JAZZ INSPIRATIONS. Thibaudet plays Gershwin. Thursday 5 December Friday 6 December Saturday 7 December 2013 THURSDAY AFTERNOON SYMPHONY

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1 JAZZ INSPIRATIONS Thibaudet plays Gershwin THURSDAY AFTERNOON SYMPHONY Thursday 5 December 2013 EMIRATES METRO SERIES Friday 6 December 2013 GREAT CLASSICS Saturday 7 December Monday 9 December 2013

2 DECEMBER JANuARY CLASSICAL Thibaudet plays Gershwin Jazz Inspirations SHOSTAKOVICH Jazz Suite No.1 GERSHWIN Piano Concerto in F PROKOFIEV Symphony No.5 James Gaffigan conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano Variations on an English Theme HAYDN Symphony No.92 (Oxford) BRITTEN The Young Person s Guide to the Orchestra BRITTEN Violin Concerto BRAHMS Variations on a Theme of Haydn James Gaffigan conductor Vilde Frang violin Symphony in the Domain Spread your blanket under the stars and enjoy the sounds of the orchestra with your family and friends in the Domain. HOLST The Planets TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture Simone Young conductor John Bell actor-narrator Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Anne-Sophie Mutter plays Mozart MOZART Violin Concerto No.2 in D, K211 Violin Concerto No.3 in G, K216 (Strassburger) Violin Concerto No.5 in A, K219 (Turkish) Anne-Sophie Mutter violin-director Tickets for these concerts on sale from Monday 2 December THURSDAY AFTERNOON SYMPHONY Thu 5 Dec 1.30pm EMIRATES METRO SERIES Fri 6 Dec 8pm GREAT CLASSICS Sat 7 Dec 2pm 7 Mon 9 Dec 7pm Pre-concert talk by Yvonne Frindle MASTER SERIES Wed 11 Dec 8pm Fri 13 Dec 8pm Sat 14 Dec 8pm Pre-concert talk by David Garrett Free event PRESENTED by THE SYDNEY FESTIvAL Sun 26 Jan 8pm Sydney Domain SPECIAL EvENT PREMIER PARTNER CREDIT SUISSE Fri 31 Jan 8pm Sat 1 Feb 8pm Sun 2 Feb 2pm Pre-concert talk 45 minutes before each performance BOOK NOW! SYDNeYSYmPHONY.COm or call mon-fri 9am-5pm Tickets also available at sydneyoperahouse.com mon-sat 9am-8.30pm Sun 10am-6pm * booking fees of $7.50 $8.95 may apply.

3 Welco me to the Emirates Metro Series Emirates is proud to continue its decade-long partnership with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra into 2014, following the announcement of the threeyear renewal of its Principal Partner relationship from next year. As part of this agreement we will continue as naming sponsor of the SSO s Emirates Metro concert series. Like the SSO, Emirates specialises in world-class entertainment, with the airline s inflight entertainment system, ice, recently taking out the award for best inflight entertainment for the ninth consecutive year at the international Skytrax Awards. With up to 1,600 channels to choose from, on 84 flights per week to Dubai, including daily A380 flights from Brisbane, Melbourne and a double daily A380 from Sydney, those flying on Emirates will be able to watch SSO concerts onboard. Our partnership with the SSO is about connecting with you our customers. We are dedicated to the growth of arts and culture in Australia, and the SSO allows us to showcase the Emirates brand to music lovers around the country, and the world, from its home at the Sydney Opera House. The airline strives to evolve so that our customers enjoy a first-class flying experience, which is evident through our global network now featuring services to 137 destinations in 77 countries. In 2013, Emirates increased its European network to 34 destinations. Warsaw joined the network in February and Stockholm in September. In January 2014, Kiev will become Emirates 35th European destination. Renewing the partnership with the SSO is an integral part of our long-term commitment to Sydney, and Australia. We re delighted to continue our support of the Orchestra and encourage you to enjoy all the performances you can in Bryan Bansto n Emirates Vice President Australasia

4 2013 season thursday afternoon symphony Thursday 5 December 1.30pm emirates metro series Friday 6 December 8pm great classics Saturday 7 December 2pm 7 Monday 9 December 7pm Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Jazz Inspirations James Gaffigan CONDUCTOR Jean-Yves Thibaudet PIANO Dmitri Shostakovich ( ) Suite for Jazz Orchestra No.1 Waltz Polka Foxtrot (Blues) George Gershwin ( ) Piano Concerto in F Allegro Andante con moto Allegro agitato Friday s performance will be recorded for later broadcast by ABC Classic FM. Pre-concert talk by Yvonne Frindle in the Northern Foyer, 45 minutes before each performance. Visit bit.ly/ssospeakerbios for speaker biographies. Estimated durations: 8 minutes, 35 minutes, 20-minute interval, 47 minutes The concert will conclude at approximately 3.30pm (Thu), 10pm (Fri), 4pm (Sat), 9pm (Mon). INTERVAL Sergei Prokofiev ( ) Symphony No.5 in B flat, Op.100 Andante Allegro marcato Adagio Allegro giocoso

5 LEBRECHT MUSIC & ARTS 6 sydney symphony

6 INTRODUCTION Jazz Inspirations In 1929, a Moscow Conservatoire professor, Aleksandr Weprik, observed that the only kind of music to find success across the whole of Europe is jazz. Weprik saw it as a reaction to atonality, which had led to a dead end and stopped influencing people. Jazz, he went on, is the only kind of post-war music that is truly infectious. Disapprovingly, he points to its social significance and its origins in places of entertainment by which he means the bar and the brothel, not the concert hall. Shostakovich didn t disapprove of jazz he admired its practitioners and embraced its sounds (if not its musical style) in small orchestral suites and some of his theatre and film scores. The first suite for jazz orchestra from 1934 shows him in a lively mood, unashamedly entertaining us in the concert hall. Shostakovich composed his suite with the aim of raising the level of Soviet jazz to a professional status. Gershwin s piano concerto, composed in New York in 1925, was part of a similar project: bringing the jazz idiom into the concert hall. In his quest to be recognised as a serious composer, Gershwin travelled to Paris, where jazz was enthusiastically embraced by classical composers of the 1920s. And Paris is where Prokofiev discovered jazz in all its variations, including ragtime and blues. He also heard Gershwin s concerto at the Paris Opéra in 1928 (he didn t think much of its structure, but he loved the tunes). Prokofiev s Fifth Symphony was a kind of war effort and had to live up to high expectations it s an epic work in comparison with Shostakovich s tiny suite. Even so, American composer and critic Virgil Thomson heard in its skittish second movement a sort of Soviet-style blues or Muscovite one-step. Is it jazz? No more than Shostakovich s three 1920s dances, but the pervasive influence is there. In that respect Weprik was right: jazz is truly infectious. Turn to page 27 to read Bravo! musician profiles, articles and news from the orchestra. There are nine issues through the year, also available at sydneysymphony.com/bravo COVER IMAGE: Air+Man+Space (1912) by Lyubov Sergeyevna Popova ( ) sydney symphony 7

7 ABOUT THE MUSIC Dmitri Shostakovich Suite for Jazz Orchestra No.1 Waltz Polka Foxtrot (Blues) Dmitri Shostakovich had no time for musical snobs. Under the influence of his friend Ivan Sollertinsky (a critic), he d cultivated an interest in music from Bach to Offenbach and discovered Mahler, whose own popular stylistic allusions were important influences. Shostakovich s innate curiosity also drew him to the new dzhaz-band music. The jazz that reached the ears of Soviet musicians was a mixed bag and some regarded it with hostility. It wasn t until 1926 that Nicolai Malko could report, in impressed tones, on the first authentic jazz band to visit the Soviet Union: The genuine article, no need for inverted commas, since everything we ve had up to now was only an experiment in cultivating a foreign plant on our soil. That experiment had led to bands such as Leonid Utyosov s Tea Jazz, whose repertoire was closer to light music of the palm court orchestra than what we would regard as jazz. Which is why it s better to think of this suite as a Suite for Jazz Orchestra than a Jazz Suite it s the ensemble, with its saxophones, brass and percussion and just two string players, rather than the style that makes the connection. The suite was composed in 1934 as part of an effort to raise the status of the jazz idiom in the Soviet Union and provide an exemplar to younger composers. It s not jazz, but it shows Shostakovich in a brilliant, witty mode drawing on his experience in theatre and film. The three dance movements, although composed at the peak of the Stalinist terror years, evoke the carefree, whimsical spirit of the 1920s. The dances are true to form and the waltz with its muted trumpet and melancholy soprano saxophone was later pressed into service for the ballet The Bright Stream. (If it seems familiar it s because it bears a resemblance to another Shostakovich jazz waltz, adopted by Stanley Kubrick for Eyes Wide Shut.) The polka creates a circus mood reminiscent of the first piano concerto. The bluesy foxtrot comes closest to the biting irony so often associated with Shostakovich. Keynotes SHOSTAKOVICH Born St Petersburg, 1906 Died Moscow, 1975 One of the great symphonic composers of the 20th century, Shostakovich was also a controversial and enigmatic personality who lived through the Bolshevik Revolution, the Stalinist purges and World War II. His music is often searched for cryptic messages: criticism of the Stalinist regime disguised in music that, it was hoped, would be found acceptable by authorities. But Shostakovich s compromises only went so far and his music was nonetheless subject to censure, usually on stylistic or moral grounds. This is the serious side of Shostakovich. There is another side: the composer who had supported himself by playing piano for silent films, the composer with a sense of humour who shows up in music such as the first piano concerto or his ballet score The Bright Stream, and the composer with an ear for popular taste who could easily turn his hand to so-called light music. YVONNE FRINDLE SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2013 The suite calls for a small orchestra of three saxophones, two trumpets, trombone, percussion, piano, banjo (doubling Hawaiian guitar), violin and double bass. This is our first complete concert performance of the suite. 8 sydney symphony

8 George Gershwin Piano Concerto in F Allegro Andante con moto Allegro agitato Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano Rhapsody in Blue, the music in which Gershwin first crossed the tracks from jazz and popular music to serious music, caused a sensation and a controversy. When all the dust had settled, the pungent, memorable tunes and rhythms were still there: the Rhapsody is likely to remain Gershwin s most popular piece of instrumental music. But Gershwin composed it for Paul Whiteman s big band, which played what Whiteman, at least, called jazz. Rhapsody in Blue comes off best, many believe [including Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who has recorded it this way], in its original scoring for band rather than in the inflated orchestral version. Actually, the neophyte composer made neither scoring himself he and Whiteman called in the services of the band s arranger, Ferde Grofé. That was in Meanwhile, the jazz craze was sweeping America, and the quite venerable but still enterprising conductor of the New York Symphony Society, Walter Damrosch, had an idea which would, at one stroke, further his aim of encouraging American composers and bring some jazz flavour into the concert hall. In the spring of 1925 his Society commissioned Gershwin to compose a piano concerto and to appear as soloist in seven concerts with the New York Symphony beginning in December of that year. It is said that the brashly self-confident Gershwin, after accepting the commission, had to find out what a concerto was. Be that as it may, Gershwin was determined to orchestrate the work himself, and bought a textbook of orchestration. His original title for the work was New York Concerto, and he began to write it in the Gershwin family home at 103rd Street; or, when that became too crowded with distracting friends and relatives, in the seclusion of a room at the nearby Whitehall Hotel. The Australian-born pianist Ernest Hutcheson, then a staff member and later president of the Juilliard School, made available to Gershwin a studio at out-of-town Chautauqua, where he conducted masterclasses in the summer months. Some of the concerto was composed there. Keynotes GERSHWIN Born Brooklyn, New York, 1898 Died Hollywood, California, 1937 The all-too-brief life and career of George Gershwin reads like a metaphor for the American Dream. The Brooklyn boy born Jacob Gershovitz to Russian Jewish parents started out as a Tin Pan Alley song plugger before conquering Broadway and Hollywood. His songwriting partnership with older brother Ira produced a string of hit shows and songs that defined an era. Lauded by composers such as Ravel and Schoenberg, he strove to be recognised as a serious composer and to develop an American contribution to the classical tradition with concert works such as Rhapsody in Blue and his Piano Concerto in F. Vain, competitive, demanding, but always generous to a fault, Gershwin lived life with a frantic energy as incandescent as the New York skyline that his music still so powerfully evokes. His last major work, the folk-opera Porgy and Bess, hinted at the yet-to-be-fulfilled promise of a soaring artistic trajectory cut short by his untimely death of a brain tumour at 38. At his funeral service on 15 July 1937 at Temple Emanu-El on New York s Fifth Avenue, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise described Gershwin as the singer of the songs of America s soul. Even Ira couldn t have put it better. sydney symphony 9

9 Gershwin s original plan for the concerto was expressed in his typically laconic style. The three movements were to be: 1. Rhythm 2. Melody 3. More Rhythm Because of the title concerto, much attention has focussed on how Gershwin met conventional demands of form. Critics were quick to point out supposed structural deficiencies, although some have countered with the claim that Gershwin adopted sonata form in the first movement and rondo form in the third. It is doubtful whether this approach to the concerto is much to the point. Gershwin biographer Charles Schwartz surely has it right: Doing what came naturally to him, Gershwin created his own personal version of a concerto, though hardly one that would conform to textbook models. After all, what popular 20th-century concerto do those models fit? Certainly not Rachmaninoff s. The Concerto in F is in fact a string of highly effective melodies, involving a certain amount of repetition (including reminiscences of the first movement in the third), not much development, and some quasi-symphonic linking passages between the big tunes. The anxious care Gershwin gave to this work was surely due to his sense that the music would have to stand the test of durability and repetition, not the ephemeral success of a Broadway show. By that test he succeeded: the Concerto in F is certainly the most often played American concerto and one of the most frequently heard concertos of the 20th century. Among the Carnegie Hall premiere s mixed audience of jazz buffs, classical elite and Damrosch s worshipful following of Society ladies, there were those who were shocked, those who were puzzled, and those who were disappointed because the concerto was not as musically raffish as Rhapsody in Blue. Critic Samuel Chotzinoff caught the reaction which has endured: Of all those writing the music of today Gershwin alone expresses us. The original title, New York Concerto, is an apt indication of its character: a mixture of New York musical vernacular and the concert hall (Schwartz). Gershwin s own program note makes no claims about the form of the piece, but gives a good description of its contents: The first movement employs the Charleston rhythm. It is quick and pulsating, representing the young enthusiastic spirit of American life. It begins with a rhythmic motif given out by 10 sydney symphony

10 the kettledrums, supported by other percussion instruments, and with a Charleston motif The principal theme is announced by the bassoon. Later, a second theme is introduced by the piano. The second movement has a poetic nocturnal atmosphere which has come to be referred to as the American blues, but in a purer form than that in which they are usually treated. The final movement reverts to the style of the first. It is an orgy of rhythms, starting violently and keeping to the same pace throughout. When George Gershwin (right) sought out established serious composers for advice and tuition, Ravel (seated) supposedly advised him to remain a first-rate Gershwin, not seek to be a second-rate Ravel. Photo taken at a party in honour of Ravel in DAVID GARRETT 1987/2003 Gershwin s Piano Concerto in F in its symphonic scoring calls for an orchestra of two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, cor anglais, two clarinets, bass clarinet and two bassoons; four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and tuba; timpani and percussion; and strings. The first ABC orchestra to perform the concerto was the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, in 1951 with conductor John Farnsworth Hall and pianist Una Murray. The SSO first performed it in 1976 in a special concert for the America Bicentennial conducted by Elyakum Shapirra with soloist Isador Goodman. Our most recent performance of the concerto was in 1995 with Sir William Southgate and pianist Geoffrey Tozer. sydney symphony 11

11 Choosing the right piano can be extremely daunting. You want to find expert advice you can trust, and a quality piano that will be the perfect fit for you or your family. With Steinway trained staff and piano technicians, and a showroom full of quality pianos, we can make things simple for you. exclusive new south wales & queensland agents 451 willoughby rd willoughby nsw (02)

12 MORE MUSIC SHOSTAKOVICH JAZZ SUITES To hear more of Shostakovich in jazz-inspired mode, look for Shostakovich: The Jazz Album with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly. In addition to the first jazz suite, the disc includes the so-called Jazz Suite No.2 (the eight-movement Suite for Variety Orchestra), the lively first piano concerto with pianist Ronald Brautigam and trumpeter Peter Masseurs, and Tahiti Trot (Shostakovich s take on Tea for Two ). DECCA THIBAUDET PLAYS GERSHWIN For his CD Gershwin, Jean-Yves Thibaudet made the daring choice to record the jazz band orchestrations of Rhapsody in Blue, Variations on I Got Rhythm and the Piano Concerto in F. These arrangements were made by Ferde Grofé (of Grand Canyon suite fame) for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and give an entirely fresh sound to these popular pieces. In these live concert recordings, Thibaudet is accompanied by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and fellow Gershwin fan, Marin Alsop. DECCA MORE THIBAUDET Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays the solo piano part in Messiaen s Turangalîla-Symphonie, recorded by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly in 1992 and re-released last year on Decca. Takashi Harada plays the ethereal ondes martenot. DECCA Also released last year, in Decca s Virtuoso series, is his recording of Rachmaninoff s first and third piano concertos with Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the Cleveland Orchestra. DECCA Jean-Yves Thibaudet records for Decca, visit for a full discography. PROKOFIEV SYMPHONIES After the Classical Symphony, Prokofiev s Fifth is his most frequently recorded symphony, which means there s a lot to choose from, beginning with our own recording of both these popular symphonies, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy. The SSO performances have been praised as idiomatic and insightful, and capturing the dramatic contrasts of both works. The sound of the orchestra is full, warm, and immediate, yet details of orchestration pop with breathtaking clarity, wrote one reviewer. Highly recommended, for both stunning performances and stunning sound. EXTON 42 If you d like to explore other Prokofiev symphonies, look for Valery Gergiev s impassioned performances in live concert recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra released in a 4-CD set with substantial liner notes by Prokofiev scholar, David Nice. PHILIPS JAMES GAFFIGAN James Gaffigan s first recording with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra was an acclaimed performance of Wolfgang Rihm s Symphony, Nähe Fern (Near Far). Hans Christoph Begemann is the bass soloist. HARMONIA MUNDI He is currently preparing a second Harmonia Mundi recording with the Lucerne orchestra, featuring Dvořák s Sixth Symphony and American Suite, and is also recording the Beethoven symphonies with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra for Naxos. If you enjoyed Gaffigan s interpretation of Prokofiev s Fifth Symphony, stay tuned: he is recording the complete Prokofiev symphonies with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. Broadcast Diary December abc.net.au/classic Saturday 14 December, 8pm variations on an english theme James Gaffigan conductor Vilde Frang violin Haydn, Britten, Brahms Webcasts Selected Sydney Symphony Orchestra concerts are webcast live on BigPond and Telstra T-box and made available for later viewing On Demand. Our current webcast: ashkenazy and zukerman: mahler and bruch Visit: bigpondmusic.com/sydneysymphony We recommend our free mobile app, now optimised for the ipad, if you want to watch SSO live webcasts on your mobile device. sydney symphony 13

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14 Sergei Prokofiev Symphony No.5 in B flat, Op.100 Andante Allegro marcato Adagio Allegro giocoso As Prokofiev raised his baton to conduct the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Moscow shook with the sound of cannon-fire. It was January 1945, and the fusillade announced to the citizens that the Red Army had crossed the Vistula River in its rout of the invading Germans. Pianist Sviatoslav Richter, who was there, remembered the symbolism of the moment well: a common borderline had come for everyone. If the cannon-fire was announcing the turn of the war s tide, the symphony announced a new beginning. Its epic scale and optimistic trajectory perfectly reflected the mood of the time. Prokofiev later wrote that in this work I wanted to sing of the free, happy man, his mighty power, his chivalry and his purity of spirit I wrote the kind of music that grew ripe within me and finally filled up my soul. We need, of course, to understand the deliberate ambiguity of such remarks: Prokofiev, like anyone else, was well aware of the lack of freedom and happiness under Joseph Stalin; his description might sound like that of the new Soviet man, but can equally be read as a subtle denunciation of the regime. The composer, moreover, had first-hand experience of the precariousness of favour in the Soviet Union. Perhaps expecting to profit from Shostakovich s recent fall from grace, Prokofiev had permanently returned to Russia in 1936 after living mainly in Paris since He soon found that when he tried to compose in the officially sanctioned way he would be accused of writing music that was pale and lacking in individuality ; if he continued on the course he had begun in Western Europe he was derided as a formalist. With works like Peter and the Wolf and Romeo and Juliet, Prokofiev s stocks revived, and during the early 1940s he received the Stalin Prize several times and was evacuated to safety when the Soviet Union entered World War II in He spent the summer of 1944 with composers Khachaturian, Shostakovich and Miaskovsky in the relative luxury of a government-run artists colony and in a mere two months (and with a little recycling) had composed and orchestrated his Fifth Symphony. The Fourth Symphony, composed some 14 years earlier, Keynotes PROKOFIEV Born Sontsovka (Ukraine), 1891 Died Moscow, 1953 In 1936, after nearly two decades in the West, Prokofiev returned to Russia. His Fifth Symphony was completed in 1945, following such successes as Peter and the Wolf, the ballet Romeo and Juliet and his film music, later a cantata, for Eisenstein s Alexander Nevsky. The symphony was composed over the summer of 1944, during which Prokofiev and other composers enjoyed the seclusion and relative comfort of a government-run artists colony. FIFTH SYMPHONY In some ways the Fifth Symphony has a classical character, at least in its outlines. It is in the traditional four movements, but the first is expansive rather than fast and energetic, and the slow movement sits in third spot rather than second. Prokofiev indulges in some recycling in the second movement: taking up impulsive and colourful music that he d discarded while writing Romeo and Juliet. The third movement shows him in lyrical mode, with broad woodwind themes at the beginning and an intensely felt middle section. The finale offers a surprise by bringing back a theme from the first movement before giving us the expected triumphant conclusion. sydney symphony 15

15 was a not entirely successful cobbling together of off-cuts from the Prodigal Son ballet. In the Fifth, Prokofiev produced a much more classical work, of four movements, but one in which his material is superbly integrated and tightly argued. Like Shostakovich in a number of works, Prokofiev composed a first movement whose tempo is broad and stately rather than traditionally fast. (Significantly, in his Piano Sonata No.8 also in B flat which dates from this time, he adopts the same strategy.) This enables an epic treatment of the material. Beginning with a simple theme on flute and bassoon, the movement unfolds gradually but inexorably, with passages of characteristic wit, high lyricism and overpowering full scoring until, in its final cadence, a radiant B flat chord emerges from tense dissonance. The second movement provides the first really fast music, its balletic quality partly explained by the use of material discarded during the composition of Romeo and Juliet. This recalls the Prokofiev of The Love for Three Oranges fast, incisive, colourful and provides a foil to the extended and beautiful slow movement which follows. A House of Rest and Creativity In 1943 the Union of Soviet Composers opened a House of Rest and Creativity at Ivanovo, west of Moscow. On this rundown country estate, the Union offered the families of prominent composers weary of wartime constraints a modest summer vacation, leaving the composers themselves to work in relative peace. Aram Khachaturian recalled: It is a remarkable fact, but while we were at Ivanovo our work seemed to progress without any hitches. Were we influenced by nature and our surroundings? Or was it the feeling of victory round the corner? Or simply that we were getting properly fed? In return, Union composers were expected to produce their own special type of war work, like Khachaturian with his spectacular war-inspired Second Symphony, and Reinhold Glière with his War Overture. There was, however, one notable failure: Shostakovich s Eighth Symphony proved fatalistic rather than galvanising in tone and was received coldly by the Party s artistic accountants. Prokofiev had been away working with Sergei Eisenstein s film crew in east Kazakhstan during most of 1943, and so had missed out on the first Ivanovo summer. In 1944, however, he was back in Moscow and able to join his colleagues for the second summer. 16 sydney symphony

16 What musicologist Arnold Whittall calls the obsessive ticking rhythms of the second movement give place to a gently pulsating accompaniment over an arching main theme, which contrasts with an emotive central section. In the finale, Prokofiev initially defies expectations by quoting the melody from the first movement, this time scored for the rarified sound of divided cellos. Whether or not this represents what Prokofiev s official biographer Israel Nestyev calls the theme of man s grandeur and heroic strength, it is dramatically effective of the composer not to plunge immediately into the expected triumphal finale. As Whittall remarks, the movement avoids the naively life-enhancing clichés of Soviet music but the subtle use of dissonance, and the uneasy sense right at the end, suggest that the energy of the music has outlived its meaning. The timing of the symphony was, however, perfect, seeming to sing of Soviet victory. Sadly, it would not be long before Prokofiev would feel the weight of disfavour once more; moreover, concussion sustained in a fall shortly after the premiere meant that the Fifth Symphony would be the last work he would ever conduct. Before emigrating to America, Nicolas Slonimsky had been a fellow student of Prokofiev s at the St Petersburg Conservatory. He describes, in his inimitable style, the climactic moments of the Fifth Symphony: an apotheosis, marked by an ovation of trumpets, an irresistible advance of trombones, and the brandished oriflamme of horns reinforced by a cotillion of drums, and nailed down by a triumphant beat of the bass drum. GORDON KERRY 2003 A House of Rest and Creativity adapted from a note by GRAEME SKINNER 1997 Prokofiev s Fifth Symphony calls for two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, cor anglais, two clarinets, bass clarinet, E flat clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon; four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and tuba; timpani and a large percussion section; harp, piano and strings. Prokofiev himself conducted the USSR State Symphony Orchestra for the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on 13 January The SSO and conductor Eugene Goossens gave the first Australian performance on 5 August The SSO s most recent performance of the symphony was in 2009 in Vladimir Ashkenazy s Prokofiev festival, The Prodigal Russian. sydney symphony 17

17 ABOUT THE ARTISTS James Gaffigan CONDUCTOR James Gaffigan is considered by many to be the most outstanding young American conductor working today and continues to attract international attention. He is Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, and in 2012 was named Guest Conductor of the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne. In North America he has conducted the Cleveland, Philadelphia and Minnesota orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the orchestras of Chicago, St Louis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Houston, Baltimore, Vancouver and Milwaukee, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra and New World Symphony. His festival appearances include Blossom, Aspen, Grand Teton, Grant Park and the Music Academy of the West, and he has twice conducted the Juilliard Orchestra at the Lincoln Center. In August he made his Hollywood Bowl debut. Born in New York City in 1979, he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Houston. He participated in the inaugural American Academy of Conducting in Aspen (2000) and was a conducting fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. From 2006 to 2009 he was Associate Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony and Artistic Director of the SFS Summer in the City festival. Previously he was Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. His international career was launched when he won the 2004 Sir Georg Solti International Conducting Competition in Frankfurt. Since then his European engagements have included the Munich, Rotterdam, London and Czech philharmonic orchestras, Dresden Staatskapelle, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. In the season he makes debut appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin and Orchestre de Paris. He made his professional opera debut with La Bohème at the Zurich Opera in 2005, and more recently has conducted productions for the Aspen Music Festival, Glyndebourne, Houston Grand Opera and Vienna State Opera. James Gaffigan made his Australian debut conducting the SSO in sydney symphony

18 Jean-Yves Thibaudet PIANO Jean-Yves Thibaudet has the rare ability to combine poetic musical sensibilities with dazzling technical prowess. He has performed around the world for more than 30 years and recorded more than 50 albums, and has a musical depth and natural charisma that have underlined his career. Highlights of recent seasons include a tour of Europe with Kammerorchester Basel, a recital tour performing an all-debussy program at the Lincoln Center, in Cincinnati, La Jolla, San Francisco and Houston, and an appearance at the Lucerne Festival with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Recent North American appearances include concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Nashville, Atlanta and Indianapolis symphony orchestras, as well as the Philadelphia Orchestra at their home and in Carnegie Hall. Jean-Yves Thibaudet s extensive discography has earned him the Schallplattenpreis, the Diapason d Or, Choc de la Musique, a Gramophone Award, two Echo awards and the Edison Prize. In 2010 he released Gershwin, featuring the jazz band orchestrations of Rhapsody in Blue, Variations on I Got Rhythm and the Piano Concerto in F with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop. In 2011 he was the featured soloist on Alexandre Desplat s score for the film Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Jean-Yves Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, and at age 12, he entered the Paris Conservatoire where he studied with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel. At 15 he gained a premier prix from the Conservatoire, and three years later won the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York. In 2001 the Republic of France named him Chevalier and in 2012 Officier de l Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in Jean-Yves Thibaudet s most recent appearance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was in 2010 when he performed Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.5 (Egyptian). Jean-Yves Thibaudet is represented worldwide by IMG Artists, LLC, and in Australia and New Zealand by Arts Management Pty. Ltd. Jean-Yves Thibaudet records exclusively for Decca Records. ERIC DAHQN-INTENSER sydney symphony 19

19 MUSICIANS Vladimir Ashkenazy Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor supported by Emirates Andrew Haveron Concertmaster Dene Olding Concertmaster Jessica Cottis Assistant Conductor supported by Premier Partner Credit Suisse FIRST VIOLINS Dene Olding Concertmaster Sun Yi Associate Concertmaster Kirsten Williams Associate Concertmaster Lerida Delbridge Assistant Concertmaster Fiona Ziegler Assistant Concertmaster Julie Batty Jenny Booth Marianne Broadfoot Brielle Clapson Sophie Cole Amber Davis Nicola Lewis Alexander Norton Léone Ziegler Elizabeth Jones* Emily Qin Andrew Haveron Concertmaster Jennifer Hoy Georges Lentz Alexandra Mitchell SECOND VIOLINS Kirsty Hilton Marina Marsden Inkeri Vänskä* Associate Principal Emma Jezek Assistant Principal Emma Hayes Shuti Huang Stan W Kornel Benjamin Li Emily Long Nicole Masters Philippa Paige Biyana Rozenblit Maja Verunica Vivien Jeffery* Maria Durek VIOLAS Anne-Louise Comerford Justin Williams Assistant Principal Robyn Brookfield Sandro Costantino Jane Hazelwood Graham Hennings Stuart Johnson Justine Marsden Felicity Tsai Amanda Verner Leonid Volovelsky Jacqueline Cronin* Roger Benedict Tobias Breider CELLOS Catherine Hewgill Leah Lynn Assistant Principal Kristy Conrau Fenella Gill Timothy Nankervis Elizabeth Neville Christopher Pidcock David Wickham Eleanor Betts* Paul Stender* Adrian Wallis DOUBLE BASSES Kees Boersma Alex Henery Neil Brawley Principal Emeritus David Campbell Steven Larson Richard Lynn Benjamin Ward James Menzies* David Murray FLUTES Emma Sholl Carolyn Harris Rosamund Plummer Principal Piccolo Janet Webb OBOES Diana Doherty Alexandre Oguey Principal Cor Anglais Stephanie Cooper Shefali Pryor David Papp CLARINETS Lawrence Dobell Christopher Tingay Craig Wernicke Principal Bass Clarinet Evan Guy* Francesco Celata BASSOONS Andrew Barnes* Fiona McNamara Noriko Shimada Principal Contrabassoon Matthew Wilkie SAXOPHONES Nathan Henshaw* James Nightingale* Nicholas Russoniello* Andrew Smith* HORNS Ben Jacks Geoffrey O Reilly Principal 3rd Rachel Silver Euan Harvey Sebastian Dunn* Robert Johnson Marnie Sebire TRUMPETS David Elton Anthony Heinrichs Rainer Saville* Paul Goodchild TROMBONES Nick Byrne Christopher Harris Principal Bass Trombone Iain Faragher Ronald Prussing Scott Kinmont TUBA Steve Rossé TIMPANI Richard Miller PERCUSSION Rebecca Lagos Colin Piper Mark Robinson Ian Cleworth* Philip South* HARP Louise Johnson PIANO Susanne Powell* GUITAR Stephen Lalor* Bold = Principal Italics = Associate Principal = Contract Musician * = Guest Musician Grey = Permanent member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra 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: If 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 Orchestra are proudly outfitted by Van Heusen. 20 sydney symphony

20 SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Vladimir Ashkenazy Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor patron Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir ac cvo JOHN MARMARAS Founded in 1932 by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra has evolved into one of the world s finest 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 SSO 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 Orchestra s first 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, Zdeněk Mácal, Stuart Challender, Edo de Waart and Gianluigi Gelmetti. David Robertson will take up the post of Chief Conductor in The orchestra s history also boasts collaborations with legendary figures such as George Szell, Sir Thomas Beecham, Otto Klemperer and Igor Stravinsky. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra s awardwinning 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 recordings of works by Brett Dean have been released on both BIS and Sydney Symphony Live. 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 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 fifth year of Ashkenazy s tenure as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor. sydney symphony 21

21 BEHIND THE SCENES Sydney Symphony Orchestra Board John C Conde ao Chairman Terrey Arcus am Ewen Crouch am Ross Grant Jennifer Hoy Rory Jeffes Andrew Kaldor am David Livingstone Goetz Richter Sydney Symphony Orchestra Council Geoff Ainsworth am Andrew Andersons ao Michael Baume ao Christine Bishop Ita Buttrose ao obe Peter Cudlipp John Curtis am Greg Daniel am John Della Bosca Alan Fang Erin Flaherty Dr Stephen Freiberg Donald Hazelwood ao obe Dr Michael Joel am Simon Johnson Yvonne Kenny am Gary Linnane Amanda Love Helen Lynch am David Maloney David Malouf ao Julie Manfredi-Hughes Deborah Marr The Hon. Justice Jane Mathews ao Danny May Wendy McCarthy ao Jane Morschel Greg Paramor Dr Timothy Pascoe am Prof. Ron Penny ao Jerome Rowley Paul Salteri Sandra Salteri Juliana Schaeffer Leo Schofield am Fred Stein oam Gabrielle Trainor Ivan Ungar John van Ogtrop Peter Weiss ao HonDLitt Mary Whelan Rosemary White Sydney Symphony Orchestra Staff MANAGING DIRECTOR Rory Jeffes EXECUTIVE TEAM ASSISTANT Lisa Davies-Galli ARTISTIC OPERATIONS DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC PLANNING Peter Czornyj Artistic Administration ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Eleasha Mah ARTIST LIAISON MANAGER Ilmar Leetberg RECORDING ENTERPRISE MANAGER Philip Powers Education Programs HEAD OF EDUCATION Kim Waldock EMERGING ARTISTS PROGRAM MANAGER Mark Lawrenson EDUCATION COORDINATOR Rachel McLarin CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER Amy Walsh Library Anna Cernik Victoria Grant Mary-Ann Mead ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT Aernout Kerbert ORCHESTRA MANAGER Chris Lewis ORCHESTRA COORDINATOR Georgia Stamatopoulos OPERATIONS MANAGER Kerry-Anne Cook PRODUCTION MANAGER Laura Daniel PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Tim Dayman PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Ian Spence SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Mark J Elliott SENIOR SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Penny Evans MARKETING MANAGER, SUBSCRIPTION SALES Simon Crossley-Meates MARKETING MANAGER, CLASSICAL SALES Matthew Rive MARKETING MANAGER, WEB & DIGITAL MEDIA Eve Le Gall MARKETING MANAGER, DATABASE & CRM Matthew Hodge GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lucy McCullough CREATIVE ARTWORKER Nathanael van der Reyden MARKETING COORDINATOR Jonathon Symonds ONLINE MARKETING COORDINATOR Jenny Sargant Box Office MANAGER OF BOX OFFICE SALES & OPERATIONS Lynn McLaughlin BOX OFFICE SYSTEMS SUPERVISOR Jacqueline Tooley BOX OFFICE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR John Robertson CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES Karen Wagg Senior CSR Michael Dowling Katarzyna Ostafijczuk Tim Walsh COMMUNICATIONS HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS & SPONSOR RELATIONS Yvonne Zammit PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER Katherine Stevenson COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Janine Harris DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER Kai Raisbeck FELLOWSHIP SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER Caitlin Benetatos Publications PUBLICATIONS EDITOR & MUSIC PRESENTATION MANAGER Yvonne Frindle DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Caroline Sharpen HEAD OF CORPORATE RELATIONS Jeremy Goff HEAD OF MAJOR GIFTS Luke Andrew Gay DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Amelia Morgan-Hunn DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Sarah Morrisby BUSINESS SERVICES DIRECTOR OF FINANCE John Horn FINANCE MANAGER Ruth Tolentino ACCOUNTANT Minerva Prescott ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT Emma Ferrer PAYROLL OFFICER Laura Soutter HUMAN RESOURCES HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES Michel Maree Hryce 22 sydney symphony

22 SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PATRONS Maestro s Circle Peter Weiss ao Founding President & Doris Weiss John C Conde ao Chairman Geoff Ainsworth am Tom Breen & Rachael Kohn In memory of Hetty & Egon Gordon Andrew Kaldor am & Renata Kaldor ao Vicki Olsson Roslyn Packer ao Penelope Seidler am Mr Fred Street am & Mrs Dorothy Street Westfield Group Brian & Rosemary White Ray Wilson oam in memory of the late James Agapitos oam Sydney Symphony Orchestra Corporate Alliance Tony Grierson, Braithwaite Steiner Pretty Insurance Australia Group John Morschel, Chairman, ANZ Chair Patrons Roger Benedict Principal Viola Kim Williams am & Catherine Dovey Chair 02 Lawrence Dobell Principal Clarinet Terrey Arcus am & Anne Arcus 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 Kirsty Hilton Principal Second Violin Corrs Chambers Westgarth Chair 07 Robert Johnson Principal Horn James & Leonie Furber Chair 08 Elizabeth Neville Cello Ruth & Bob Magid Chair 09 Colin Piper Percussion Justice Jane Mathews ao Chair 10 Emma Sholl Associate Principal Flute Robert & Janet Constable Chair 11 Janet Webb Principal Flute Helen Lynch am & Helen Bauer Chair For information about the Chair Patrons program, please call (02) Sydney Symphony Orchestra Vanguard Vanguard Collective Justin Di Lollo Chair Kees Boersma Marina Go David McKean Amelia Morgan-Hunn Jonathan Pease Seamus R Quick Members Centric Wealth Matti Alakargas Stephen Attfield Damien Bailey Mar Beltran Evonne Bennett Nicole Billet David Bluff Kees Boersma Andrew Bragg Peter Braithwaite Blake Briggs Andrea Brown Helen Caldwell Hilary Caldwell Hahn Chau Alistair Clark Matthew Clark Benoît Cocheteux Paul Colgan George Condous Juliet Curtin Justin Di Lollo Alistair Furnival Alistair Gibson Sam Giddings Marina Go Sebastian Goldspink Tony Grierson Louise Haggerty Rose Herceg Philip Heuzenroeder Paolo Hooke Peter Howard Jennifer Hoy Scott Jackson Justin Jameson Aernout Kerbert Tristan Landers Gary Linnane Paul Macdonald Kylie McCaig Rebecca MacFarling David McKean Hayden McLean Amelia Morgan-Hunn Phoebe Morgan-Hunn Taine Moufarrige Nick Nichles Tom O Donnell Kate O Reilly Fiona Osler Archie Paffas Jonathan Pease Jingmin Qian Seamus R Quick Leah Ranie Michael Reede Paul Reidy Chris Robertson Benjamin Robinson Emma Rodigari Jacqueline Rowlands Katherine Shaw Randal Tame Sandra Tang Adam Wand Jon Wilkie Jonathan Watkinson Darren Woolley Misha Zelinsky sydney symphony 23

23 PLAYING YOUR PART The Sydney Symphony Orchestra 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 Platinum Patrons: $20,000+ Brian Abel Robert Albert ao & Elizabeth Albert Geoff Ainsworth Terrey Arcus am & Anne Arcus Tom Breen & Rachael Kohn Sandra & Neil Burns Mr John C Conde ao Robert & Janet Constable James & Leonie Furber Dr Bruno & Mrs Rhonda Giuffre In memory of Hetty & Egon Gordon Mr Andrew Kaldor am & Mrs Renata Kaldor ao D & I Kallinikos Helen Lynch am & Helen Bauer Vicki Olsson Mrs Roslyn Packer ao Paul & Sandra Salteri Mrs Penelope Seidler am G & C Solomon in memory of Joan MacKenzie Mrs W Stening Mr Fred Street am & Mrs Dorothy Street Peter Weiss ao & Doris Weiss Westfield Group Mr Brian & Mrs Rosemary White Kim Williams am & Catherine Dovey Ray Wilson oam in memory of James Agapitos oam Gold Patrons: $10,000 $19,999 Doug & Alison Battersby Alan & Christine Bishop Ian & Jennifer Burton Michael Crouch ao & Shanny Crouch Copyright Agency Cultural Fund Edward & Diane Federman Nora Goodridge Mr Ross Grant Mr Ervin Katz James N Kirby Foundation Ms Irene Lee Ruth & Bob Magid The Hon. Justice AJ Meagher & Mrs Fran Meagher Mrs T Merewether oam Mr John Morschel Mr John Symond Andy & Deirdre Plummer Caroline Wilkinson Anonymous (1) Silver Patrons: $5000 $9,999 Stephen J Bell Mr Alexander & Mrs Vera Boyarsky Mr Robert Brakspear Mr David & Mrs Halina Brett Mr Robert & Mrs L Alison Carr Bob & Julie Clampett Ewen Crouch am & Catherine Crouch Ian Dickson & Reg Holloway Dr Colin Goldschmidt The Greatorex Foundation Mr Rory Jeffes Judges of the Supreme Court of NSW J A McKernan R & S Maple-Brown Justice Jane Mathews ao Mora Maxwell Mrs Barbara Murphy Drs Keith & Eileen Ong Timothy & Eva Pascoe William McIlrath Charitable Foundation Mr B G O Conor Rodney Rosenblum am & Sylvia Rosenblum Estate of the late Greta C Ryan Manfred & Linda Salamon Simpsons Solicitors Mrs Joyce Sproat & Mrs Janet Cooke Michael & Mary Whelan Trust June & Alan Woods Family Bequest Anonymous (2) Bronze Patrons: Presto $2,500 $4,999 Mr Henri W Aram oam The Berg Family Foundation in memory of Hetty Gordon Mr B & Mrs M Coles Mr Howard Connors Greta Davis The Hon. Ashley Dawson-Damer Firehold Pty Ltd Stephen Freiberg & Donald Campbell Vic & Katie French Mrs Jennifer Hershon Gary Linnane Robert McDougall Renee Markovic James & Elsie Moore Ms Jackie O Brien J F & A van Ogtrop In memory of Sandra Paul Pottinger In memory of H St P Scarlett David & Isabel Smithers Marliese & Georges Teitler Mr Robert & Mrs Rosemary Walsh Mr & Mrs T & D Yim Anonymous (1) Bronze Patrons: Vivace $1,000 $2,499 Mrs Antoinette Albert Andrew Andersons ao Mr & Mrs Garry S Ash Dr Francis J Augustus Sibilla Baer Richard and Christine Banks David Barnes Mark Bethwaite am & Carolyn Bethwaite Allan & Julie Bligh Dr & Mrs Hannes Boshoff Jan Bowen Lenore P Buckle M Bulmer In memory of RW Burley Ita Buttrose ao obe Mr JC Campbell qc & Mrs Campbell Dr Rebecca Chin Dr Diana Choquette & Mr Robert Milliner Mr Peter Clarke Constable Estate Vineyards Debby Cramer & Bill Caukill Mr John Cunningham SCM & Mrs Margaret Cunningham Lisa & Miro Davis Matthew Delasey Mr & Mrs Grant Dixon Colin Draper & Mary Jane Brodribb Malcolm Ellis & Erin O Neill Mrs Margaret Epps Paul R Espie Professor Michael Field AM Mr Tom Francis Mr James Graham am & Mrs Helen Graham Warren Green Anthony Gregg Akiko Gregory Tony Grierson Edward & Deborah Griffin Richard Griffin am In memory of Dora & Oscar Grynberg Janette Hamilton Mrs & Mr Holmes The Hon. David Hunt ao qc & Mrs Margaret Hunt Dr & Mrs Michael Hunter Irwin Imhof in memory of Herta Imhof Michael & Anna Joel In memory of Bernard M H Khaw Mr Justin Lam Mr Luigi Lamprati Mr Peter Lazar am Professor Winston Liauw Dr David Luis Peter Lowry oam & Dr Carolyn Lowry oam Dr David Luis Deirdre & Kevin McCann Ian & Pam McGaw Matthew McInnes Macquarie Group Foundation Mrs Toshiko Meric Henry & Ursula Mooser Milja & David Morris Mrs J Mulveney Origin Foundation Mr & Mrs Ortis Dr A J Palmer Mr Andrew C Patterson 24 sydney symphony

24 Dr Natalie E Pelham Almut Piatti Robin Potter TA & MT Murray-Prior Dr Raffi Qasabian Michael Quailey Ernest & Judith Rapee Kenneth R Reed Patricia H Reid Endowment Pty Ltd Dr John Roarty oam in memory of Mrs June Roarty Robin Rodgers Lesley & Andrew Rosenberg Julianna Schaeffer Caroline Sharpen Dr Agnes E Sinclair Mrs Judith Southam Mrs Karen Spiegal-Keighley Catherine Stephen John & Alix Sullivan The Hon. Brian Sully qc Mildred Teitler Kevin Troy John E Tuckey In memory of Joan & Rupert Vallentine Dr Alla Waldman Miss Sherry Wang Henry & Ruth Weinberg The Hon. Justice A G Whealy Ms Kathy White in memory of Mr Geoff White A Willmers & R Pal Mr & Mrs B C Wilson Dr Richard Wing Mr Robert Woods In memory of Lorna Wright Dr John Yu Anonymous (12) Bronze Patrons: Allegro $500 $999 Mrs Lenore Adamson David & Rae Allen Michael Baume ao & Toni Baume Beauty Point Retirement Resort Richard & Margaret Bell Mrs Jan Biber Minnie Biggs Mrs Elizabeth Boon Mr Colin G Booth Dr Margaret Booth Mr Peter Braithwaite Mr Harry H Brian R D & L M Broadfoot Dr Miles Burgess Pat & Jenny Burnett Eric & Rosemary Campbell Barrie Carter Mr Jonathan Chissick Mrs Sandra Clark Michael & Natalie Coates Coffs Airport Security Car Park Jen Cornish Dom Cottam & Kanako Imamura Degabriele Kitchens Phil Diment am & Bill Zafiropoulos Dr David Dixon Elizabeth Donati The Dowe Family Mrs Jane Drexler Dr Nita Durham & Dr James Durham John Favaloro Ms Julie Flynn & Mr Trevor Cook Mrs Lesley Finn Mr John Gaden Vivienne Goldschmidt Clive & Jenny Goodwin Ms Fay Grear In Memory of Angelica Green Mr Robert Green Mr & Mrs Harold & Althea Halliday Mr Robert Havard Roger Henning Sue Hewitt In memory of Emil Hilton Dorothy Hoddinott ao Mr Joerg Hofmann Mr Angus Holden Mr Kevin Holland Bill & Pam Hughes Dr Esther Janssen Niki Kallenberger Mrs Margaret Keogh Dr Henry Kilham Chris J Kitching Aron Kleinlehrer Anna-Lisa Klettenberg Mr & Mrs Giles T Kryger The Laing Family Sonia Lal Dr Leo & Mrs Shirley Leader Margaret Lederman Mrs Erna Levy Sydney & Airdrie Lloyd Mrs A Lohan Mrs Panee Low Melvyn Madigan Barbara Maidment Helen & Phil Meddings David Mills Kenneth Newton Mitchell Ms Margaret Moore oam & Dr Paul Hutchins am Helen Morgan Chris Morgan-Hunn Mr Darrol Norman Mr Graham North Dr Margaret Parker Dr Kevin Pedemont Dr John Pitt Mrs Greeba Pritchard Mr Patrick Quinn-Graham Miss Julie Radosavljevic Renaissance Tours Dr Marilyn Richardson Anna Ro Mr Kenneth Ryan Mrs Pamela Sayers Garry Scarf & Morgie Blaxill Peter & Virginia Shaw Mr & Mrs Shore Mrs Diane Shteinman am Victoria Smyth Doug & Judy Sotheren Ruth Staples Mr & Mrs Ashley Stephenson Margaret Suthers The Taplin Family Dr & Mrs H K Tey Mrs Alma Toohey & Mr Edward Spicer Judge Robyn Tupman Mrs M Turkington Gillian Turner & Rob Bishop Mr & Mrs Franc Vaccher Prof Gordon E Wall Ronald Walledge In memory of Denis Wallis The Wilkinson Family Evan Williams am & Janet Williams Audrey & Michael Wilson Dr Richard Wingate Dr Peter Wong & Mrs Emmy K Wong Geoff Wood & Melissa Waites Mrs Robin Yabsley Anonymous (24) List correct as of 1 October 2013 To find out more about becoming a Sydney Symphony Patron, please contact the Philanthropy Office on (02) or philanthropy@sydneysymphony.com Do you have a story t o tell? Learn how, with the people who know books and writing best. T (02) Faber Academy at ALLEN & UNWIN W allenandunwin.com/faberacademy sydney symphony 25

25 SALUTE PRINCIPAL PARTNER GOVERNMENT PARTNERS The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is assisted by the NSW Government through Arts NSW PREMIER PARTNER PLATINUM PARTNERS EDUCATION PARTNER MAJOR PARTNERS GOLD PARTNERS SILVER PARTNERS THE LEADING SCHOOL FOR TODAY S MUSIC INDUSTRY REGIONAL TOUR PARTNERS MARKETING PARTNER Fine Music sydney symphony

26 ORCHESTRA NEWS DECEMBER 2013 Photo: Keith Saunders LISTENING INTENTLY Assistant Principal Second Violin, Emma Jezek, takes an intimate view of listening to the orchestra. Emma West was, for many years, the Assistant Principal Second Violin with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Then she got married. Changing her name was a no-brainer: I wanted us [husband Andrew and daughter Lila] to have the same name as a family. But West-Jezek sounds like a suburb, so that wasn t an option. So does Jezek-West, come to think of it. It s an interesting dilemma for a performer: the decision to give up their stage name. Emma Jezek now finds she sometimes has to remind people of who she was, and that she s still the same violinist, just with a new name. Always an active chamber musician, Emma recently performed with her SSO colleagues in a chamber music series at Turramurra Uniting church. I think playing chamber music is really important. The Haydn [we played] was so difficult it kept me on my toes for months. Playing chamber music I have more energy, and I m listening more intently. Emma says those skills translate to more intimate listening in the orchestra. I think it takes years to learn to play the violin, so learning my instrument was all about technique, facility, intonation, and not so much listening. I ve learned more about that by watching my colleagues. Andrew Haveron [SSO co-concertmaster], for On the front desk there s a sense of chamber music instance, has a way of listening so intently that encourages you to listen in the same way. He brings a sense of chamber music to the orchestra. Revisiting repertoire allows for further refinement. Take a Mahler symphony; there are lots of notes to learn, but once that s done, and we play it several times, I find myself listening more profoundly. I learn new things each time. Emma s job requires her to rotate through the first two desks of the Second Violins on a regular basis. It s amazing the difference between sitting in the front desk and anywhere further back. On the front desk there s a sense of chamber music, and you don t have to strain to hear the conductor in rehearsals. When the Australian World Orchestra blew into town recently the Who s Who of Australian musicians from at home and around the world Emma found herself sitting a little further back in the section. I discovered you have to know the music really well: it s harder to hear, and you ve got to keep an eye on the conductor all the time!

27 Artistic Highlight Be silent and dance! Be silent and dance! not what you d expect an opera character to sing, but those are Elektra s final words. For chief conductor David Robertson and artistic planner Peter Czornyj, it seemed an obvious cue to place a bold and unexpected emphasis on dance in our production of Richard Strauss s Elektra in February Staging an opera with dancers in a concert hall brings constraints fortunately for Melbournebased choreographer Stephanie Lake, that s her favourite way to work. A concert version of an opera opens up more space in the imagination of the audience, she says, and allows the choreographic world to inhabit an abstract place rather than having to describe the narrative in a literal sense. Eight members of the Sydney Dance Company will spend around five weeks with Stephanie developing the dance. She employs a number of specific movements to display the energy in Elektra, particularly gravity and force with dancers stomping in unison, hitting the floor with force, being blown in a storm, push and pull, as well as highly detailed choreography, speed, manipulation of time and interplay between bodies. Her unique movement style combines recklessness and precision, marrying abstraction and emotion. Stephanie plans for the dancers to come and go throughout the opera. I approached it as a choreographed embodiment of the emotion of the music. And there may be elements of a Greek chorus in the dance inspired by the ferocity and delicacy of the sound. Commissioning Highlight Introducing Jandamarra One freedom fighter. A fight for ancestral lands. Forbidden love and banishment. Jandamarra: Sing for the Country, Ngalanyba Muwayi has the makings of a Wagnerian opera. This new choral cantata by Paul Stanhope with a libretto by Steve Hawke (son of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke) will centre on Jandamarra, the 19th-century Indigenous Australian rebel from Bunuba Country. Jandamarra was reputed to have magical powers; he survived mortal wounds and regularly escaped certain capture by police. And he led one of the few organised armed uprisings against European settlement in Australia a three-year guerrilla war in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Kimberley Diamond Company is the major partner for the new commission, with help from SSO donors, Vicki Olsson and Geoff Ainsworth. KDC recognises the Bunuba People as the traditional owners of the Ellendale Mine Site near the town of Fitzroy Crossing. Leaving a positive legacy for the community is vital and KDC sees this project as an important educational and historical initiative to support the Bunuba People. After success as a book and theatre piece, a cantata is the logical next step for this story. A major theme of the play is the power of song, says June Oscar ao, the Bunuba language coach and cultural adviser for the project. Its central role in the life of the community; its role in celebrating and remembering country; and Jandamarra s quest to sing home the rainbow snake Yilimbirri Unggud in order to heal the land, made the notion of a choral work seem especially appropriate and exciting to the Bunuba Community. The performances in July 2014 will feature the Yilimbirri Ensemble from Fitzroy Crossing, with 400 children and youth performers of Gondwana Choirs. For more information about supporting the creation of new orchestral works, contact the Philanthropy team at philanthropy@sydneysymphony.com or call (02) In celebration of a formidable 11-year partnership, the SSO s training ensemble Sinfonia presented an encore performance of their Discover Britten program for Leighton Holdings guests in October. Conducted by Richard Gill, the Sinfonia was joined by singer Katie Noonan (pictured here with Leighton Holdings Chairman Bob Humphris, left, and Richard Gill). With the support of Leighton Holdings, more than 550 tertiary music students have had the opportunity to play in Sinfonia, and 29 of those participants have gained either permanent or contract positions with the orchestra.

28 Photo: Ken Butti Education Focus FEELS LIKE CHRISTMAS Students from Plunkett Street Public School perform for their parents and school community, accompanied by SSO musicians Richard Miller and Rebecca Lagos. We don t get gifts like this every day and it feels like Christmas, said Elizabeth McGlynn, Principal of Plunkett Street Public School. The gift was a specialised kit of percussion instruments, and it arrived in October when we launched our Music for Schools program at the school. This program, funded by SSO Education Partner Tenix and managed by the SSO, aims to provide musical instruments to NSW schools that can t afford them, and Elizabeth McGlynn is thrilled to be a participant: This gives kids variety [and] a chance to communicate and cooperate through the use of music. SSO Head of Education Kim Waldock agrees: Participating in musical activities can help with maths; it develops problem solving, creative thinking, motor skills and social skills. Learning can be so much more significant and fun when you do it with music. And, she adds, learning through music is great for the squirmers! For as little as $1200 per school, an entry-level musical package can make all the difference to a disadvantaged school that wants to participate in the SSO s Education Program. So we re especially grateful to be working with the Tenix Foundation, which has raised over $25,000 through their social club to support this wonderful program. Tenix employees will not only continue to raise money for the program, but will also help deliver the instruments to each nominated school. Tenix have a found a practical way to do something that s small but has a really big impact, says Kim Waldock. It will be a great legacy. It is such a simple thing but accessing instruments opens up so many more ways of learning. Plunkett Street Public School is one of 10 disadvantaged primary schools in the greater Sydney area chosen to be part of the Music for Schools program and receive instruments as well as teacher training and support. The other schools are: Shalvey, Bourke Street, Glebe, Lurnea, The Meadows, Punchbowl, Bankstown and Warwick Farm. Watching the students enjoy their new instruments, SSO Principal Timpani Richard Miller said: When we look at these children enjoying it in the most innocent, wonderful way it s just great for an old percussion player like me. For information about the SSO Education Program, education@sydneysymphony.com The Score Absolutely Beethoven with David Robertson A concert season can t stand in isolation from its community or from what s come before. Creators are the same: we shouldn t forget that every creative person works in the shadow of those who ve come before. And this stands out in our first program for 2014: Absolutely Beethoven. It begins with music by Stravinsky, picking up on the use of rhetorical gestures that Beethoven trademarked in the 19th century. Then there s Absolute Jest by John Adams. The influences in this piece include both Stravinsky and Beethoven. Stravinsky, because he liked to take the music of other composers and make it his own as he did in Pulcinella and also because, like Adams, he uses that texture of string chamber music against a larger orchestra. Beethoven, because Adams s inspiration (and even some of his musical ideas!) come from the late Beethoven string quartets. Adams says it s like Beethoven that s been passed through a hall of mirrors and the result is a turbo-charged showpiece for string quartet and orchestra. In the second half there s the sheer dancing energy of Beethoven s Seventh Symphony. And the whole thing hangs together with these wonderful parallel worlds. Absolutely Beethoven Master Series 12, 14, 15 February 8pm And join us for David Robertson s pre-concert talk at 7.15pm in the Northern Foyer. Photo: Keith Saunders