggartChief Financial Offi cer Claire SpencerDirector, Commercial David Watson

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSEBennelong Point GPO Box 4274, Sydney NSW 2001Administration (02) 9250 7111 Box Offi ce (02) 9250 7777Facsimile (02) 9250 7666 Website sydneyoperahouse.com

Clocktower Square, Argyle Street, The Rocks NSW 2000GPO Box 4972, Sydney NSW 2001Telephone (02) 8215 4644Box Offi ce (02) 8215 4600Facsimile (02) 8215 4646www.sydneysymphony.com

All rights reserved, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily refl ect the beliefs of the editor, publisher or any distributor of the programs. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of statements in this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, or for matters arising from clerical or printers’ errors. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material prior to printing.

Please address all correspondence to the Publications Editor: Email program.editor@sydneysymphony.com

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By arrangement with the Sydney Symphony, this publication is offered free of charge to its patrons subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s consent in writing. It is a further condition that this publication shall not be circulated in any form of binding or cover than that in which it was published, or distributed at any other event than specifi ed on the title page of this publication 17007 — 1/220213 — 03K S6/7

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Managing Director Michael Nebenzahl Editorial Director Jocelyn Nebenzahl Manager—Production & Graphic Design Debbie ClarkeManager—Production—Classical Music Alan ZieglerOperating in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart & Darwin

NEW FACES BEHIND THE SCENES

With the beginning of a new year and the new season, we welcome three new staff members to the Sydney Symphony administration. Eleasha Mah is the new Artistic Administration Manager, replacing Elaine Armstrong, who departed for Melbourne in January. Elaine will be sorely missed, but we’re delighted to gain Eleasha, who brings with her experience from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Globe Theatre in London.

Matthew Hodge joins us from Musica Viva Australia – the third person to have made this chamber–symphonic transition in recent years. He takes on the role of Marketing Manager, Database and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

And Caitlin Benetatos joins us in a new part-time role as the Fellowship Social Media Officer, looking after the blog that follows our Fellows through their musical and educational journey each year (blog.ssofellowship.com).

Late last year we also welcomed two new members to our orchestra management team, both of whom play a crucial role in what goes on behind the scenes at concerts: production manager Laura Daniel and stage manager Elise Beggs.

VALE GUY HENDERSON (1934–2013)

It was with sadness that we learned of the death of former principal oboe Guy Henderson on 4 January after a difficult battle with cancer. Guy was principal in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra during the 1950s and 60s, and played in the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s first concert in 1975. He was principal oboe of the Sydney Symphony from 1967 until 1998.

Guy will be missed not only as an admired and respected musician and teacher but as a generous colleague and friend and a true gentleman.

Hear Guy Henderson as the oboe soloist in Peter Sculthorpe’s Small Town, performing with the Sydney Symphony: bit.ly/SmallTownSSO

WELCOME TO THE 2013 FELLOWS

We’re delighted to announce that eight outstanding young performers from across the country have been selected for the 2013 Fellowship program. A very warm welcome to Rebecca Gill (violin, 26), Kelly Tang (violin, 26), Nicole Greentree (viola, 24), James Yoo (cello, 24), Laura van Rijn (flute, 26), Som Howie (clarinet, 22), Jack Schiller (bassoon, 21), Brendan Parravicini (horn, 23).

Supported by Premier Partner Credit Suisse and directed by our Principal Viola Roger Benedict, the Fellowship program provides Australia’s top young aspiring musicians with an invaluable opportunity to undertake a full-time apprenticeship with the orchestra.

NEW CO-CONCERTMASTER

Our search for a second concertmaster has come to a close, and in January we announced the appointment of Andrew Haveron, from the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Andrew joins us in May.

CODA

Have a question about the music, instruments or the inner workings of the orchestra? ‘Ask a Musician’ at yoursay@sydneysymphony.com or by writing to Bravo! Reply Paid 4338, Sydney NSW 2001.