Sounds Incredible: Queensland Symphony Orchestra Calendar of Events 2014
ALL TICKETING DETAILS AT QSO.COM.AU
Saturday 8 February at 7.30pm, Brisbane Entertainment Centre (SPECIAL)
Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular
A musical celebration of the BBC series, the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular features Murray Gold’s captivating music from the Doctor Who series, hosted by legendary Fifth Doctor Peter Davison and conducted by Ben Foster. The QSO will perform alongside a host of 22 incredible monsters including the spine-chilling Silence and the awe-inspiring Daleks and Cybermen, Silurians, Vampire Girls, Judoon and Oods. The music will be accompanied by a big screen featuring specially edited sequences of Matt Smith’s performance as the Eleventh Doctor.
Saturday 15 February at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series Opening Concert 2014) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Musical Superstars – Simone Young & Shlomo Mintz
Featuring: Conductor Simone Young Violin Shlomo Mintz
Repertoire: Beethoven Violin Concerto, Mahler Symphony No.1 Titan
Two of classical music’s superstars and repertoire by compositional giants. In a monumental start to the QSO’s 2014 season, Young directs the Orchestra and one of the world’s most phenomenal violinists, Mintz, in Beethoven’s landmark work. And to leave you utterly breathless the QSO, marshalled by this tour-de-force conductor, takes on The Titan.
Sunday 9 March at 11.30am, QPAC Concert Hall (Music on Sundays)
The Food of Love – Orchestral Shakespeare
Featuring: Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Host Guy Noble Soprano Amanda Windred Soprano Tabatha McFadyen Baritone David Wakeham
Repertoire: Berlioz Béatrice and Bénédict, Sibelius The Tempest, Verdi Macbeth, Walton Henry V, Verdi Otello, Gounod Roméo et Juliette
Shakespeare’s plays fascinate composers. Some of the most enduring arias ever written are set to versions of Shakespeare’s words. More than 200 operas are based on the Bard’s tragedies and comedies. The melodrama and iconic, larger-than-life characters are ideally suited to the extremes of operatic plots with their themes of sex, death and passion. Play on! Music on Sundays Series is proudly presented by Bacchus Bar, Restaurant & Pool.
Sunday 16 March at 3pm, QSO Studio South Bank (QSO Chamber Players)
The Soldier’s Tale – Musical Storytelling
Repertoire: Poulenc Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano, Dring Trio for flute, oboe and piano, Dean Night Window, Stravinsky The Soldier’s Tale – Suite
Listen up-close as QSO players perform in a whirl of vibrant colour and wild moods. In Stravinsky’s fable a deserting soldier surrenders his soul to the devil. Sparkling violin solos represent the soldier and the devil’s trickery. The composer’s classical, jazz, ragtime, waltz and tango mix is channelled through infectious rhythm. Dring’s Trio is hushed and ephemeral. Dean’s mood-hopping piece probes the world after dark.
Wednesday 19 March at 11am, Edmund Rice Performing Arts Centre, St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane (Education, Secondary: School Years 10-12, Duration 75 minutes) Secondary Showcase – It’s a Riot!
Featuring: Conductor Chris van Tuinen Presenter Craig Allister Young Concerto soloist Winner of The English Family Prize for Young Instrumentalists
Originally brought to the orchestral stage by the QSO in 2010, It’s a Riot! returns showcasing music that explores new sounds and expands the boundaries to a new world of music. Discover how famous composers including Beethoven, Mozart, Stravinsky and Schoenberg changed the world with their music. Youth knows no boundaries and in this concert we unveil the talent of one young musician who will take centre stage with the QSO to perform as the winner of The English Family Prize for Young Instrumentalists.
Friday 28 March at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Transylvanian Fantasy – Inspiring Showpiece
Featuring: Conductor Vassilis Christopoulos Violin Karen Gomyo
Repertoire: Enesco Rumanian Rhapsody No.1, Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2, Brahms Symphony No.3
Glamorous Gomyo’s astonishing technique and interpretative panache is a superb match for Wieniawski’s Transylvanian fantasy. Led by the Greek conductor Christopoulos, the program blazes with gypsy strains in Enescu’s showpiece and is rounded off by Brahms’ ravishing symphony. Welcome to Christopoulos and Gomyo who appear with the QSO for the first time.
Thursday 3 April at 11am, QPAC Concert Hall (Morning Masterworks)
April Masterworks – An Unforgettable Morning
Featuring: Conductor Vassilis Christopoulos Piano Marina Yakhlakova
Repertoire: JS Bach Orchestral Suite No.1, Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2, Beethoven Symphony No.7
Strap yourself in. Petite powerhouse Marina Yakhlakova’s combustible virtuosity will astonish in Saint-Saëns’ glorious work. Winner of the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition, Yakhlakova makes her debut with us in Brisbane. Add one of Greece’s youngest and most exciting conductors, Bach and Beethoven and you have a sparkling morning of music. Arrive early to enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee courtesy of QPAC.
Sunday 13 April at 3pm, QSO Studio South Bank (QSO Chamber Players)
Brahms Clarinet Quintet – Music of Friends
Repertoire: Smetana String Quartet No. 1 From My Life, Brahms Clarinet Quintet
Chamber music is said to be the music of friends. And Brahms wrote this lovely quintet for Richard Mulhfield who he said was, “The best woodwind player I know.” Smetana’s biographical reflection flows through tragedy, an upbeat transition, an expression of romantic love and the cruel hand of fate. In later life, Smetana became profoundly deaf. The tormenting, high-pitched ringing in his ear can be heard in the Quartet’s final movement.
Tuesday 15 – Thursday 17 April at 10am & 11.30am, The Courier-Mail Piazza, South Bank Parklands (Education, Kiddies: Toddler – School Year 2, general public welcome, Duration 50 minutes)
Kiddies Cushion Concerts – Tiaras & Tin Soldiers
Featuring: Conductor Peter Luff Presenter Jay Laga’aia
Kiddies Cushion Concerts inspire audiences of all ages to discover the wonder of orchestral music. Babies through to grandparents can listen, dance and enjoy a range of popular classics performed by the QSO. Join presenter Jay Laga’aia for this interactive concert experience and learn about how we create the music you love. Wear your princess tiara and march alongside the orchestra as we journey into a world of princesses, tiaras and tin soldiers. Proudly supported by The Courier-Mail and Brisbane Marketing.
Sunday 27 April at 11.30am, QPAC Concert Hall (Music on Sundays)
(Not) The Last Night of the Proms – Light-Hearted Traditional
Featuring: Conductor Tecwyn Evans Host Guy Noble, with Guest artists from The Lisa Gasteen National Opera School
Repertoire: Parry Jerusalem, Wood Fantasy on British Sea Songs, Arne Rule Brittania, Elgar Pomp and Circumstance, Rossini The Thieving Magpie, Prokofiev Lieutenant Kijé, Tchaikovsky Mazeppa
A fun, larrikin slant on the light-hearted and traditional Proms farewell. Take some classics, add a scoop of nationalism and a few sea shanties, some glorious voices, buffoonery from Noble the mischievous raconteur, stir the lot with rousing choruses whipped into the melee and there you have a tried and tested celebration aka Last Night of the Proms. Wouldn’t miss it for quids! BRAVO! Jill Atkinson, Principal Harp, celebrates 40 years with the QSO. Music on Sundays Series is proudly presented by Bacchus Bar, Restaurant & Pool.
Saturday 3 May at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Razzle Dazzle Trumpet – Sparkling Concerto
Featuring: Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Trumpet Sarah Wilson
Repertoire: Franck Psyché et Eros, Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
In six years as QSO’s Chief Conductor, Fritzsch has reigned over major achievements and mentored players like QSO’s Wilson. Hear her brilliance in this sparkling concerto, a virtuosic showcase for trumpet full of razzle dazzle and bravura. Add Franck’s spirited symphonic poem and Tchaikovsky’s searching symphony for a spectacular evening’s entertainment.
Sunday 11 May at 11.30am, QPAC Concert Hall (Music on Sundays)
Happy Mother’s Day – The Gift of Music
Featuring: Conductor and Host Guy Noble Piano Pamela Page and Max Olding Violin Warwick Adeney
Repertoire: Litolff Scherzo, Tchaikovsky Melodie, Strauss Morgen, Piecaitis CATcerto, Dvorák Songs My Mother Taught Me, Rossini The Silken Ladder, Czerny Piano Concerto for 4 Hands, Czerny Albinoni Adagio
Enjoy a chocolate box selection of dreamy music including Dvořák’s nostalgic Songs My Mother Taught Me. There’s more, including an amazing sequence of Nora the Cat’s keyboard escapades and Mozartean repertoire for four hands rendered by Brisbane husband-and-wife legends Pamela Page and Max Olding. A perfect Brisbane morning for Mum and the whole family. Music on Sundays Series is proudly presented by Bacchus Bar, Restaurant & Pool.
Saturday 24 May at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Poet of the Guitar – Spanish Flair
Featuring: Conductor Pablo Gonzalez Guitar Karin Schaupp
Repertoire: Debussy Prélude à L’après-midi d’un faune, Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez, Ravel Ma Mère L’Oye, Turina Danzas fantásticas, Op.22, Falla Three-Cornered Hat – Suite No.2
Let us ferry you to Spain and France with these sumptuous classics. The critically acclaimed Gonzalez and Brisbane-based, internationally crowned poet of the guitar Karin Schaupp bring us Rodrigo’s haunting concerto. And the music will dance with Debussy, Ravel and Falla’s showpieces splashed in gorgeous colour with exquisite solos from within the orchestra.
Thursday 29 May at 11am, QPAC Concert Hall (Morning Masterworks)
May Masterworks – Irresistible Grace
Featuring: Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Violin Warwick Adeney Cello David Lale
Repertoire: Mozart Symphony No.35 Haffner, Brahms Concerto for Violin and Cello, Dvořák Suite American
Lose yourself in the drama and beauty of Brahms’ final work for orchestra as our QSO soloists set violin against cello in a lively duel of the strings. Feel the fizz of Mozart’s Haffner with all its energy and irresistible grace and let your spirits soar to the buoyant rhythms of American folk in Dvorak’s Suite American. Arrive early to enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee courtesy of QPAC.
Saturday 14 June at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Katie Noonan and Sydney Dance Company – Les Illuminations
Featuring: Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Soprano Katie Noonan Choreographer Rafael Bonachela with the Sydney Dance Company
Repertoire: Stravinsky Song of the Nightingale, Britten Simple Symphony and Les Illuminations, Ravel La valse
Witness this astonishing collaboration between the QSO, chanteuse Katie Noonan and Sydney Dance Company – partnering with us for the very first time – as Fritzsch directs a heady cocktail of voice and dance ingeniously intertwined with orchestra. Noonan’s Les Illuminations will enchant you.
Thursday 19 June at 11am, QPAC Concert Hall (Morning Masterworks)
June Masterworks – Treacherous Rach 3
Featuring: Conductor Rumon Gamba Piano Bezhod Abduraimov
Repertoire: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3, Sibelius Symphony No.5 – Australian Premiere of original version
Arrive early to enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee courtesy of QPAC.
Saturday 21 June at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Wizard of the Keys – Treacherous Rach 3
Featuring: Conductor Rumon Gamba Piano Behzod Abduraimov
Repertoire: Paul Stanhope Elegies and Dances – World Premiere, Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3, Sibelius Symphony No.5 – Original version. Sparks will fly in Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony under Gamba’s brilliant command, a British conductor notorious for marshalling first class performances. The ‘Rach 3’, well known from the movie Shine, is luxurious and technically treacherous but through Abduraimov’s fingers this Russian treasure will be revealed in glorious tone and explosive power.
Sunday 6 July at 3pm, QSO Studio South Bank (QSO Chamber Players)
Pictures at an Exhibition – Musical Gallery
Repertoire: Stravinsky Octet for Winds, Shostakovich String Quartet No.7, Pärt Fratres for String Quartet, Mussorgsky arr. Linckelmann Pictures at an Exhibition
Pictures at an Exhibition, the most famous musical rendering of visual art, is a riot of amazing colour. Fratres is ethereal, recalling cathedral resonance of early music fashioned for multiple vocal strands. Stravinsky’s neoclassical Octet, scored for a fusion of wind and strings combines the essence of the classical period with twentieth century modernism. Shivery, stark and profound, the Shostakovich lingers in the mind.
Thursday 10 July at 11am, QPAC Concert Hall (Morning Masterworks)
July Masterworks – Symphonic Adventure
Featuring: Conductor Eivind Aadland Violin Glenn Christensen
Repertoire: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Schubert Symphony No.9 The Great
Experience poetic beauty as QSO’s Principal First Violin Glenn Christensen takes to the stage in Mendelssohn’s most romantic of concertos. And next, a symphonic adventure. As an ardent admirer of Beethoven, Schubert has combined the maestro’s towering musical architecture with his own wonderful melodic gift to create The Great, a truly masterful symphony. Arrive early to enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee courtesy of QPAC.
Saturday 19 July at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Poetic Songs – Sublime Masterpieces
Featuring: Conductor Eivind Aadland Soprano Katherine Broderick
Repertoire: Brahms Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, Strauss Four Last Songs, Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Aadland returns to conduct an exquisite evening of music. Following Brahms’ beautifully crafted Variations we bring you one of Strauss’ greatest and most sublime works, featuring the radiant voice of soprano Katherine Broderick. QSO musicians will shine in Bartok’s masterpiece with its challenging solos across all sections of the orchestra.
Wednesday 23 – Thursday 24 July at 10.30am, The Courier-Mail Piazza, South Bank Parklands (Education, Middle: School Years 7-9, general public welcome, Duration 55 minutes) Middle Years – Mr Smith’s Composition
Featuring: Conductor Daniel Carter Narrator Tama Matheson Piano Lokman Lo
Join the Orchestra on a funny and educational journey into the mind of Mr Smith as he composes. Learn about music that is centuries old through to new works, and help choose the ending to Mr Smith’s composition. With colourful narration, everyone will be taken on a journey into composing a masterpiece, learning how the instruments of the orchestra transform the notes on the page into the music we hear. Proudly supported by The Courier-Mail and Brisbane Marketing.
Sunday 27 July at 11.30am, QPAC Concert Hall (Music on Sundays)
Passion and Madness – Operatic Wonders
Featuring: Conductor Stephen Mould Host Guy Noble Tenor Kang Wang Baritone David Wakeham and Guest artists from The Lisa Gasteen National Opera School
Repertoire: Gluck Orfeo and Euridice, Verdi Rigoletto, Puccini Il Tabarro, Puccini Tosca, Puccini Manon Lescaut, Saint-Saëns Samson and Delilah, Mozart Don Giovanni
Ever wished in the throes of a performance of Don Giovanni, Tosca or La Bohème to hear an encore of a special aria? Then this morning of operatic wonders delivered by the superlative talents of Wang and Wakeham is a must. Travel with us back in time to the nineteenth century sound worlds of Puccini and Verdi’s tune-spinning charm. Music on Sundays Series is proudly presented by Bacchus Bar, Restaurant & Pool.
Saturday 9 August at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Ghosts in the Orchestra – An Extraordinary Evening
Featuring: Conductor Stefan Solyom with The Australian Voices, directed by Gordon Hamilton
Repertoire: Sibelius En Saga, Hamilton Ghosts in the Orchestra – QSO commissioned World Premiere, Nielsen Symphony No.2 The Four Temperaments
Conductor Solyom makes his Queensland debut with Ghosts in the Orchestra, a daring work that removes the boundaries between singer and musician. In Hamilton’s work, individual choristers – the ghosts – will be scattered throughout the orchestra in a bold contemplation of freedom of speech. Expect an extraordinary evening bookended by one of Sibelius’ most popular works and the Nielsen, a piercing study of temperament.
Thursday 21 August at 11am, QPAC Concert Hall (Morning Masterworks)
August Masterworks – Pure Artistry
Featuring: Conductor Benjamin Northey Piano Marialy Pacheco
Repertoire: Mozart Symphony No.31 Paris, JS Bach Piano Concerto in G minor, Tchaikovsky Symphony No.2 Little Russian
A rising star among Australian conductors, Northey has an affinity with classical, experimental and jazz genres. Perfect then to join forces with pianist and composer Marialy Pacheco, the first woman to win the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival solo piano competition in the Festival’s fourteen year history. Expect pure artistry in this interpretation of Bach’s Concerto. Arrive early to enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee courtesy of QPAC.
Saturday 27 September at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Piers Lane, Schwarz & Schwarz – Poignant Moments
Featuring: Conductor Gerard Schwarz Piano Piers Lane Cello Julian Schwarz with Male Voice Choir
Repertoire: Elgar Cello Concerto, Busoni Piano Concerto
In our double-billed concerto special, the internationally esteemed conductor Gerard Schwarz leads his son Julian as he interprets one of the most poignant moments in the classical canon in Elgar’s beautiful work. Then prepare for a ‘dance on the edge of a cliff’ as favourite Piers Lane tackles the Mt Everest of piano concertos, the Busoni.
Sunday 12 October at 3pm, QSO Studio South Bank (QSO Chamber Players)
Beethoven Septet – Colourful Contrasts
Repertoire: Beethoven Septet in E flat, Carter Enchanted Preludes, Carter Eight Etudes and a Fantasy
Join us for a celebration of the old, the enchanted and the new. Beethoven’s Septet was one of his most popular works. Even so, perversely the composer wished he had never composed it. Especially, when a sponsor offered a considerable amount of money to write something “in the more agreeable style” of the septet. In Carter’s Preludes the flute and cello shine in an athletic conversation. Asked to write for woodwind quintet Carter penned these Etudes to emphasize the individuality of each instrument’s voice.
Sunday 19 October at 11.30am, QPAC Concert Hall (Music on Sundays)
World Inspiration – Armchair Traveller
Featuring: Conductor Edvard Tchivzhel Host Guy Noble
Repertoire: Smetana The Bartered Bride, Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No.2, Sibelius Finlandia, Vaughan-Williams Fantasia on Greensleeves, Bizet L’Arlésienne, Copland Appalachian Spring, Gershwin Porgy and Bess, Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4, Bernstein West Side Story
Breeze through the folk-inspired territories of Copland and Sibelius. Bask in Tchaikovsky’s radiant score and be uplifted by Tchivzhel’s pursuit of perfection. With the QSO’s glowing sound, exquisite phrasing and Noble’s quirky patter of persuasion – this is unmissable. A morning to sharpen the senses and invigorate the soul. Music on Sundays Series is proudly presented by Bacchus Bar, Restaurant & Pool.
Saturday 25 October at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Russian Extravaganza – The Showstopper: 1812 Overture
Featuring: Conductor Edvard Tchivzhel Piano Nikolai Demidenko
Repertoire: Rachmaninov Symphony No.3, Medtner Piano Concerto No.2, Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture
Rachmaninov’s beautiful nationalistic symphony, Medtner’s challenging test of Demidenko’s extraordinary stamina and olympian facility, and Tchaikovsky’s famous showstopper boosted by brass, bells and volleys of cannon fire combine to give you an unforgettable night out.
Wednesday 29 – Thursday 30 October at 10.30am, The Courier-Mail Piazza, South Bank Parklands (Education, Primary: School Years 3-6, general public welcome, Duration 55 minutes) Primary Years – The Composer is Dead!
Featuring: Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams Presenter Tama Matheson
There is dreadful news from the orchestra stage: the composer is dead! All the unusual suspects are on stage, the instruments of the orchestra. In this musical murder mystery by Nathaniel Stookey, everyone has a motive and an alibi. Join the inspector as he interrogates each section of the orchestra to determine what they do and how they work. Can you solve the crime? Proudly supported by The Courier-Mail and Brisbane Marketing.
6-9 November, QPAC Concert Hall – JOURNEY THROUGH THE COSMOS
Music and science merge in a world premiere orchestral event, exclusive to Brisbane
Journey though the Cosmos is supported by Arts Queensland through the Super Star Fund, a Queensland Government program that delivers super star performances exclusive to the state. Featuring: Particle physicist Professor Brian Cox Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Violin Jack Liebeck with The Australian Voices
Thursday 6 and Saturday 8 November at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (SPECIAL) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Journey through the Cosmos
Featuring: Particle physicist Professor Brian Cox Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Violin Jack Liebeck with The Australian Voices
Repertoire: Marianelli Voyager Violin Concerto – QSO commissioned World Premiere, Holst The Planets Suite
The QSO has invited rock-star particle physicist Professor Brian Cox OBE, star of the smash BBC TV series The Wonders of The Solar System, who is credited around the world with reviving the popularity of science, to present an exclusive spectacular event combining science, music, voice, and film, titled Journey through the Cosmos. Cox’s engaging style and incredible knowledge have made him an international sensation.
Friday 7 November at 11am, QPAC Concert Hall (EDUCATION SPECIAL)
Journey through the Cosmos – Education Concert
Featuring: Particle physicist Professor Brian Cox Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch
Repertoire: Holst Movements from The Planets
Presentation by Professor Brian Cox about the planets in our solar system with a performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite by the QSO, conducted by Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch, with accompanying video footage of the planets depicted in the music.
Friday 7 November at 6pm, QPAC Concert Hall (SPECIAL)
Einstein’s Universe – Lecutre/performance
Featuring: Particle physicist and Music Lecturer Professor Brian Foster Violin Jack Liebeck
Professor Brian Foster and violinist Jack Liebeck interweave music and science in a presentation which links Einstein’s favourite instrument, the violin, with many of the concepts of modern physics that he founded. Their illustrated talk will cover the grand sweep of modern physics – from Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to the Large Hadron Collider and the Higgs Boson – illustrated with the violin music that Einstein loved to play. This lecture has been toured by Professor Brian Foster and Jack Liebeck around the world and attracts fans of classical music who wish to hear Liebeck play Bach and go on to discover that particle physics, which most find intimidating, can be interesting and fun.
Sunday 9 November at 2.30pm, QPAC Concert Hall (SPECIAL)
Writing for Hollywood – In conversation
Featuring: Academy© and Golden Globe award-winning film composer Dario Marianelli Music critic, author and broadcaster Stephen Johnson
Stephen Johnson will present an in-depth interview and demonstration of the art of composing for film with Hollywood acclaimed Italian composer Dario Marianelli who has received an Academy Award® for his score for Atonement and was also nominated for Anna Karenina and Pride and Prejudice. This will be in the form of an illustrated lecture. Stephen Johnson will discuss the Voyager Concerto for Violin and Orchestra with composer Marianelli and how the newly commissioned concerto was structured to represent the journey of the Voyager space craft hurtling through the cosmos on a mission of discovery.
Sunday 9 November at 7pm, QPAC Concert Hall (SPECIAL)
The Physics of Time – Lecture/performance
Featuring: Particle physicist Professor Brian Cox Violin Jack Liebeck Piano Zubin Kanga Cello Li Wei Qin Clarinet Paul Dean
Repertoire: Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time
Quatuor pour la fin du temps, (Quartet for the End of Time) was premiered in 1941. The piece was written by Messiaen in a concentration camp in Gorlitz during the Second World War. Messiaen was taken to Germany as a prisoner of war in 1940, where hunger and intense cold gave the French composer vivid dreams that evoked the Apocalypse. His composition was premiered in 1941 at the concentration camp to the prisoners and guards. Messiaen composed the piece for himself and three other prisoners at the camp who all played musical instruments. The evening will be introduced by Stephen Johnson, leading musicologist, composer and journalist, with a presentation by Professor Brian Cox about the Physics of Time.
Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22 November at 10am & 11.30am, The Courier-Mail Piazza, South Bank Parklands (Education, Kiddies: Toddler – School Year 2, general public welcome, Duration 50 minutes) Kiddies Cushion Concerts – Symphonic Santa
Featuring: Conductor Peter Luff Presenter Jay Laga’aia
Kiddies Cushion Concerts inspire audiences of all ages to discover the wonder of orchestral music. Babies through to grandparents can listen, dance and enjoy a range of popular classics performed by the QSO. Join presenter Jay Laga’aia for this interactive concert experience and learn about how we create the music you love. Christmas is a time for family, so bring them all to hear our Symphonic Santa. Sing along to your favourite carols as we explore the different sounds of the orchestra. Proudly supported by The Courier-Mail and Brisbane Marketing.
Sunday 23 November at 3pm, QSO Studio South Bank (QSO Chamber Players)
Schubert String Quintet – Sublime Moments
Repertoire: Dvořák Serenade for Winds, Schubert String Quintet in C
Rated as one of the pinnacles of chamber music, the Quintet was written by Schubert just before he died in 1828. Scored for two violins, one viola and two cellos, Schubert makes the most of the cellos’ pliant voices giving them sublime moments. Full of textural variety, singable tunes, brooding, joyful and turbulent moods, it’s a demanding piece as rewarding for the performer as the listener. Dvořák demonstrates a variety of styles in each movement of this entertaining, semi-orchestral work – a singing style, a slow waltz, high jinx, lyrical beauty and a burst of joie de vivre.
Saturday 29 November at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series) Pre-concert talk 7pm
Fritzsch Grand Finale: Mahler 3 – Grand Emotional Power
Featuring: Chief Conductor Johannes Fritzsch Alto Deborah Humble with Female chorus & Knabenchor
Repertoire: Mahler Symphony No.3
“To write a symphony is for me to construct a world,” Mahler said. How true this is of this intensely cast blockbuster. Of Herculean scale, the composer employs solo voice and chorus as well as massive instrumental forces to create the grand vision and emotional power in this vivid ode to nature. Deborah Humble’s lovely pliant singing and narrative authority in the ethereal Fourth Movement is destined to enthral.
Saturday 6 December at 8pm, QPAC Concert Hall (Maestro Series)
Handel’s Messiah – Seasonal Evergreen
Featuring: Conductor Graham Abbott Alto Deborah Humble Soprano Celeste Lazarenko Mezzo Soprano Sally Anne Russell Tenor Henry Choo Baritone Pelham Andrews with the Brisbane Chorale, directed by Emily Cox
Repertoire: Handel Messiah
270 years ago, Handel penned this classic with its thrilling peaks and choruses. Each year in the countdown to Christmas, it inspires sell-out audiences all over the western world. A gifted interpreter of Handel’s music, Abbott brings depth, beauty and vision to this seasonal evergreen. Join the QSO and a constellation of vocal stars as it celebrates the close of another magnificent year of music.
