Sounds of Cinema METROPOLIS
21 August 2026 Hamer Hall
Season 2027 Packages on sale now mso.com.au/2027
METROPOLIS
Sounds of Cinema Friday 21 August at 7:30 pm
Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
Artists Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Benjamin Northey conductor John Simpson Foley artist Eugene Ughetti percussion and additional Foley Tracy Parton assistant Foley Slava and Leonard Grigoryan guitar duo David Hirschfelder piano with members of the Australian Youth Orchestra
Program Thomas Meadowcroft Hollywood Parsifals – Concerto for orchestra and Foley artists* [34’] interval
Bryony Marks Their World from the soundtrack to Noise [10’] David Hirschfelder Three Film Suites The Dressmaker Suite [14’] Guardian Suite [9’] Strictly Ballroom Suite [12’] *
World premiere of a commission from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with support from Creative Australia
This concert will be recorded by ABC Classic for later broadcast on 14 October at 8 pm.
Running time: 2 hours, including a 20-minute interval. Timings listed are approximate.
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Acknowledging Country
The MSO has developed a musical Acknowledgement of Country with composer James Henry to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land through the language of orchestral music. James Henry’s position is supported by Cybec Foundation
About Acknowledgement ‘I wrote this piece to reflect the complex journey toward the recognition of Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the land. It opens with rhythms inspired by the character of traditional songs found across many parts of Australia. From this texture, a melody emerges, representing the long period during which Aboriginal ownership of land was disregarded. The piece traces both progress and setbacks over time. ‘With the passing of the Victorian Statewide Treaty Bill, there is a renewed sense of optimism among many Aboriginal Victorians. Through Acknowledgement, I seek to convey a feeling of determination and resilience, reflecting the ongoing work to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people, and to deepen respect for and awareness of our distinct culture, history and enduring connection to Country.’ James Henry 2025–2026 Cybec First Nations Composer in Residence
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Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is Australia’s preeminent orchestra, dedicated to creating meaningful experiences that transcend borders and connect communities. Through the shared language of music, the MSO performs to the highest standard, enriching lives and inspiring audiences across the globe. Woven into the cultural fabric of Victoria for 120 years, the MSO reaches five million people annually through performances and TV, radio and online broadcasts, as well as critically acclaimed recordings on its newly established label. Jaime Martín continues as the MSO Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor in 2026, leading a diverse and richly talented Artistic Family.
with the ABC, the MSO’s performances in the Classic 100 in Concert reach more than a million Australians each year. The first Australian orchestra to perform overseas (1965) and at Carnegie Hall (1970), the MSO has a proud history of international touring that has taken it to China, Indonesia, Singapore, Europe and the UK. Driven by the belief that music is a universal right, the MSO also brings music to all corners of the community, ensuring that everyone can share in the transformative power of music. Whether performing on world stages or in the heart of Victoria, the MSO transforms its mission and vision into reality – enriching lives and creating cultural connections through the unparalleled beauty of music.
The MSO regularly presents exceptional artists from across the globe in mainstage programming and special events, as well as reaching beyond the customary classical audience with contemporary collaborations. And through a partnership
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Musicians performing in this concert First Violins
Second Violins
Cellos
Tair Khisambeev
Assistant Concertmaster
Matthew Tomkins Principal
The Gross Foundation*
Elina Faskhi
Peter Fellin Deborah Goodall Anne-Marie Johnson
Mary Allison Isin Cakmakçioglu Tiffany Cheng
Rebecca Proietto
Kirstin Kenny Anna Skálová Josef Hanna† Dabin Huh† Lynette Rayner† Ioana Tache† Rollin Zhao† Khang Mai° Siobhan Makinson° Lily Song°
Freya Franzen Cong Gu Robert Macindoe Philippa West Patrick Wong
Rosemary Meagher and the late Douglas Meagher *
David Horowicz*
Val Dyke*
Cecilie Hall*
Clare Carrick† Michael Loftus-Hills† Matthew Rigby
Violas Michael Grolid
Associate Principal
Lauren Brigden Katharine Brockman Anthony Chataway
Assistant Principal Peter T Kempen AM *
Ariel Volovelsky Caleb Wong
Jonathan Chim† Amy Lee† Zoe Wallace† James Monro°
Double Basses Jonathon Coco Principal Aurora Henrich Suzanne Lee Stephen Newton Caitlin Bass† Emma Meixner°
Peter T Kempen AM *
William Clark
Morris and Helen Margolis*
Aidan Filshie
Suzie and Edgar Myer *
Gabrielle Halloran Patricia Nilsson
Jenny Khafagi
Margaret Billson and the late Ted Billson*
Heidi von Bernewitz† Olivia Spyrou°
Learn more about our musicians on the MSO website mso.com.au/behind-the-music/meet-the-musicians 6
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Flutes
Horns
Timpani
Wendy Clarke
Nicolas Fleury Principal
Matthew Thomas Principal
Associate Principal
Margaret Jackson AC *
Laura Dickie°
Abbey Edlin
Piccolo Andrew Macleod Principal
Oboes
The Hanlon Foundation*
Josiah Kop
Kim and Robert Gearon*
James Button†
Jacon Fenchel MSO Academy Robert Salzer Foundation*
Ann Blackburn
Gary McPherson*
Guest Principal
Margaret Billson and the late Ted Billson*
Cor Anglais Michael Pisani Principal
Clarinets Philip Arkinstall
Associate Principal
Jamilla Lamb†
Bass Clarinet Jonathan Craven Principal
Bassoons Jack Schiller Principal Dr Harry Imber * Natasha Thomas
Rachel Shaw
Natalia Edwards†
Trumpets Shane Hooton
Percussion Shaun Trubiano Principal John Arcaro Tim and Lyn Edward*
Robert Cossom
Dr Clem Gruen and Dr Rhyl Wade*
Robert Allan† Peter Neville†
Harp Yinuo Mu Principal
(Meadowcroft, Marks)
Associate Principal Glenn Sedgwick*
Megan Reeve†
Daniel Beasy† Rosie Turner
Keyboard
Dr John and Diana Frew *
Koominka†
Trombones José Milton Vieira Principal Toby Sward°
Bass Trombone
(Hirschfelder)
Laurence Matheson†
Guitar Ken Wei Zixiao†
Sound Reinforcement Alistair McLean† (Meadowcroft)
Michael Szabo Principal
Patricia Nilsson*
Tuba
Contrabassoon
Timothy Buzbee Principal
Melissa Woodroffe† Guest Principal
* Position supported by † MSO guest musician ° AYO musician MSO 2026 Season
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Sounds of Cinema
PHOTO: LAURA MANARITI
Benjamin Northey conductor MSO PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR In addition to his role with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey is the Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and Conductor in Residence of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, as well as Professor of Conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Director of the Australian Conducting Academy. He was previously MSO Associate Conductor (2010–19), Resident Guest Conductor of the Australia Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra (2002–06) and Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra (2007–10). He appears regularly as a guest conductor with all the major Australian symphony orchestras, as well as for Opera Australia, New Zealand Opera, Victorian Opera and State Opera South Australia, and he has conducted concerts with the London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Malaysian philharmonic orchestras, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In 2026, he MSO 2026 Season
conducts the Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, West Australian, Tasmanian, Christchurch and Pittsburgh symphony orchestras. Benjamin is a champion of Australian orchestral music and has premiered dozens of major new works by Australian composers, as well as sitting on board of the Australian Music Centre. An Aria, Air Music and Art Music awards winner, in 2018 he was voted Limelight magazine’s Australian Artist of the Year. His many recordings can be found on the ABC Classic label. Benjamin Northey studied conducting at Finland’s Sibelius Academy with Leif Segerstam and Atso Almila before completing his studies at the Stockholm Royal College of Music with Jorma Panula. He is also a graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, where he studied conducting with John Hopkins.
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John Simpson Foley artist Tracy Parton Foley artist John Simpson is a seasoned Foley artist with more than 40 years’ experience in the film industry. Renowned for his innovative Foley sound design and meticulous attention to detail, he has contributed to numerous award-winning films, including The Hobbit trilogy, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and King Kong, as well as Mad Max: Fury Road and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. Throughout his career, John has collaborated with esteemed directors such as Peter Jackson, George Miller and Steven Spielberg, helping to bring their visions to life, and his dedication and passion for the craft have earned him more than 20 national and international awards.
Tracy Parton is an award-winning Australian Foley artist who has brought vivid, realistic sound to some of Australia’s most iconic screen productions. She launched her Foley journey at Crawford Productions in Box Hill on the classic series The Flying Doctors. Working as a freelancer, she subsequently created sound for numerous television favourites, including Blue Heelers, Water Rats and the animated children’s series The Silver Brumby. She is best known for her work on the Australian comedy classic The Castle. Tracy’s lifelong creativity also shines through her hobbies: she competes in calisthenics and is learning to play piano.
Beyond his studio, John loves the great outdoors and is always up for a road trip!
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Sounds of Cinema
PHOTO: DEVIKA BILIMORIA
Eugene Ughetti percussion Eugene Ughetti is known worldwide as a trailblazer in art music – bringing his classical training and adventurous spirit to complex and ambitious projects as a percussionist, composer, conductor and director. Performing as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, he has worked with some of the world’s guiding lights in new music, including Pierre Boulez, Liza Lim, Steve Reich and John Zorn, and has given solo performances at MaerzMusik (Berlin), Roulette (New York), Lucerne Festival, SIPFest (Jakarta) and Singapore’s National Museum, among others.
As a composer, he has been commissioned by the Australian Ballet, Bionics Institute (Melbourne) and the ABC, as well as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. His works have been presented at major festivals, including Darmstadt (Germany), Sonica (UK), MONA FOMA (Hobart), Transart (Italy), Noorderzon Festival (The Netherlands), and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and have won him a place as a finalist in the APRA– AMCOS and Australian Music Centre Art Music awards as well as the 2013 Melbourne Prize for Music.
Eugene was the founding artistic director of Speak Percussion (2000–2026) and he has also worked with most of Australia’s leading new music ensembles, including conducting ELISION in the world premiere of Richard Barrett’s Construction in the 2011 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. His work focuses on hybrid-arts collaborations and the premieres of Australian music in orchestral and chamber music settings.
Other accolades include the inaugural Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship (2012), MCA Freedman Fellowship for Classical Music (2011), and a 2013 Creative Australia Fellowship (Early Career), as well as various national Art Music awards for his work with Speak Percussion. He has been artistic director of the Canberra International Music Festival since 2025.
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PHOTO: WILK
Slava and Leonard Grigoryan guitar duo Since their acclaimed first Australian tour in 2002, guitarists Slava and Leonard Grigoryan have acquired a reputation for enthralling audiences with the energy of their performances and the breadth of their repertoire – embracing genres from classical and jazz to contemporary music from around the world. They have been touring internationally since 2003 – performing regularly throughout Europe, the UK, Asia, Australia and the USA, as well as appearing in Brazil, South Africa, India and the Middle East. Notable appearances include performing alongside the great Flamenco guitarist Paco Peña and supporting Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang on her Ingénue Redux 25th Anniversary Tour.
musical styles has also resulted in many collaborations in both notated and improvised music traditions, as well as performances in traditional and unconventional settings, from projects with orchestras and duo performances in iconic classical venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Vienna Konzerthaus to arts, jazz and folk festivals and WOMAD. The brothers have released more than a dozen albums as a duo – most recently Amistad – and between them, they have received four ARIA awards and 24 ARIA Award nominations. Their recording of Bach concertos with Benjamin Northey and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra won Best Independent Classical Album in the 2019 AIR Awards.
In addition to performing much of the standard classical repertoire, they have expanded the guitar repertoire through new arrangements, commissions and their own compositions. Their deep appreciation and understanding of a broad spectrum of
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Sounds of Cinema
PHOTO: APRA–AMCOS
David Hirschfelder piano Since composing his first film score in 1992 (Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom), with other early successes including the scores for Shine and Elizabeth, David Hirschfelder has gained worldwide recognition as one of Australia’s more distinguished screen composers. But his career began as a keyboardist. David was born and raised in Ballarat before studying music at the University of Melbourne. His training embraced classical, jazz and pop, and while still in his teens, he formed the jazz-fusion band Pyramid, which released two albums and achieved the distinction of top billing at the 1983 Montreux Jazz Festival.
Jack Tour, featuring the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and Harry M Miller’s Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular in 1992. That same year he won his first BAFTA, for Strictly Ballroom. In a recent interview David admitted he’s more comfortable nowadays ‘hiding’ in his studio writing music than performing it, and this concert sees him in a rare appearance playing piano with orchestra. Read more about David Hirschfelder’s composing career on page 19.
In the 1980s, he played with the Little River Band and the John Farnham band, among others, and performed in multiple roles as well as co-writing several tracks on the albums Playing to Win and Whispering Jack. He was also musical director of major concert events and recordings, including John Farnham’s 1988 Classic
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PHOTO: SIGNE LUKSENGARD
Thomas Meadowcroft (born 1972)
Hollywood Parsifals – Concerto for orchestra and Foley artists I. Studio Ident. (Maestoso) II. War Western Thriller Horror Romantic Comedy Crime Science Fiction The power of a film score is indisputable and great screen composers are household names, but a film’s sound world is more than dialogue and music. Its soundscape must be carefully (re)created once filming is complete, and the unsung heroes of sound effects are the Foley artists, named for Hollywood pioneer Jack Foley. A Foley artist is effectively invisible: the better they match the on-screen action, the less we notice their craft. Ironically, they’re more celebrated in the theatre. The witty sound effects in Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play Our Town are often performed by an onstage Foley artist, and Simon McBurney’s production of 14
The Magic Flute for English National Opera features an onstage Foley artist, as does SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical. But you’re less likely to encounter a Foley artist in the concert hall, and Thomas Meadowcroft’s new concerto for orchestra and Foley artists is a first. Hollywood Parsifals makes the sound effects associated with film apparent in a concert setting, revealing their techniques both visually and sonically. Even before the first notes are heard, there’s plenty to see. The orchestra will be a familiar sight. The soloists’ set-up, however, is cluttered and complex – ‘basically an assemblage of junk’ – since many of their effects are Sounds of Cinema
achieved with small, everyday objects. Equally complex is the ‘choreography’ as the performers navigate these objects. With the mechanical reproduction of sound effects on full display, there’s no accompanying film footage. Instead, Meadowcroft invites you to construct imaginary cinematic narratives, suggested in part by the orchestral accompaniment and sequencing of sound effects. The rationale here is that without the accompanying image, ‘sound effects usually associated with screen content start to appear in an uncanny way’. He says, ‘things go awry – there can be a series of musical cues that sound like someone is getting their head chopped off, but then for you or your neighbour, it might also just be the sound of a chopped-up cabbage.’ Hollywood Parsifals was conceived with two solo parts: one drawing on a traditional percussion background that makes forays into the world of Foley, the other drawing on a Foley background that makes forays into the world of percussion. The Foley artist practice is parallel to what contemporary percussionists are doing, says Meadowcroft, ‘chasing sounds in strange places’. He finds the ordinariness of a Foley’s trove ‘charmingly anticlimactic’ and he sees poetry in the idea of ‘prosaic, quotidian objects’ being featured as the soloist instrument, as opposed to, say, a Stradivarius violin. One of the surprising things about the Foley craft is that there’s not always a direct translation between object and sound. The best-known example (and a running gag in Monty Python and the Holy Grail) is the use of coconut shells for hoof beats. It can be a source of pride, explains Meadowcroft, to reconstruct a sound without using the object represented. John Simpson gives more examples: pouring fish into a bucket for ‘great blood and guts MSO 2026 Season
sounds’; snapping celery for breaking bones; and a balloon for kissing sounds. Meadowcroft likens the ‘noble, if seemingly foolish’ quest for the right Foley object for a sound to the search for the Holy Grail, which explains the reference to Wagner’s Parsifal in his title. But the title is also an allusion to the emotive and storytelling power of Wagner’s musical language and Leitmotiv technique (the use of ‘signature tunes’). This was transported from Europe to Hollywood in the 1930s via emigré composers such as Erich Korngold and would inform the golden age of American cinema in the 1940s and ’50s. In Hollywood Parsifals, this language creates a kind of ‘earnestness’ in the orchestra, which in turn provides a foil for the soloists, ‘who are doing crazy, absurd, playful things’. Hollywood Parsifals is divided into two movements: a majestic Studio Ident. of just 30 seconds, and a much longer movement, War Western Thriller Horror Romantic Comedy Crime Science Fiction, consisting of six genre vignettes and 33 music cues. (In the Western vignette, for example, the musicians’ parts contain the cues: 4. Titles. 5. Horse and Cart [marked ‘languidly’] – 6. Dismount – 7. Saloon – 8. Showdown.) The result, says Meadowcroft, is an ‘array of familiar atmospheres, orchestrations and stylistic tropes, connecting with our collective memories of cinematic musical archetypes’. And while the visual drama of the Foley interactions can intrude on the imaginary dramas, we’re welcome to put together stories, as each vignette spills into the next. Adapted in part from commentary by Thomas Meadowcroft © 2026
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THOMAS MEADOWCROFT composes music for the concert hall, theatre and radio, and his work has been described as ‘dreamy post-rock’ (New York Times), ‘motorised nostalgia’ (The Scotsman) and ‘between academic schmaltz and avantgarde-pop’ (Zitty Magazine, Berlin). He was born in Canberra and raised in Toowoomba, Queensland. After graduating from the University of Queensland, he studied composition with George Crumb at the University of Pennsylvania, before moving to Berlin in 1998. Since then, he has forged a flourishing international career. His music has been performed by the BBC and Basel symphony orchestras, as well as by orchestras in Germany and by members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He also enjoys longstanding collaborations with Speak Percussion and the New York ensemble Yarn/Wire. Meadowcroft employs a diverse range of musical techniques and styles depending upon context and format. Hollywood Parsifals, for example, developed out of a work composed for the SWR Symphony Orchestra in 2017, The News in Music, which examined TV news music and orchestral music in the service of power, and Another Children’s Television (2022), is a collection of library music for lost children’s television programs from the 1970s. Music critic Paul Griffiths also suggests that his distance from the country of his birth has informed several projects ‘in which memory is coming at us from several different removes’. In particular, aspects of regional Australian cultural memory can be heard in his work for German radio and the ABC. His music has been released on Mode Records (NY) and Sofa Music (Oslo), and he has undertaken residencies in Paris, Los Angeles, Sydney, and the NSW Southern Highlands (as part of the Prelude Composer in Residence program). 16
Bryony Marks (born 1971)
Their World from the soundtrack to Noise Orchestrated by Jared Haschek Their World begins with a piano playing nervously repeated chords under a ‘ragged, out of time’ tremolo. Then, from inside the orchestra, the sound of a sustained note in the second violins. And even as slow melodies emerge from the horns, the violas, and later the brass, the thin, trembling sounds continue – a disconcerting presence. With her score for Noise, Bryony Marks echoes one of the film’s underlying themes: its protagonist suffers from debilitating tinnitus. There’s something special about the piano that augments the disturbing effect: it has been ‘prepared’ (a technique involving the insertion of objects in the strings to distort and colour the sound). Also noteworthy in this concert version of Their World is the absence of woodwinds – no flutes, oboes, clarinets or bassoons – and trumpets. Instead, the piano and orchestral strings are joined by the plucked sounds of harp and acoustic guitar, the shimmer of cymbals, and the hymn-like effect of a brass choir: horns, trombones and tuba. Sounds of Cinema
The feature debut of Australian director Matthew Saville, Noise is a ‘moody, noirish thriller’ starring Brendan Cowell as a tinnitus-afflicted police officer stationed in a suburban town rocked by two heinous crimes – a case of ‘wrong man, right place, wrong time’. Noise, and silence, are central to the drama. As Guardian critic Luke Buckmaster writes: ‘The opening shot of the film isn’t a shot at all, it’s noise. We hear the rumble of a train before we see it or the young commuter Lavinia.’ And it’s no coincidence that Lavinia is wearing earphones: ‘her interpretation of a traumatic situation, like ours, will be influenced by how she hears it.’ With this dramatic focus on all things auditory, director and composer were ideal collaborators. They had in fact met when Marks scored Saville’s student BRYONY MARKS is one of Australia’s busiest screen composers, bringing classical rigour and an insider’s perspective to her work. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with an honours degree in English and Art, before completing a Graduate Diploma in Music Composition for Film and Television at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and joining the inaugural Composers’ Program at ANAM, studying with Simon Bainbridge and Karen Tanaka. In addition to Noise, which won the 2007 FCCA Award for Best Original Score, her award-winning work includes Savage River, 2040, Lambs of God, Frayed, Barracuda, and Berlin Syndrome. She also composed the scores for Chris Lilley’s series We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High and Angry Boys, and for Matthew Saville’s Cloudstreet, Please Like Me, Felony and The King: The Story of Graham Kennedy. Recent projects include Class of ’07 (Amazon), The Messenger (ABC), Human Error (Channel 9), the documentary Mockbuster and the independent feature Just a Farmer. MSO 2026 Season
project at the Victorian College of the Arts, and they’d been married for four years when Noise was released in 2007. Marks describes Saville’s distinctive approach to scoring, which she loves: ‘He’s more interested in putting music where you don’t expect it than when you do.’ The sound world of the film, designed by Emma Bortignon, is layered and dense, and dominated by the mundane: slurping coffee, music bleed from earphones, the clicker-clatter of escalator gears, bursts of static, unanswered telephones and clicking jaws. These noises ‘mesh indistinguishably with composer Bryony Marks’s swelling score’, which adds to the tension and emotion, functioning almost as another character in the film. Yvonne Frindle © 2026
Marks also enjoys writing for the stage and concert hall. Her chamber opera Crossing Live was premiered by Chamber Made Opera in 2007, winning a Green Room Award for Best New Australian Work (Opera). In 2022 she collaborated with choreographer Alice Topp and designer Jon Buswell on Patina for Project Animo, and Annealing, for the Australian Ballet’s Instruments of Dance triple bill. In 2013, the MSO premiered The Happiness Box, her adaptation of the Australian children’s book by Changi POWs David Griffin and Leslie Greener. The Happiness Box has since been performed by the New Zealand, Queensland and Sydney symphony orchestras. Her chamber music includes Australia Fair? Volume 1: The Australian Dream, for string quartet and archival footage, and A Matter of Perspective for bassoon and vibraphone, commissioned by ANAM. And with playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer she has completed two children’s music-theatre works for the Australian Chamber Orchestra: Pinocchio and The Princess, The Pea (and the Brave Escapee). 17
PHOTO: APRA–AMCOS
David Hirschfelder (born 1960)
Three Film Suites The composer writes… My enduring love of music and its synergistic relationship with cinematic art was born out of a single childhood epiphany. One day at six years of age, I was utterly mesmerised by the music from the 1960 film Exodus, as it thundered from our tiny television speaker. I ran to the piano and went about reconstructing Ernest Gold’s soaring melody and aspirational chord progressions.
The Dressmaker Suite They Were Starting to Like Me The Black Dress Goodbye Almanac, Hello Wynerp, Farewell Sgt Farrant – Lakmé Flower Duet You Moved! – Burning Down Dungatar
Guardian Suite Strictly Ballroom Suite Risoluto drammatico – Tango – Grandly Largo Allegro with Intrigue – Cha Cha – Largo Andante Waltz – Allegro misterioso Rhumba de Burros – Fanfare – Vivo Paso Doble Orchestrations by Ricky Edwards (The Dressmaker, Guardian), and Clifford Bradley, Jessica Wells and Jigsaw Music (Strictly Ballroom), with additional arrangements by Jessica Wells (The Dressmaker) 18
Decades later, after many thousands of hours spent creating scores within a variety of media, I was thrilled to receive an invitation to collaborate with the MSO on this concert performance of some of these works. Grateful for the opportunity, I leapt into the journey of crafting three orchestral suites. The Dressmaker Suite reflects the glamorous yet mysterious persona of the story’s central character, Tilly Dunnage, as she interacts with the eccentric characters of her hometown Dungatar – a fictitious rural town somewhere in 1950s Victoria. Having grown up in Ballarat, I could relate, and thus underscored the film’s dark humour with an eclectic array of music styles – ranging from altered folk idioms to minimalist classical structures. The music grows from sparse fragility to dense turmoil, ultimately resolving in Tilly’s peaceful triumph over childhood trauma. Guardian Suite is not so much a suite as a set of variations on the title theme of my score for the animated feature film, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. Set in an ancient fantasy world comprising awesome photorealistic vistas populated by sentient owls, an epic tale unfolds, designed to engage children with themes of racism, class oppression and the importance of social justice. Sounds of Cinema
In animated films a composer is always encouraged to go ‘over-the-top’, and this rich narrative inspired a sweeping cinematic music language, balancing militaristic and Celtic rhythms with orchestral gestures evoking flight. Speaking of over-the-top, the final work in this trilogy is the Strictly Ballroom Suite, a fun mashup of my first film score. The original orchestrations were non-existent, so I transcribed every note from the soundtrack recordings, then transformed what was originally an electro-acoustic studio production into a concerto for two
DAVID HIRSCHFELDER is recognised globally as one of Australia’s most distinguished screen composers, having garnered Oscar nominations for Scott Hicks’s Shine and Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth. He is also the winner of two BAFTA awards: for Elizabeth and Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom. Other film-score credits include Roger Spottiswoode’s Chinese epic The Children of Huang Shi (2008 APRA–AGSC Film Score of the Year); Zack Snyder’s 2010 animated feature Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (AACTA, APRA–AGCS and Annie nominations for Best Score); Jonathan Teplitzky’s 2014 feature The Railway Man (AACTA and APRA Best Score awards); and Russell Crowe’s 2014 film The Water Diviner (FCCA Regal Cinema Best Score and APRA–AGSC Soundtrack of the Year). In 2015, he received an AACTA nomination for his score to Jocelyn Moorhouse’s comedy drama The Dressmaker, starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis and Hugo Weaving, and in 2019 he received AACTA and FCCA nominations for his score to Rachel Griffith’s Ride Like a Girl, starring Teresa Palmer and Sam Neil. This was followed in 2020 by an APRA–AGSC Film Score of the Year nomination for Escape from Pretoria, starring Daniel Radcliffe and MSO 2026 Season
guitars, piano and orchestra, taking care to preserve the youthful exuberance of a 30-year-old composer. The story’s huge emotional arcs and multicultural layers demanded a wide palette of musical colours. Thus emerged a bold combination of flamenco, Latin American rhythms, and mid-century cartoonish kitsch laced with lashings of maximalist classicism! David Hirschfelder © 2026
Daniel Webber. In 2024 Hirschfelder collaborated with his son Sam for the multifaceted score of another Moorhouse comedy, The Fabulous Four, starring Susan Sarandon and Bette Midler. Later that year, he received an APRA–AGSC Soundtrack of the Year nomination for Sleeping Dogs, starring Russell Crowe and Karen Gillan. This was followed by another collaboration with his son Sam: the score for the documentary feature But Also John Clarke, which premiered at the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival. Hirschfelder’s concert works include Eternity for orchestra, choir and 1,000 tap dancers (commissioned for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony), Mixed Doubles for string quartet (2004 Adelaide Fringe Arts Festival), and To a Child for soprano and string quartet, recorded and released in 2016 by Katie Noonan and the Brodsky Quartet. In 2018 he completed another commission for Katie Noonan and the Australian String Quartet, setting the poem ‘No More Boomerang’ by indigenous artist Oodgeroo Noonuccul. Last year saw the release of UNFOLD 缘启 – an album of contemporary art music marking his first collaboration with Guzheng virtuoso Mindy Meng Wang.
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Michael Aquilina Christine and Mark Armour Ren Barlow Shane Buggle and Rosie Callanan ♡ Q Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM Debbie Dadon AM Q Tim and Lyn Edward ♡ ♫ Edwards Family Trust Q Catherine and Fred Gerardson The Hogan Family Foundation Pauline and David Lawton Suzie and Edgar Myer ♡ Paul Noonan Elizabeth Proust AO and Brian Lawrence ☼ Sage Foundation ☼ Kim Williams AM ♫ Anonymous (2)
Maestro Patrons ($10,000+)
John and Lorraine Bates ☼ Margaret Billson and the late Ted Billson ♡ Nigel and Sheena Broughton Cooper Investors The Cuming Bequest Audrey Cutting Miss Ann Darby in memory of Leslie J Darby Craig Drummond Andrew and Theresa Dyer Q ♡
Val Dyke ♡ Fancourt Capital Group Q The Finkel Foundation Q Bill Fleming Q Cecilie Hall and the late Hon Michael Watt KC ♡ ♫ Hanlon Foundation ♡ Ryan Harkness Jo Horgan AM and Peter Wetenhall Q David Horowicz ♡ Q Peter T Kempen AM ♡ Q Suzanne Kirkham Peter Lovell Janet Matton AM and Robin Rowe Q Allan and Evelyn McLaren Rosemary and the late Douglas Meagher ♡ The Mercer Family Foundation The Myer Foundation Patricia Nilsson ♡ Dr Justin O’Day and Sally O’Day Q Ian and Jeannie Paterson Prior Family Foundation RQ Squared Consulting Ralph and Ruth Renard Glenn Sedgwick ♡ Q Cathy Simpson and John Simpson AM Q Straight Bat Private Equity Q Lyn Williams AC Q Igor Zambelli Anonymous (4)
Principal Patrons ($5,000+)
Andyinc Foundation Mary Armour Arnold Bloch Leibler Q Philip Bacon AO Q Barbara Bell in memory of Elsa Bell Natasha Bowness Julia and Jim Breen Jannie Brown Janet Chauvel and the late Dr Richard Chauvel John Coppock OAM and Lyn Coppock Mrs Jolene S Coultas ♡ Philip Crutchfield KC David and Kathy Danziger Anthony and Marina Darling Q
♡ Chair Sponsor | 2025 Europe Tour Circle | ☼ First Nations Circle ♫ Commissioning Circle | ∞ Future MSO
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Sounds of Cinema
Mary Davidson and the late Frederick Davidson AM Sandra Dent Carol des Cognets Equity Trustees ☼ Diane and Stephen Fisher John and Diana Frew ♡ Geelong Friends of the MSO The Glavas Family ♡ Colin Golvan AM KC and Dr Deborah Golvan Dr Rhyl Wade and Dr Clem Gruen ♡ Louis J Hamon OAM Noela Henderson Dr Keith Higgins and Dr Jane Joshi Geoff and Denise Illing Amy and Paul Jasper Sandy Jenkins John Jones Merv Keehn and Sue Harlow Mr Ian Kennedy AM and Dr Sandra Hacker AO Ann Lahore Lucas Family Foundation ♡ Morris and Helen Margolis ♡ Samantha Mark Christopher Menz and Peter Rose Gary McPherson ♡ Rupert Myer AO and Annabel Myer Anne Neil in memory of Murray A Neil ♡ Sophie Oh Jan and Keith Richards Dr Rosemary Ayton and Professor Sam Ricketson AM Meredith Schilling KC The Kate and Stephen Shelmerdine Family Foundation Q Dr Michael Soon Harry Stamoulis Gai and David Taylor Mary Waldron Kee Wong and Wai Tang Q Dawna Wright and Peter Riedel ♡ Shirley and Jeffrey Zajac Anonymous (5)
Associate Patrons ($2,500+) Barry and Margaret Amond Carolyn Baker Lyn Bailey Ariane Barker Michael Bartlett
MSO 2026 Season
Janet H Bell Allen and Kathryn Bloom Boncal Family Foundation Drs Alan and Jennifer Breschkin Stuart Brown Dr Giovanni Butera Dr Lynda Campbell Oliver Carton Christine Clough Caroline Davies Leo de Lange Escala Partners Donald Farrands KC James Flintoft and Siobhan McKenna Martin Foley Q Elizabeth Foster Barry Fradkin OAM and Dr Pam Fradkin Anthony Garvey and Estelle O’Callaghan Janette Gill The Glenholme Foundation R Goldberg and Family Miss Catherine Gray Christine Grenda Susan and Gary Hearst Michael Heine Q Julie Kantor AO and Michael Kantor Halina Lewenberg Charitable Foundation Dr Jenny Lewis Liza Lim AM ♫ Andrew Lockwood Lisa and Brad Matthews Andrea McCall Chris McDermott Peter McMullin AM Craig Moffatt and Peter Cameron Dr Paul Nisselle AM George Pappas AO in memory of Jillian Pappas Roger Parker and Ruth Parker Alan and Dorothy Pattison James Ring Tom and Elizabeth Romanowski Dr Ronald and Elizabeth Rosanove Gillian Ruan Q Viorica Samson Adam Seward Steinicke Family Jenny Tatchell Aaron Turner Christina Turner Nicholas and Faith Vann
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Timothy Walker CBE AM Janet Whiting AM and Phil Lukies Q Anonymous (5)
Player Patrons ($1,000+)
Dr Sally Adams Don Adamson Jessica Agoston Cleary ∞ Applebay Pty Ltd Margaret Astbury Geoffrey and Vivienne Baker Marlyn Bancroft and Peter Bancroft OAM Mr Robin Batterham Kate Beattie Peter Berry and Amanda Quirk Rick Berry William Birch Michael Bowles and Alma Gill Joyce Bown Jill and Robert Brook Drs John D L Brookes and Lucy V Hanlon Suzie Brown OAM and the late Harvey Brown Roger and Coll Buckle Jill and Christopher Buckley Ronald Burnstein John Chapman and Elisabeth Murphy Kaye Cleary Warren and Margaret Collins Sue Dahn Mrs Nola Daley Panch Das and Laurel Young-Das Michael Davies and Drina Staples Rick and Sue Deering John and Anne Duncan Dr Matthew Dunn Christopher R Fraser Chris Freelance Miles George David I Gibbs AM and Susie O’Neill Sonia Gilderdale Joy and Dr Henry Glennie Dr Celia Godfrey George H Golvan KC and Naomi Golvan Dr Marged Goode Louise Gourlay AM Q Hilary Hall, in memory of Wilma Collie David Hardy Cathy Henry Gwenda Henry
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Michael Hill Anthony and Karen Ho In Memory of Rosemary Hodgson Anna Holdsworth Rod Home Lorraine Hook Doug Hooley Katherine Horwood Penelope Hughes Basil and Rita Jenkins Wendy Johnson Sue Johnston Dr Gint Kalpokas and Dr Michael Upson Drs Bruce and Natalie Kellett Dr Anne Kennedy In memory of Tannah Kirkman Tim Knaggs Melissa Tonkin and George Kokkinos Dr Jerry Koliha and Marlene Krelle Jane Kunstler Kerry Landman Janet and Ross Lapworth Rex Lau Bryan Lawrence Phil Lewis David R Lloyd Elizabeth H Loftus Dr Helen MacLean Eleanor Mancini Sandra Masel in memory of Leigh Masel Wayne McDonald and Kay Schroer Lesley McMullin Foundation Dr Eric Meadows Sylvia Miller Susan Morgan ∞ Ian Morrey and Geoffrey Minter Dr Anthony and Dr Anna Morton Dr Judith S Nimmo Rosemary O’Connor Brendan O’Donnell Phil Parker Bruce Parncutt AO Ian Penboss Ronald Pitcher AM Liz and Graham Pratt Peter Priest Professor Charles Qin OAM and Kate Ritchie Eli and Lorraine Raskin Michael Riordan and Geoffrey Bush Cathy Rogers OAM and Dr Peter Rogers AM
Sounds of Cinema
The Rowe Family Marie Rowland Liliane Rusek and Alexander Ushakoff Marshall Segan in memory of Berek Segan OBE AM and Marysia Segan, Founders of the Castlemaine State Festival Martin and Susan Shirley P Shore Janet and Alex Starr Dr Peter Strickland Bernard Sweeney Russell Taylor and Tara Obeyesekere Frank Tisher OAM and Dr Miriam Tisher Margaret Toomey Andrew and Penny Torok Chris and Helen Trueman Ann and Larry Turner Dr Elsa Underhill and Professor Malcolm Rimmer Edward and Paddy White Willcock Family Robert and Diana Wilson Anonymous (20)
Overture Patrons ($500+)
Anna A’Beckett Margaret Abbey PSM Vera Afanasyeva Jane Allan and Mark Redmond Jenny Anderson Doris Au Robbie Barker Marcus Beames Amrita Bhattacharyya and Anna Kontarini Caroline Bowler Stephen and Caroline Brain Robert Bridgart Miranda Brockman Christine Brown Elizabeth Brown Phillip Brown Patricia Buchanan Marc Buchholz and Stephan Duchesne Ian Carson AM Dr Catherine Cherry Dr Hyein Ellen Cho Alan and Wendy Chuck Robert and Katherine Coco Gregory Crew Sue Cummings Dr John Daley and Dr Rebecca Coates
MSO 2026 Season
Toby Duffy Jane Edmanson OAM Ron Elisha Vivien and Jack Fajgenbaum Brian Florence Nadine Fogale M C Friday Nikki Gaskell Dr Julia Gellatly David and Geraldine Glenny Hugo and Diane Goetze Eva Gory The late George Hampel AM KC and Felicity Hampel AM SC Dr Neville Hathaway Geoff Hayes Alison Heard Dr Jennifer Henry C M Herd Endowment William Holder Oliver Hutton and Weiyang Li Rob Jackson Shyama Jayaswal Chris and Merryl Jessup Karen Johnson Tony and Nathalie Johnson Linda Jones John Keys Lesley King Dr Judith Kinnear Heather Law Peter Letts Andrew Levy Sarah and Andrew Lindsay Elena Lovu Janice Mayfield Dr James McComish Joel McGuinness Gail McKay Jennifer McKean Shirley A McKenzie Richard McNeill Alison Milne Professor Heather Mitchell Lisa Mitchell Joan Mullumby Yoko Murakoshi Rebecca-Kate Nayton Adrian and Louise Nelson Marian Neumann Ed Newbigin
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Valerie Newman Amanda O’Brien John O’Toole Phil Parker The Hon Chris Pearce and Andrea Pearce Jason Peart Sienna di Pietro and Lewis Pierce Geoffrey Ravenscroft Ian Reddoch Dr Christopher Rees Fred and Patricia Russell Grant Samphier Julia Schlapp Faye Simpson Irene Sutton Rosemary Swift Tom Sykes Allison Taylor Hugh and Elizabeth Taylor Lily Tell Serey Thir Geoffrey Thomlinson Wendy Thorpe OAM Mely Tjandra Sally and Adrian Wallis Rosemary Warnock Amanda Wasilewski Amanda Watson Shirley and Peter Watson Brian and Leanne Whiter Deborah and Dr Kevin Whithear OAM David Willersdorf AM and Linda Willersdorf Charles and Jill Wright Richard Ye Anonymous (13)
MSO Guardians
Jenny Anderson David Angelovich Lesley Bawden Peter Berry and Amanda Quirk Tarna Bibron Joyce Bown Patricia A Breslin B J Brown Jannie Brown Jenny Brukner and the late John Brukner Sarah Bullen Georgie and Phil Burg Peter A Caldwell Peter Cameron and Craig Moffatt
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Luci and Ron Chambers Roger Chao Sandra Dent James Dipnall Sophie E Dougall in memory of Libby Harold Val Dyke Alan Egan JP Gunta Eglite Marguerite Garnon-Williams Dr Clem Gruen and Dr Rhyl Wade Louis J Hamon OAM Charles Hardman and Julianne Bambacas Carol Hay Dr Jennifer Henry Graham Hogarth Rod Home David Horowicz Lyndon Horsburgh Katherine Horwood Tony Howe Lindsay Wynne Jacombs Michael Christopher Scott Jacombs John Jones Merv Keehn and Sue Harlow Pauline and David Lawton Robyn and Maurice Lichter Christopher Menz and Peter Rose Dr Helen MacLean Andrea McCall Cameron Mowat Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James David Orr Matthew O’Sullivan Rosia Pasteur Kerryn Pratchett Penny Rawlins Margaret Riches Anne Roussac-Hoyne and Neil Roussac Michael Ryan and Wendy Mead Anne Kieni Serpell and Andrew Serpell Jennifer Shepherd Suzette Sherazee Professors Gabriela and George Stephenson Pamela Swansson Frank Tisher OAM and Dr Miriam Tisher Mr and Mrs R P Trebilcock Christina Helen Turner Michael Ullmer AO The Hon Rosemary Varty Francis Vergona
Sounds of Cinema
Mr Steve Vertigan and Ms Yolande van Oosten Tam Vu and Dr Cherilyn Tillman Robert Weiss and Jacqueline Orian Terry Wills Cooke OAM and the late Marian Wills Cooke Mark Young Anonymous (18) The MSO gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Estates Norma Ruth Atwell Angela Beagley Barbara Bobbe Michael Francois Boyt Christine Mary Bridgart Margaret Anne Brien Ken Bullen Deidre and Malcolm Carkeek Elizabeth Ann Cousins The Cuming Bequest Margaret Davies Blair Doig Dixon Neilma Gantner Angela Felicity Glover The Hon Dr Alan Goldberg AO QC Derek John Grantham Delina Victoria Schembri-Hardy Enid Florence Hookey Gwen Hunt Family and Friends of James Jacoby Audrey Jenkins Joan Jones Pauline Marie Johnston George and Grace Kass Christine Mary Kellam C P Kemp Jennifer Selina Laurent Sylvia Rose Lavelle Dr Elizabeth Ann Lewis AM Peter Forbes MacLaren Joan Winsome Maslen Lorraine Maxine Meldrum Professor Andrew McCredie Jean Moore Joan P Robinson Maxwell and Jill Schultz Miss Sheila Scotter AM MBE Marion A I H M Spence Molly Stephens Gwennyth St John MSO 2026 Season
Halinka Tarczynska-Fiddian Jennifer May Teague Elisabeth Turner Albert Henry Ullin Cecilia Edith Umber Jean Tweedie Herta and Fred B Vogel Diana Whitehead Dorothy Wood Joyce Winsome Woodroffe The MSO honours the memory of Life Members The late Marc Besen AC and the late Eva Besen AO John Brockman OAM The Hon Alan Goldberg AO QC Bertha Jorgensen MBE Harold Mitchell AC Roger Riordan AM Ila Vanrenen Listing current as of 30 July 2026 The MSO relies on the generosity of our community to help us enrich lives through music, foster artistic excellence, and reach new audiences. Thank you for your support.
♡
Chair Sponsors – supporting the beating heart of the MSO.
2025 Europe Tour Circle patrons – elevating the MSO on the world stage.
☼
First Nations Circle patrons – supporting First Nations artist development and performance initiatives.
♫
Commissioning Circle patrons – contributing to the evolution of our beloved art form.
∞
Future MSO patrons – the next generation of giving.
The MSO welcomes support at any level. Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.
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MSO Family MSO Board
MSO Artistic Family
MSO Staff
Chair Edgar Myer
Jaime Martín Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor
Richard Wigley Chief Executive Officer
Benjamin Northey Principal Guest Conductor
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Co-Deputy Chairs Martin Foley Farrel Meltzer Board Directors Shane Buggle Tony Grybowski Lorraine Hook Chris Howlett Joel McGuinness Gary McPherson Lisa Mitchell Meredith Schilling SC Mary Waldron Company Secretary Randal Williams
Daniel Corvaia Cybec Assistant Conductor Sir Andrew Davis CBE † Conductor Laureate (2013–2024) Hiroyuki Iwaki † Conductor Laureate (1974–2006) Warren Trevelyan-Jones MSO Chorus Director Karen Kyriakou Artist in Residence – Learning and Engagement Christian Li Young Artist in Association Joe Chindamo Composer in Residence Andrew Aronowicz Cybec Young Composer in Residence James Henry Cybec First Nations Composer in Residence Xian Zhang, Lu Siqing, Tan Dun Artistic Ambassadors
Simonette Turner Director of Orchestra & Operations Meg Bowker Orchestra Manager Ffion Edwards Orchestra Manager Callum Moncrieff Head of Operations Jy Etherington Production Lead Andrew Robinson Production Lead Nicholas Cooper Operations Lead Katharine Bartholomeusz-Plows Head of Artistic Planning Keturah Haisman Artistic & Engagement Manager Veronika Reeves Artistic Administrator Julia Potter Artistic Coordinator Kate Rockstrom Principal Librarian Jennifer Collins Orchestra Librarian Megan Baker Chorus Administrator
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Sounds of Cinema
Nicholas Bochner Head of Learning & Engagement Elizabeth Dedman Learning & Engagement Lead Fergus Inder Jams Program Coordinator Erika Noguchi Executive Producer, MSO Presents Rebecca Moore Associate Producer, MSO Presents Monica Curro MSO+ Creative Director Emma Wigley MSO+ Producer Sally Hern Head of Digital Experience Casual Production Staff Anita, Aurora, Campbell, Jenny, Jess, Lauren, Lewis, Liz, Lindsay, Lucca, Manny, Matthew, Matthieu, Millie, Ned, Steven DEVELOPMENT & REACH Suzanne Dembo Chief Operating Officer Lisa Drew Assistant to the COOr Caroline Buckley Director of Strategic Priorities Allison Blahna Director of Development Charlotte Crocker Philanthropy Programs Lead
MSO 2026 Season
Isobel Lake Grants & Reporting Lead
Ben Wallace Box Office Manager
Keith Clancy Donor Liaison
Nicole Rees CRM & insights Manager
Nellie McLean Head of Partnerships
Sam Harvey CRM & Data Specialist
Nina Dubecki Events & Partnerships Lead
Marta Arquero Ticketing & Customer Experience Coordinator
Jayde Walker Director of Brand & Communications Phil Paschke Senior Manager, Content & Digital Samantha Meuleman Digital Content Lead Prue Bassett Publicity Manager Beckie Peel Social Media Coordinator Dylan Stewart Director of Marketing, Insights & Customer Experience Sarah Rozycki Head of Marketing Laura Mitton Campaign Marketing Manager Claudia Biaggini Senior Marketing Coordinator
Box Office Attendants Angela, Ashley, Bec, Bradd, Christine, Emil, Jessica, Josh, Kara, Kez, Leah, Lucy, Maeve, Sasha, Stephanie FINANCE & PEOPLE AND CULTURE Anita Drake Chief Financial Officer Sonia Yakub Senior Management Accountant (on leave) Laura Estupiñan Accountant Marilen Manalo Assistant Accountant Matthew Bagi Project Officer Holly Wighton People & Culture Lead Jess Kirkman Payroll Officer
Leah Toyne Marketing Administrator Alison Kearney Customer Experience Manager
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Thank You to Our Partners Principal Partner
Major Government Partners
Major Partner
Supporting Government Partners
Supporting Partners
Paul Noonan, Keypoint Law
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Sounds of Cinema
Training and Education Partners
Trusts and Foundations
Freemasons Foundation Victoria
The Ledger Charitable Trust
Perpetual Foundation – Alan (AGL) Shaw Endowment
Sidney Myer MSO Trust Fund
Broadcast and Production Partners
Venue Partners
MSO 2026 Season
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