metropolitan chamber orchestra concert series one 2010 program
DESCRIPTION
Includes Concert Program Notes, Conductor Bio, Orchestra Musician Names and 2010 Season DetailsTRANSCRIPT
2010 CONCERT SCHEDULE
CONCERT SERIES 1
Saturday 27th February 8pm - Balmain Town Hall Sunday 28th February 5pm – Australian Institute of Music
o Mendelssohn – Overture & Allegro from Midsummer Night’s Dream o Elgar - Introduction & Allegro
o Mozart – Symphony no 41 ‘ Jupiter’
CONCERT SERIES 2 Saturday 17th April 8pm - Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 18th April 5pm – Australian Institute of Music o Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending (Violin – Manu Berkeljon)
o Mozart – Symphony no 35 ‘Haffner’ o Beethoven – Symphony no 1
CONCERT SERIES 3
Saturday 19th June 8pm - Balmain Town Hall Sunday 20th June 5pm – Australian Institute of Music
o Beethoven – Egmont Overture o Brahms – Violin Concerto (Violin – Susan Collins)
o Schubert – Symphony no 4 ‘Tragic’
CONCERT SERIES 4 Saturday 7th August 8pm - Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 8th August 5pm – Australian Institute of Music o Haydn – Trumpet Concerto (Trumpet – Matt Dempsey)
o Mendelssohn – Sinfonia no 8 in D major o Beethoven – Symphony no 8
CONCERT SERIES 5
Saturday 25th September 8pm - Balmain Town Hall Sunday 26th September 5pm – Australian Institute of Music
o Ravel – Pavane pour une infante defunte o Schumann – Cello Concerto (Cello - Emma-Jane Murphy)
o Haydn – Symphony no 103 ‘Drumroll’
CONCERT SERIES 6 Saturday 13th November 8pm - Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 14th November 5pm – Australian Institute of Music o Mozart – Cosi Fan Tutte Overture
o Gounod – Symphony no 1 o Beethoven – Symphony no 7
2010 CONCERT SCHEDULE
CONCERT SERIES 1
Saturday 27th February 8pm - Balmain Town Hall Sunday 28th February 5pm – Australian Institute of Music
o Mendelssohn – Overture & Allegro from Midsummer Night’s Dream o Elgar - Introduction & Allegro
o Mozart – Symphony no 41 ‘ Jupiter’
CONCERT SERIES 2 Saturday 17th April 8pm - Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 18th April 5pm – Australian Institute of Music o Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending (Violin – Manu Berkeljon)
o Mozart – Symphony no 35 ‘Haffner’ o Beethoven – Symphony no 1
CONCERT SERIES 3
Saturday 19th June 8pm - Balmain Town Hall Sunday 20th June 5pm – Australian Institute of Music
o Beethoven – Egmont Overture o Brahms – Violin Concerto (Violin – Susan Collins)
o Schubert – Symphony no 4 ‘Tragic’
CONCERT SERIES 4 Saturday 7th August 8pm - Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 8th August 5pm – Australian Institute of Music o Haydn – Trumpet Concerto (Trumpet – Matt Dempsey)
o Mendelssohn – Sinfonia no 8 in D major o Beethoven – Symphony no 8
CONCERT SERIES 5
Saturday 25th September 8pm - Balmain Town Hall Sunday 26th September 5pm – Australian Institute of Music
o Ravel – Pavane pour une infante defunte o Schumann – Cello Concerto (Cello - Emma-Jane Murphy)
o Haydn – Symphony no 103 ‘Drumroll’
CONCERT SERIES 6 Saturday 13th November 8pm - Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 14th November 5pm – Australian Institute of Music o Mozart – Cosi Fan Tutte Overture
o Gounod – Symphony no 1 o Beethoven – Symphony no 7
CONCERT PROGRAM
8pm, Saturday 27 February, Balmain Town Hall
5pm, Sunday 28 February, Australian Institute of Music
Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams
Mendelssohn Overture & Scherzo from Midsummer Night’s Dream
Elgar Introduction & Allegro
Featuring: Manu Berkeljon, Alastair Duff-Forbes, Jenny Compton, Clare Kahn
INTERVAL
Mozart Symphony no 41 ‘ Jupiter’
ABOUT MCO
April 18th 2009 witnessed the start of a new generation of orchestral music in Sydney with the sold-out inaugural concert from the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra (MCO). This unique ensemble based in Sydney’s inner western suburbs, is dedicated to delivering professional performances from passionate and highly experienced musicians. Led by well-known Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Sarah-Grace Williams, the orchestra has already gained a reputation for its high quality of performance and vivacity. The MCO ethos is to ensure audiences receive the best standard of aural and visual experience from players who are passionate and obviously excited to be part of each premium musical event. MCO has been touted as not only bringing the “sexy, sensual and passionate” back into orchestral music, but are considered by many as one of the freshest and most important developments in the Sydney and Australian orchestral music scene.
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director
Sarah-Grace Williams
Listed by Limelight magazine as one of the top 50 power players in their SMART ARTS 2010, Sarah-Grace Williams has gained a reputation as one of Australia's foremost conductors of her generation. She is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra and Strathfield Symphony Orchestra, Musical Director and Conductor of the Sydney Opera House Proms Orchestra and Associate Conductor of The Occasional Performing Sinfonia (TOPS). Additionally, Sarah-Grace has been engaged as a Guest Conductor and Presenter with a number of ensembles including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Penrith Symphony Orchestra and Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra. Sarah-Grace is currently the Assistant Conductor for Symphony Australia, assisting the Queensland, Adelaide, West Australian and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. An accomplished clarinettist and pianist, Sarah-Grace received her Bachelor of Music Degree with Distinction, majoring in performance and composition. She went on to achieve First Class Honours in Conducting before continuing conducting studies in Russia and Holland with Alexander Polishchuk and Jorma Panula respectively. A principal graduate from Symphony Australia's prestigious Conductor Program and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's Conductors Program, Sarah-Grace has conducted most of Australia's and New Zealand's premier orchestras under the tutelage of esteemed conductors Johannes Fritzsch, Janos Furst, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Christopher Seaman, David Porcelijn and Marco Zuccarini. As a result, Sarah-Grace has received invitations to conduct a number of concert seasons and has secured an ongoing mentorship with Maestro Fritzsch whom she has been working with since the beginning of 2008. Sarah-Grace lectures in Conducting, Aural, Music Theatre and Choral Studies at both the Australian International Conservatorium of Music and the Australian Institute of Music and is a highly sought after vocal coach and adjudicator. She continues to work as a freelance clarinettist, pianist and radio presenter and has been awarded numerous prizes including the Symphony Australia Podium Scholarship, University of Western Sydney Prize for Academic Excellence, the Sound Devices Prize for excellence in Performance and the Guitar Factory Scholarship. Sarah-Grace has composed, arranged and recorded music for films, theatre productions, symphonic ensembles and chamber groups.
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director
Sarah-Grace Williams
Listed by Limelight magazine as one of the top 50 power players in their SMART ARTS 2010, Sarah-Grace Williams has gained a reputation as one of Australia's foremost conductors of her generation. She is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra and Strathfield Symphony Orchestra, Musical Director and Conductor of the Sydney Opera House Proms Orchestra and Associate Conductor of The Occasional Performing Sinfonia (TOPS). Additionally, Sarah-Grace has been engaged as a Guest Conductor and Presenter with a number of ensembles including the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Penrith Symphony Orchestra and Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra. Sarah-Grace is currently the Assistant Conductor for Symphony Australia, assisting the Queensland, Adelaide, West Australian and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. An accomplished clarinettist and pianist, Sarah-Grace received her Bachelor of Music Degree with Distinction, majoring in performance and composition. She went on to achieve First Class Honours in Conducting before continuing conducting studies in Russia and Holland with Alexander Polishchuk and Jorma Panula respectively. A principal graduate from Symphony Australia's prestigious Conductor Program and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's Conductors Program, Sarah-Grace has conducted most of Australia's and New Zealand's premier orchestras under the tutelage of esteemed conductors Johannes Fritzsch, Janos Furst, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Christopher Seaman, David Porcelijn and Marco Zuccarini. As a result, Sarah-Grace has received invitations to conduct a number of concert seasons and has secured an ongoing mentorship with Maestro Fritzsch whom she has been working with since the beginning of 2008. Sarah-Grace lectures in Conducting, Aural, Music Theatre and Choral Studies at both the Australian International Conservatorium of Music and the Australian Institute of Music and is a highly sought after vocal coach and adjudicator. She continues to work as a freelance clarinettist, pianist and radio presenter and has been awarded numerous prizes including the Symphony Australia Podium Scholarship, University of Western Sydney Prize for Academic Excellence, the Sound Devices Prize for excellence in Performance and the Guitar Factory Scholarship. Sarah-Grace has composed, arranged and recorded music for films, theatre productions, symphonic ensembles and chamber groups.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Introduction & Allegro For Strings Op. 47
Edward Elgar 1857-1934
Although Elgar is now considered to be one of Britain’s greatest composers, he did not enjoy much popularity or critical acclaim until the later part of his career. It was during this period of popular success that Elgar’s friend August Jaegar (‘Nimrod’ from the Enigma variations) suggested that he compose a work for the recently founded London Symphony Orchestra, and specifically a work to demonstrate the virtuosity of the string section. To do this Elgar drew on the Baroque form of the concerto grosso, with a solo string quartet slipping in and out of the tutti texture. The work is often multi-layered, with many themes over laying and intersecting. One of the main themes is said to have been taken from a Welsh folk tune that Elgar heard whilst on holiday in Wales some time earlier. It is first introduced by the solo viola in the Introduction, and after what Elgar described as a ‘devil of a fugue’ in the Allegro the Welsh theme again emerges triumphant in the coda.
The work was initially received rather coldly, and was largely forgotten for some years after its premiere. It has been suggested that this was due to the difficult string writing, with the violins in particular being pushed to virtuosic extremes that were beyond many orchestral players at the time. Now however, it is considered one of the finest works for strings and a sublime example of the unique qualities of the string orchestra.
Overture and Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847
The German composer Felix Mendelssohn was a musical prodigy, who before reaching the age of 20 was a consummate and experienced composer much admired by many of his peers. His incidental music to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream was composed over two periods. The overture was written in 1826 as a concert overture after the 17 year old composer read and admired the play. In the overture many of the primary characters and scenes from the play are introduced, and the evocative orchestration effectively places the audience in the en-chanted forest setting of the play.
Enjoy tonight’s performance?
Then consider purchasing a 4 or 5 concert subscription
Package and save $$$ on regular ticket prices.
2010 Season subscriptions, entitling you to a range of
subscriber benefits are still on sale.
An MCO subscription is also a great live music gift for a friend or a loved one.
To purchase your subscription, please visit the subscriptions area at www.metropolitanchamberorchestra.com.au
For more information:
Ph: 02 8007 7131
Some sixteen years after the composition of the overture Mendelssohn was asked to compose incidental music for a production of the play to be performed in Potsdam, Germany. Incorporating the original overture, the now 34 year old Mendelssohn managed to recapture all the wit and joy of his earlier composition and produce music so fitting and true to the mood of Shakespeare’s masterpiece that it is now one of his most beloved works.
The Scherzo introduces the scene in which the audience first meets Puck, and so is appropriately sparkling, cheeky and elfin. Mendelssohn’s love for the play and his joy at being able to illustrate it with music is clearly apparent.
Symphony No. 41 ‘Jupiter’, K551
WA Mozart 1756-1791
Allegro vivace Andante cantabile Menuetto: Allegretto Molto allegro Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 was his final symphony, and with the symphonies number 39 and 40 was completed in a period of 6 weeks in the summer of 1788. These last years of Mozart’s life were marked by the contrast of his extreme financial difficulties with his production of a stunning series of exceptional masterpieces including the Symphony No. 41. Sadly it is unclear whether the composer ever heard these final symphonies performed, and he would never have known just how admired they soon became. The Symphony No. 41 was christened with the nickname of Jupiter some years after its composition and the name is generally believed to refer to the nobility and grandeur of the first movement in the triumphant key of C major – majestic music befitting a god of great power. In contrast the slow second movement is eloquent, dark and poignant, exposing the melancholic vein that runs under much of Mozart’s surface brilliance. The third movement is more complex and musically satisfying than most, but it is the final movement for which the Jupiter symphony is most famous. It is a masterpiece of contrapuntal writing, including a famed quasi-fugue that interweaves and evolves five themes in the most intricate ways. That this highly complex and almost ‘scientific’ music is beautiful and thrilling is a testament to the tremendous abilities of the mature Mozart. His music changed the path of the symphony forever, and his Symphony No. 41 heralds many of the future developments of the form. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire and is a triumphant conclusion to Mozart’s symphonic output.
© Program Notes by Clare Kahn 2010
Enjoy tonight’s performance?
Then consider purchasing a 4 or 5 concert subscription
Package and save $$$ on regular ticket prices.
2010 Season subscriptions, entitling you to a range of
subscriber benefits are still on sale.
An MCO subscription is also a great live music gift for a friend or a loved one.
To purchase your subscription, please visit the subscriptions area at www.metropolitanchamberorchestra.com.au
For more information:
Ph: 02 8007 7131
NEXT CONCERT
Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending
Soloist: Manu Berkeljon (MCO Co-Concertmaster)
Mozart - Symphony no 35 ‘Haffner’
Beethoven - Symphony no 1
Saturday 17th April, 8pm Balmain Town Hall
Sunday 18th April, 5pm Australian Institute of Music
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Being a sponsor of the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra (MCO) reflects your personal or business commitment to quality and exceptional standards. MCO is dedicated to delivering premium concert experiences and understands that this is only achieved when highly talented performers join in a consistent attitude of commitment with a focus on excellence. Individuals and businesses who sponsor MCO will typically reflect this positive attitude in their own personal or business approach. Join MCO and give your support to these talented musicians and be a part of the MCO journey which reflects that great Australian spirit of fighting against the odds to make a dream become a reality.
Features & Benefits
MCO will present six major concert series as part of their 2010 season. Each series will have two performances reaching audiences in Sydney’s city and inner western suburbs. Your sponsorship will not only prove your commitment to quality and focus, but has real business benefits with a potential for exposure through multiple channels to a discerning, professional audience representing both individuals and businesses.
Options
There are a range of sponsorship options available to suit all individual and business preferences, from sponsoring a player in a single concert series through to becoming an annual A-Class Platinum partner, offering sponsorship for the entire year and gaining maximum exposure through the orchestra. To find out which sponsorship package might suit your personal or business preferences, or to discuss sponsorship options in more detail, please contact the General Manager or make an enquiry through our website.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (02)8007 7131
Post: PO Box 625, Balmain NSW 2041
Would like to thank our supporters...
Would like to thank our supporters...
PLAY YOUR PART IN THE MUSIC
Become a MCO Volunteer
And help us to deliver these intimate, high-quality and vibrant orchestral music performances to local audiences.
If you can dedicate some of your time, or support the orchestral team in any way, the MCO management and staff would love to hear from you.
Any ideas on how you can support MCO are welcomed.
You don’t have to be musical, just love the music.
For more information on how you can become part of the most vibrant sound in orchestral music please contact MCO:
Phone: (02)8007 7131
Email: [email protected]
MANAGEMENT
Artistic Director - Sarah-Grace Williams General Manager - Bevan Rigato Orchestra Manager - Amanda Burns Assistant Orchestra Manager - Mar’yana Sywak Accounts Manager - Bernard Walz Grants Manager - Serena Devonshire Corporate Manager (acting) - Bevan Rigato Marketing Manager (acting) - Bevan Rigato Graphic Design -Taryn Erickson Venue Coordinator - Jenny Ainsworth Production Coordinator - Gary Clark
THE ORCHESTRA
CONCERTMASTERS Shaun Stewart BASS BASSOON
Manu Berkeljon Ian Watson Jack Clegg * Sarajane Hansen *
Alastair Duff-Forbes VIOLAS John Ockwell Ruth Power
ASSOCIATE Jenny Compton * Mark Szeto HORN
CONCERTMASTERS David Angel FLUTE Sharon Hatton *
Angela Cassur Lucy Carrigy-Ryan Svetlana Yaroslavskaya * Claire Cameron
Christina Ong Josephine Lumanau Lucie Benz TRUMPET
VIOLIN 1 Jamie Pollock OBOE Gary Clark *
Emlyn Lewis-Jones * Georgina Price Freya Bailes * Hoshimi Sakai
Daniel Bangart Kathy Ramsay Ellen Hopper TIMPANI
Samantha Boston CELLO CLARINET Murray Parker *
Kahne Rajaratnam Clare Kahn * Andrew Doyle *
Mar’yana Sywak John Benz Greg Jones
Petroc Wilton Serena Devonshire
VIOLIN 2 Nicholas Thomas
Natalya Bing Bronwyn Whyatt * Principal
Tadijana Ilicic Edna Rubinstein
Tamara Lyell-Kum
Dorothy Sercombe
2010 Concert Season….
PO BOX 625 Balmain NSW 2041 Tel: 02 8007 7131
[email protected] www.metropolitanchamberorchestra.com.au