Sydney Symphony 2021 Season Brochure

TAKE A NEW JOURNEY. 2021 SEASON

TAKE A NEW JOURNEY

Nothing’s more uplifting than live music. This is the spirit behind our 2021 Season – an opportunity to stand by Australian talent as we celebrate all the places only music can take you. On our way, we’ll travel round the world and up to the present day. From Vienna’s golden age and radical Romanticism, to Russian resistance and 21st century post-minimalism. These are shared stories told through music – a season starring world-class artists from both home and abroad.

Ready to begin? Your journey starts here.

WHERE TO BEGIN?

THE BENEFITS OF SUBSCRIBING

A 2021 subscription comes with brilliant perks and helps you get the most out of your experience. You can choose from one of our Series Packs or Create Your Own Pack.

SERIES PACK

Receive priority access to the best seats and enjoy great discounts. We’ve made choosing a journey easy with our Series Packs, which have something for everyone. From our Abercrombie & Kent Masters Series to Tea & Symphony, it’s the music you love, experienced in a way that feels even more special. Good to know: If your plans change, you can swap your concerts with no additional fees.

CREATE YOUR OWN PACK

Cherry-pick exactly which concerts you’d like to experience. With the Create Your Own option you can select four or more concerts and build your own customised season. The choice is yours.

AND YOUR SUPPORT GOES A LONG WAY

Whether it’s creating better opportunities for the next generation of young Australian musicians to learn their craft or more ways to support music in the community, none of what we do would be possible without you.

Thank you.

A LUXURY 13-DAY ABERCROMBIE & KENT

KIMBERLEY EXPEDITION

Subscribe before Friday 13 November 2020 for your chance to win a thrilling 13-day exploration of Australia’s spectacular Kimberley Coast aboard the state-of-the-art expedition yacht ‘Le Laperouse’ – valued up to $50,000, twin share. Brought to you by luxury travel pioneers Abercrombie & Kent, proud supporters of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. For more journey highlights, see the full itinerary here: abercrombiekent.com.au/sydneysymphonyprize2020

OR A CHANCE TO WIN BACK YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

Three lucky runners-up will win back the value of their Sydney Symphony subscription. Enjoy a year’s worth of live performances for free.

For full details and terms visit sydneysymphony.com/terms or call (02) 8215 4600. Authorised under NSW Authority Number: TP/00207.

AUTUMN

ROMANCE BEGINS

TCHAIKOVSKY

Violin Concerto

CONNOR D’NETTO Fifty Fanfares Commission

DVOŘÁK

Symphony No.9, From the New World

Our curtain raiser for 2021? Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. One of the most (if not the most) popular Romantic violin concertos, it’s a beautifully lush piece – and almost impossible not to fall in love with. Tchaikovsky’s romantic violin concerto is an opportunity to experience the Sydney Symphony debut of the dazzling virtuoso Daniel Röhn.

Inspiring just as much passion is Dvořák’s New World Symphony. A striking blend of his typical Bohemian style and African American influences, Dvořák’s symphony remains a universal favourite – even taken along with Neil Armstrong on his journey to the moon.

Wed 10 Feb, 8pm

Thu 11 Feb, 7pm*

Fri 12 Feb, 8pm Sat 13 Feb, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

GREAT MINDS SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN

Leonore Overture No.3

Ah! perfido

Symphony No.7

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

LAUREN FAGAN

soprano

Experience the fire and feeling kindled when two musical spirits meet. As someone who’s spent years getting inside Beethoven’s mind – even going so far as to learn his language – Chief Conductor Designate Simone Young pushes every button in her masterful interpretation of his work. In this instance, it’s the dramatic Leonore Overture from Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, and one of his best-loved pieces, Symphony No.7. Motion, melody and a touch of mystery – music wouldn’t be the same without Ludwig.

Thu 18 Feb, 1.30pm Sat 20 Feb, 2pm

Sydney Town Hall

REFLECTIONS OF LIGHT

JONNY GREENWOOD & SAINT-SAËNS

LYLE CHAN

Fifty Fanfares Commission

JONNY GREENWOOD Water

SAINT-SAËNS

Symphony No.3, Organ Symphony

DANE LAM conductor

DAVID DRURY organ

‘Where any-angled light would congregate endlessly.’ Sometimes even a glass of water can be your muse. Taking cues from Philip Larkin’s poem, we begin with Radiohead’s guitarist Jonny Greenwood and his composition Water. Here instead of seeing refractions of light, we hear them – cascading, skipping, sliding and overlapping one another. Refraction leads to reverberation with Saint-Saëns’ Third Symphony, the French composer’s most famous work. Performed on one of the largest organs in the world, it’s a resonant finish to a truly unique line-up. Dane Lam conducts.

Thu 25 Feb, 7pm

Sydney Town Hall

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

DANE LAM CONDUCTS

CELEBRATING BACH ANDREW HAVERON PERFORMS BACH

LYLE CHAN

Fifty Fanfares Commission SAINT-SAËNS

Symphony No.3, Organ Symphony

DANE LAM conductor

DAVID DRURY organ

When Saint-Saëns finished his Third Symphony, he knew it was his masterpiece: “What I have here accomplished, I will never achieve again.” Imposing words for any conductor to wrestle with. But with the prodigious Australian Dane Lam holding the baton, the French composer’s legacy is in deft hands. Better known as the Organ Symphony for its unusual – yet spectacular – use of the instrument, it seems only fitting we hear it on one of the largest organs in the world.

Fri 26 Feb, 11am

Sydney Town Hall

BACH

Orchestral Suite No.2

Concerto for Two Violins

Orchestral Suite No.3

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

FIONA ZIEGLER violin

EMMA SHOLL flute

Exquisite, serene, daunting, brilliant. Do we even have enough adjectives to describe Bach’s music? During his lifetime, the Baroque master composed more than 1,000 pieces. Here, we revel in some of his greatest works, Orchestral Suites No.2 and No.3, and the intricately beautiful Concerto for Two Violins. Concertmaster Andrew Haveron leads as soloist along with Fiona Ziegler and Emma Sholl.

Wed 3 Mar, 7pm Thu 4 Mar, 7pm City Recital Hall

MUSICAL GENIUS MOZART & SCHUMANN

SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS

HAYDN: SEVEN LAST WORDS

LACHLAN SKIPWORTH

Fifty Fanfares Commission

MOZART

The Abduction from the Seraglio – Overture

MOZART

Clarinet Concerto

SCHUMANN

Symphony No.2

ASHER FISCH conductor

FRANCESCO CELATA

clarinet

HAYDN Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

Happiness is listening to Mozart – especially The Abduction from the Seraglio. While his opera is known for its high energy and light-hearted mood, his Clarinet Concerto reveals a gentler side. Laid back and lyrical, the Clarinet Concerto is one of Mozart's most beloved pieces – and expertly showcased by our own Associate Principal Clarinet Francesco Celata. For more music ahead of its time, it’s onto Schumann. Despite his generally fragile health, his Second Symphony remains defiantly optimistic – a triumph of spirit reflected in the finale itself.

Wed 17 Mar, 8pm

Thu 18 Mar, 1.30pm

Fri 19 Mar, 8pm

Sat 20 Mar, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

A church interior draped in black cloth. One lantern lighting up the dark. A bishop giving a sermon on each of Christ’s last words on the cross. This was the unusual Easter tradition for which the Holy Cave Oratory in Spain asked Haydn to compose music – commissioning seven pieces to reflect each last ‘word’ of Jesus.

With the technical skill involved, Haydn was at his most daring – and at his most dramatic. “Each movement,” he declared, will move listeners “to the very depths of [their] soul.” As such a powerful expression of loss and sacrifice, we defy you not to feel something – no matter what your beliefs.

Fri 26 Mar, 11am

Sydney Town Hall

UPLIFTING EXPRESSIONS

HAYDN & GABRIELI

BARBER

Mutations from Bach

GABRIELI

Canzon per Sonar

Primi Toni No.1

LAURIDSEN

O Magnum Mysterium

GABRIELI

Canzon per Sonar in Echo Duodecimi Toni

HAYDN

Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

A WINDOW TO THE SOUL SIBELIUS SYMPHONY NO.2

Gabrieli’s canzoni are the pinnacle of early Baroque choral style, and in the 20th century American composers Samuel Barber and Morten Lauridsen looked back at these early choral styles for inspiration in their own music. While Barber and Gabrieli’s music was always meant for brass instruments, Lauridsen’s choral masterpiece has lost none of its uplifting power in this spectacular and unusual brass arrangement. Commissioned to provide music for each ‘last word’ of Jesus for an unusual Easter tradition, this is Haydn at his most daring – and most dramatic. “Each movement,” he declared, will move listeners “to the very depths of [their] soul.”

Sat 27 Mar, 2pm

Sydney Town Hall

MARIA GRENFELL

Fifty Fanfares Commission

MAX RICHTER

On the Nature of Daylight

SIBELIUS

Symphony No.2

BENJAMIN NORTHEY conductor

Simple but sublime, Max Richter’s minimalist style makes him one of the most popular composers alive today. On the Nature of Daylight is a strikingly beautiful piece, cinematic enough to be used in films such as Shutter Island and Arrival

Composed during a winter spent in Italy, Sibelius’ Second Symphony is another meditative work from the enigmatic Finnish composer. Quiet and simple to begin with, it melts into some of his warmest music before rising to a glorious, expansive finale. Something Sibelius would later declare “a confession of the soul.”

Thu 22 Apr, 7pm

Sydney Town Hall

BOLD PAIRINGS

& GRIEG

TCHAIKOVSKY

Souvenir de Florence

GRIEG

String Quartet No.1

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Kristy Conrau

Marianne Edwards

Graham Hennings

Claire Herrick

Stuart Johnson

Wendy Kong

Timothy Nankervis

Leonid Volovelsky

Sun Yi

Like the city that inspired the work, Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence is both lush and grand – mingled with cobbled corners of romance and innocence. It’s an impressive feat for a piece written for only six instruments. Grieg’s First String Quartet is similarly deceptive (in a good way) – brighter and bolder than its small ensemble suggests, and a perfect pairing for Tchaikovsky’s sextet.

HEAVENLY VOICES

MAHLER’S FOURTH SYMPHONY

MARK HOLDSWORTH

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SCHUBERT

Lieder selections

MAHLER

Symphony No.4

UMBERTO CLERICI conductor

JACQUELINE PORTER

soprano

Experience the might and magnificence of Gustav Mahler. Not one for half-measures, the composer believed a symphony should be like the world, “it must contain everything.” In his Fourth Symphony, he takes us to the heavens themselves as we travel through the gates of paradise and into angelic realms. Mahler chose to do something no composer had ever done before by ending his symphony with a song for solo voice. Titled, ‘The Heavenly Life’, the song’s air of bright innocence captures the symphony’s overall sense of gemütlichkeit –an untranslatable German word that suggests both belonging and cosiness. Settle in as conductor Umberto Clerici leads us to paradise.

Fri 30 Apr, 6pm Sat 1 May, 6pm

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Thu 6 May, 1.30pm

Sydney Town Hall

MUSICAL POETS

SCHUBERT & MAHLER

SCHUBERT

Lieder selections

MAHLER

Symphony No.4

UMBERTO CLERICI conductor

JACQUELINE PORTER soprano

FORCE OF NATURE

BEETHOVEN’S PASTORAL SYMPHONY

JULIAN YU

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BEETHOVEN

Egmont Overture

NIELSEN

Flute Concerto

BEETHOVEN

Symphony No.6, Pastoral

JOHANNES FRITZSCH conductor

JOSHUA BATTY flute

There’s music in poetry, just as there’s poetry in music. For Schubert, the connection between the two was undeniable. With over 600 songs and vocal works to his name, the Austrian was well-known for setting poetry to music. Schubert’s compositions swell with all the wistful emotion, individualism and drama of the poetry of the Romantic era. In Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, we hear another poetry lover at play. It’s the last of his symphonies inspired by songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Youth’s Magic Horn), a collection of German folk poems. Hearing a voice woven into a symphony is at once innocently nostalgic and powerfully divine. Umberto Clerici leads us on this journey through poetic music.

Sat 8 May, 2pm

Sydney Town Hall

Birdsong. Flowing rivers. Summer storms. In his Pastoral Symphony, Beethoven has us stop and smell the roses. Remarkable to think this was composed at the same time as his fire and brimstone Fifth Symphony, the work’s lush sense of nature invites you to enjoy the country after too long in the city. When Danish composer Carl Nielsen heard the players of the Copenhagen Wind Quintet in performance he was so impressed he decided to write a concerto for each of them, starting with his Flute Concerto. Virtuosic and bold, yet tender and heartfelt, this music takes as many twists and turns as Beethoven’s Symphony on its way to a happy conclusion. German conductor Johannes Fritzsch is no stranger to Beethoven and brings his superb interpretative skills to this performance with our Principal Flute, Joshua Batty as soloist.

Wed 12 May, 8pm

Fri 14 May, 8pm

Sat 15 May, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

BREAKTHROUGHS ADAMS & SHOSTAKOVICH

CELEBRATIONS AND FANFARES

SYDNEY SYMPHONY BRASS

MICHAEL BAKRNČEV

Fifty Fanfares Commission

JOHN ADAMS

Shaker Loops

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No.1

FABIAN RUSSELL conductor

COPLAND

Fanfare for the Common Man

VIERNE

Triumphal March for the Centenary of Napoleon I

HANDEL

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

MESSIAEN

L’ Ascension: Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père

CHARPENTIER

Te Deum – Prelude

If you’re trying to burst onto the scene, why not go big?

For the young John Adams in 1978, it was Shaker Loops that turned heads – a pulsing and exhilarating minimalist ride. For the even younger Dmitri Shostakovich in 1926, it was his Petrograd Conservatory graduation effort, his First Symphony, which launched his career. Like all of his music, it is a piece filled with wit, drama and tragedy. Fabian Russell conducts.

Thu 27 May, 7pm

Sydney Town Hall

BIZET

Carmen Suite

GIGOUT

Grand Choeur Dialogue

FABIAN RUSSELL conductor

DAVID DRURY organ

Fabian Russell leads a program of celebration and fanfare at Sydney Town Hall. As a tubist-turned-conductor, Russell is perfectly at home bringing out the glorious brightness of our brass players alongside guest organist David Drury.

We begin with Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man

A big, bold and majestic ode to America, it conjures up the vast plains, echoing canyons and unabashed optimism of his home country. From here, we journey through 300 years of music, from celebratory Handel to devout Messiaen, and the Spanish suite of Bizet’s opera Carmen –which includes the famously jaunty Toreador Song

Fri 28 May, 11am

Sydney Town Hall

WINTER

QUARTETS FROM THE HEART

MOZART & SHOSTAKOVICH

MOZART

String Quartet No.19, Dissonance

SHOSTAKOVICH

String Quartet No.9

SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Emma Jezek

Stuart Johnson

Timothy Nankervis

Anna Skálová

From one master to another. Mozart’s String Quartet No.19 is a worthy dedication to his mentor Haydn – the ‘Father of the String Quartet’. Like matters of the heart, the piece plays on our emotions and expectations, enticing us in with a lilting dissonance, before unfolding into a spirited (and very Mozartian) first movement.

Emotional from start to finish, Shostakovich’s quartet dives deep into the heart as he reflects on his relationship with his third wife Irina Antonovna.

AMONG FRIENDS GRIEG’S

PIANO CONCERTO

RAVEL

Le Tombeau de Couperin

GRIEG

Piano Concerto

HAYDN

Symphony No.104, London

NICHOLAS CARTER conductor

PIERS LANE

piano

While World War I typically inspired more sombre art, Ravel’s piece celebrates the memory of lost friends with French baroque style. More joy follows with Grieg’s Piano Concerto. From its dramatic opening to its lyrical slow movement and spectacular ending, it captures the essence of Grieg's Norwegian heritage – particularly in its folkdance finale.

Switching from serious to playful, innovating by twists and turns, the remarkable 104th was Haydn’s last symphony – and remains one of his most popular.

Fri 11 Jun, 6pm

Sat 12 Jun, 6pm

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Sat 12 Jun, 2pm

Sydney Town Hall

BANQUET OF SOUND

& BRAHMS

HARRY SDRAULIG

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BEETHOVEN

Triple Concerto

SCHREKER

Intermezzo

BRAHMS

Symphony No.3

NICHOLAS CARTER conductor

PIERS LANE

piano

ANDREW HAVERON

violin

UMBERTO CLERICI

cello

Beethoven’s Triple Concerto is one of the few pieces for joint soloists still performed today. From a quiet opening emerges music that’s all about the interplay between soloists. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear the skills of Concertmaster Andrew Haveron, cellist Umberto Clerici and Australian pianist Piers Lane.

Unfairly overlooked by history, Schreker was one of the most prominent Austrian composers of the early 20th century thanks to sweeping, richly coloured works such as this Intermezzo. Brahms’ Symphony No.3 provides the perfect conclusion. From a dramatic and passionate opening unfolds music that’s classically romantic.

Wed 16 Jun, 8pm

Thu 17 Jun, 1.30pm

Fri 18 Jun, 8pm Sat 19 Jun, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

HERE’S TO MOZART CLERICI CONDUCTS MOZART & SCHUBERT

IBERT

Hommage à Mozart

MOZART

Piano Concerto No.17

SCHUBERT

Symphony No.5

UMBERTO CLERICI conductor

DANIEL DE BORAH piano

His melodic genius. His dramatic timing. His mastery of every genre. With over 600 works to his name, Mozart changed the course of Western music. Many composers have paid homage to him – and tonight, we do too.

Umberto Clerici conducts the night’s celebrations, beginning with Jacques Ibert’s commemorative Hommage à Mozart, followed by Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.17, and finishing with Schubert’s Fifth Symphony – the most ‘Mozartian’ of all his symphonies.

Wed 23 Jun, 7pm Thu 24 Jun, 7pm

City Recital Hall

STANDING UP TO STALIN

SHOSTAKOVICH’S SYMPHONY NO.10

BREE VAN REYK

Fifty Fanfares Commission BRITTEN

Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No.10

BRIGHT AND BOLD FRANÇAIX & MOZART

KARINA CANELLAKIS conductor

FRANÇAIX

Cor Anglais Quartet

MOZART

Divertimento, K.563

Premiered in 1953 after the death of Stalin, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony is a bumpy ride of emotion and inner turmoil. Is it a depiction of Stalin himself? While debatable, it’s worth remembering the dictator had Shostakovich denounced for his work several times. There is little doubt that experience left its shadow on this explosive work.

Dawn. Sunday morning. Moonlight. Storm A changing seascape of sound, Britten’s Four Sea Interludes masterfully brings to life the Suffolk coast in all its vivid moods and mystery. Taken from Peter Grimes, Britten’s 1945 opera about an outcast fisherman suspected of murder, this is music which powerfully hints at the psychological drama beneath.

Wed 14 Jul, 8pm

Thu 15 Jul, 1.30pm

Fri 16 Jul, 8pm

Sat 17 Jul, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Tobias Breider

Umberto Clerici

Andrew Haveron

Alexandre Oguey

Quick, witty and lighthearted – Françaix’s quartet for cor anglais, violin, viola and cello plays out like a conversation you might hear walking the streets of Paris in the 1900s. It’s unusually virtuosic. And unmistakably French.

We hear a similar liveliness in Mozart’s divertimenti, his famous collection of cheerful ‘amusements’. With his imagination at play, this string trio is one of his brightest, boldest and most uplifting pieces of chamber music.

Fri 16 Jul, 6pm

Sat 17 Jul, 6pm

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

REIMAGININGS MOZART & BRAHMS

MOZART

Grande Sestetto Concertante

BRAHMS

String Sextet No.1

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Kees Boersma

Umberto Clerici

Sandro Costantino

Lerida Delbridge

Jane Hazelwood

Elizabeth Neville

Anna Skálová

Mozart’s Grande Sestetto is an unusual take on his already experimental Sinfonia Concertante. Recrafted for six instruments by an anonymous arranger, it magically realises the grandeur of the orchestral original, reimagined for the powerful intimacy of a small ensemble.

In Brahms, another pioneer emerges. By weaving a second viola and cello into the standard string quartet, this rich and velvety writing takes on new meaning, blooming into arrangements of beauty that echo through the ages.

TRANSFORMATIONS SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BACH & BRAHMS

BACH arr. WEBERN

The Musical Offering – Ricercare

BRAHMS arr. SCHOENBERG

Piano Quartet No.1

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

Fri 23 Jul, 6pm

Sat 24 Jul, 6pm

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Chief Conductor Designate Simone Young creates a program of huge colour with these two evocative pieces. Bach’s The Musical Offering is the result of a famous challenge set by Frederick the Great. Almost 200 years after its composition, Webern breathes new life into the piece – arranging the music for orchestral instruments in a way that brilliantly highlights each of their distinctive sounds.

In another powerful transformation, Schoenberg arranges Brahms’ First Piano Quartet for orchestra. A piece he loved and thought performed too rarely, this orchestration brings out the expressive colour of Brahms’ music, while keeping the purity of a piece originally composed for four instruments.

Thu 29 Jul, 7pm

Fri 30 Jul, 11am

Sydney Town Hall

HEART OF BRAHMS

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BRAHMS

BRAHMS

Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn

BRAHMS arr. SCHOENBERG

Piano Quartet No.1

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

SACRED GROUND

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS MOZART’S REQUIEM

MARY FINSTERER

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SCHUBERT Offertorium (Intende voce)

MOZART Requiem

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

There are perfectionists. And then there’s Brahms, who famously took 21 years to write his first symphony. In his Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, we see him experimenting with orchestral writing of scale – providing us with music that’s as moving as it is masterly. Over 60 years later, Schoenberg arranged Brahms’ First Piano Quartet for orchestra. A piece he loved and thought performed too rarely, this orchestration brings out the expressive colour of Brahms’ music, while keeping the purity of a piece originally composed for four instruments.

Sat 31 Jul, 2pm

Sydney Town Hall

SIOBHAN STAGG soprano

CAITLIN HULCUP mezzo-soprano

STEVE DAVISLIM tenor

JAMES CLAYTON baritone

SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS

It’s one of the most famous Classical choral works we have. But the story of Mozart’s Requiem Mass remains something of a mystery. How much of it did he actually finish? To add to the intrigue, Mozart himself did not know from whom he had received the commission.

Unfinished at the time of his death, the music we hear today reveals Mozart’s highly charged state. As Beethoven put it, “If Mozart did not write the music, then the man who wrote it was a Mozart.” Chief Conductor Designate Simone Young leads our four Australian soloists and choir.

Wed 4 Aug, 8pm Thu 5 Aug, 1.30pm Fri 6 Aug, 8pm Sat 7 Aug, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

Abercrombie & Kent Masters Series Thursday Afternoon Symphony

BOLD INTIMACY

BRITTEN

Prelude and Fugue for 18 Solo Strings

BRITTEN

Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

SHOSTAKOVICH

arr. BARSHAI

Chamber Symphony (after the String Quartet No.10)

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

ANDREW GOODWIN tenor

BEN JACKS horn

ARCTIC WINDS SIBELIUS &

TCHAIKOVSKY

LOUISA TREWARTHA

Fifty Fanfares Commission

LILBURN

Aotearoa Overture

SIBELIUS

Violin Concerto

TCHAIKOVSKY

Symphony No.5

Britten created a dynamic between boldness and intimacy like few others. From his smaller ensembles to larger string arrangements, we can often hear this tension at play. It’s unmistakably Britten. Andrew Haveron leads with Principal Horn Ben Jacks, and globally renowned tenor Andrew Goodwin who both feature in Britten’s Serenade.

Rudolf Barshai’s arrangement of Shostakovich’s Tenth String Quartet for string orchestra adds depth to its most intimate moments and power to its most brazen.

Wed 11 Aug, 7pm

Thu 12 Aug, 7pm

City Recital Hall

GEMMA NEW conductor

GRACE CLIFFORD violin

A cool wind emerges from the opening notes of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto. In the powerful music that follows, the beauty of the Finnish landscape stretches out before us. It’s a challenging, exciting work – and one performed by Australia’s own Grace Clifford. At 22, she is one of the world’s brightest young stars, and returns home for this performance.

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony whirls us away into an exploration of Fate. From a dark and brooding opening emerge some of his greatest melodies, a dazzling waltz and a gale-force finale.

Wed 25 Aug, 8pm

Thu 26 Aug, 1.30pm

Fri 27 Aug, 8pm

Sat 28 Aug, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

Abercrombie & Kent Masters Series Thursday Afternoon Symphony

SPRING

RUSSIAN GREATS

TCHAIKOVSKY & PROKOFIEV

TCHAIKOVSKY

String Quartet No.1

PROKOFIEV

Quintet in G minor

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Alice Bartsch

Harry Bennetts

David Campbell

Kristy Conrau

Alexander Morris

Alexander Norton

Shefali Pryor

Amanda Verner

Justin Williams

Before The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky composed his First String Quartet. One of his earliest works, its slow and melancholic second movement was stirring enough to bring Leo Tolstoy to tears.

From Russia we travel to Paris, where Sergei Prokofiev was asked to create a chamber ballet for a circus troupe. With only five instruments to work with, the result was a wonderfully innovative composition he later adapted into this strangely playful quintet.

FLYING COLOURS

STEPHEN HOUGH PERFORMS TCHAIKOVSKY

ELLA MACENS

Fifty Fanfares Commission

TCHAIKOVSKY

Piano Concerto No.1

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No.5

DONALD RUNNICLES conductor

STEPHEN HOUGH piano

Fri 10 Sep, 6pm Sat 11 Sep, 6pm

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Soaring melodies. Vibrantly rich colour. And a heart-pounding start. Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto remains a favourite for good reason. This season, one of the world’s foremost pianists, Stephen Hough, brings his unique insight to the piece with his phenomenal musicianship.

Next, it’s onto another favourite, Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Is it really an act of rebellion against Stalin’s rule? While we may never know what Shostakovich had in mind with this symphony, that only makes us listen more closely for clues. A story of darkness and light. Despair and defiance. And the choices we make in swallowing our reality or questioning it.

Wed 15 Sep, 8pm

Thu 16 Sep, 1.30pm

Fri 17 Sep, 8pm

Sat 18 Sep, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

GERMAN GENIUS

STEPHEN HOUGH PERFORMS BEETHOVEN

MENDELSSOHN

Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage

BEETHOVEN

Piano Concerto No.3

MOZART

Symphony No.41, Jupiter

BENJAMIN BAYL conductor

STEPHEN HOUGH piano

VENICE AND BEYOND THE ITALIAN BAROQUE

MONTEVERDI

L’Orfeo: Sinfonia

GABRIELI

Canzona for Brass and Strings

VIVALDI Concerto for Four Violins

CORELLI

Concerto Grosso No.4

REBEL

Les élémens

BENJAMIN BAYL conductor

Three geniuses of the Germanic repertoire are celebrated in this program. Mendelssohn’s voyage isn’t all calm, with creeping notes of drama before, at last, the breeze picks up and we continue our beautiful voyage – straight onto Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto. While stormy to begin with, by the end the clouds have scattered and we’re left enjoying the sunshine. Stephen Hough is our guide on this journey of emotions. Mozart’s final symphony is undoubtedly one of his greatest and optimistic from start to finish.

The riches of the Venetian empire weren’t just silk and gold – composers Monteverdi and Gabrieli dazzled with their pioneering Baroque music. Vivaldi’s flamboyant concerti delighted even Bach, while Corelli’s glittering concerti grossi are among the finest of the form. This ‘Italian style’ echoes in French composer Rebel’s audacious Les élémens – a vivid creation story unlike anything you’ve heard before. Conductor Benjamin Bayl, a specialist in this repertoire, is our guide.

Sat 25 Sep, 2pm

Sydney Town Hall

Wed 29 Sep, 7pm

Thu 30 Sep, 7pm

City Recital Hall

FROM RACHMANINOV WITH LOVE

SHAMRAY PERFORMS

RACHMANINOV

ANDREW ARONOWICZ

Fifty Fanfares Commission

RACHMANINOV

Piano Concerto No.3

ELGAR

Symphony No.1

MARK WIGGLESWORTH conductor

KONSTANTIN SHAMRAY

piano

Intense might be an understatement. Notoriously challenging to play, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 is a torrent of emotion, melody and colour and demands a truly virtuosic performance. Who better to perform it than fellow Russian, Konstantin Shamray – winner of First Prize and People’s Choice at the 2008 Sydney International Piano Competition? In another patriotic pairing, Englishman Mark Wigglesworth conducts one of the finest British works, Elgar’s First Symphony. While it took Elgar ten years to write, its instant worldwide success proved it was worth the wait.

STARS AND SEAS ADÈS, ILLEAN & DEBUSSY

NATALIE NICOLAS

Fifty Fanfares Commission

THOMAS ADÈS

Polaris

LISA ILLEAN Land’s End

DEBUSSY

La Mer

FINNEGAN DOWNIE DEAR conductor

With Polaris, we open to the sounds of a night sky twinkling with the infinite. It’s a piece that perfectly showcases one of the modern stars of music, British composer Thomas Adès. From night skies it’s onto the sparkling sounds of Lisa Illean and Claude Debussy. Illean’s Land’s End captures the ever-changing nature of the sea through subtle and gentle music that rolls like waves. A musical Monet, Debussy paints his own delicate impression of the sounds of the sea. Feel the breeze ruffle the ocean as bright young talent Finnegan Downie Dear takes us on a voyage through starlight and salt spray.

Series Presenting Partner

Wed 13 Oct, 8pm

Thu 14 Oct, 1.30pm

Fri 15 Oct, 8pm

Sat 16 Oct, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

Thu 4 Nov, 7pm

Sydney Town Hall

ENDLESS BEAUTY

CHRISTOPHER SAINSBURY

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SIBELIUS

Valse triste

JAAKKO KUUSISTO

Violin Concerto

SIBELIUS

Symphony No.5

DALIA STASEVSKA conductor

ANDREW HAVERON

violin

Sibelius takes us on an ethereal waltz in Valse triste and to poetic heights in his glorious Fifth Symphony. Partially inspired by sixteen swans taking flight, the Symphony swirls, spirals and soars before reaching something of a rock star finish. To complete our Finnish theme, Concertmaster Andrew Haveron gives the Australian premiere performance of Jaakko Kuusisto’s dramatic Violin Concerto. Unmissable.

SUMMER BREEZES

SYDNEY SYMPHONY WOODWINDS

BARBER

Summer Music

PAUL STANHOPE

Aftertraces…

POULENC

Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon

HARRY SDRAULIG

Hat-trick

LIGETI

Six Bagatelles

Wed 10 Nov, 8pm

Fri 12 Nov, 8pm Sat 13 Nov, 8pm

Sydney Town Hall

SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Joshua Batty

James Burke

Diana Doherty

Todd Gibson-Cornish

Ben Jacks

Alexandre Oguey

Shefali Pryor

Bright mornings, languid afternoons and pensive nights –woodwinds can capture the flow of life in all its subtlety, temperament and seasonality. Enjoy the journey as we move from Samuel Barber’s sun-dappled Summer Music, to the cheeky cadences of Poulenc’s Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon. With Ligeti’s Six Bagetelles, we shift from inventive to introspective, while Australian composers Paul Stanhope and Harry Sdraulig give our virtuosic woodwinds a platform to showcase the full range of their talents.

Fri 12 Nov, 6pm Sat 13 Nov, 6pm

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Cocktail Hour

SERIES PACKS

ABERCROMBIE & KENT MASTERS SERIES

Experience the ultimate journey

Not only will you have access to the best music and biggest nights, you’ll also receive benefits including priority access to seats and great offers on parking, dining options and travel.

When 8pm on Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays

Where Sydney Town Hall

Pack sizes Choose between 10, 7 or 5 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

10 CONCERT PACK – THE ULTIMATE JOURNEY

Our 2021 Masters Series charts a journey through 250 years of music, from the height of the Classical era to the present. We focus on the masters of their art and the musical innovators who forged new musical paths and reformed traditions. Each concert is a new journey with a world premiere performance as part of our Fifty Fanfares Australian commissioning project.

7 CONCERT PACK – MOZART & ROMANTIC VISIONS

Mozart’s Requiem is the departure point for this collection of concerts that explore the spirit of Romantic music. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, the high Romanticism of Tchaikovsky and Dvořák, the empathetic music of Elgar and Rachmaninov, the bold voices of Britten and Shostakovich – in all these concerts you’ll hear the heart and soul of the composer shining through.

5 CONCERT PACK – PIONEERS AND TRAILBLAZERS

Experience live performances of masterpieces by the composers who took music to new heights. After Mozart, master of the Classical style, Beethoven paves the way to the innovation of Schumann and Schubert. After Tchaikovsky and Brahms come Schreker, Sibelius and Shostakovich who are each unique voices of the 20th century. Jaakko Kuusisto and our Australian Fifty Fanfares composers represent the voices of today.

ROMANCE BEGINS

TCHAIKOVSKY'S VIOLIN CONCERTO

TCHAIKOVSKY

Violin Concerto

CONNOR D’NETTO

Fifty Fanfares Commission

DVOŘÁK

Symphony No.9, From the New World

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

DANIEL RÖHN violin

Page 7

STANDING UP TO STALIN SHOSTAKOVICH’S SYMPHONY NO.10

BREE VAN REYK

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BRITTEN

Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No.10

KARINA CANELLAKIS conductor

FROM RACHMANINOV WITH LOVE

SHAMRAY PERFORMS RACHMANINOV

ANDREW ARONOWICZ

Fifty Fanfares Commission

RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No.3

ELGAR Symphony No.1

MARK WIGGLESWORTH conductor

KONSTANTIN SHAMRAY piano

MUSICAL GENIUS MOZART & SCHUMANN

LACHLAN SKIPWORTH

Fifty Fanfares Commission MOZART

The Abduction from the Seraglio – Overture

MOZART Clarinet Concerto

SCHUMANN Symphony No.2

ASHER FISCH conductor

FRANCESCO CELATA clarinet

FORCE OF NATURE BEETHOVEN’S PASTORAL SYMPHONY

JULIAN YU

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture

NIELSEN Flute Concerto

BEETHOVEN

Symphony No.6, Pastoral JOHANNES FRITZSCH conductor

JOSHUA BATTY flute

BANQUET OF SOUND BEETHOVEN & BRAHMS

HARRY SDRAULIG

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto

SCHREKER Intermezzo

BRAHMS Symphony No.3

NICHOLAS CARTER conductor

PIERS LANE piano

ANDREW HAVERON violin

UMBERTO CLERICI cello

Page 10

SACRED GROUND

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS MOZART’S REQUIEM

MARY FINSTERER

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SCHUBERT Offertorium (Intende voce)

MOZART Requiem

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

SIOBHAN STAGG soprano

CAITLIN HULCUP mezzo-soprano

STEVE DAVISLIM tenor

JAMES CLAYTON baritone

SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS

Page 13

ARCTIC WINDS SIBELIUS & TCHAIKOVSKY

LOUISA TREWARTHA Fifty Fanfares Commission

LILBURN

Aotearoa Overture

SIBELIUS Violin Concerto

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.5

GEMMA NEW conductor

GRACE CLIFFORD violin

FLYING COLOURS STEPHEN HOUGH PERFORMS TCHAIKOVSKY

ELLA MACENS Fifty Fanfares Commission

TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No.1

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No.5

DONALD RUNNICLES conductor

STEPHEN HOUGH piano

ENDLESS BEAUTY

SIBELIUS’ FIFTH SYMPHONY

CHRISTOPHER SAINSBURY

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SIBELIUS Valse Triste

JAAKKO KUUSISTO Violin Concerto

SIBELIUS Symphony No.5

DALIA STASEVSKA conductor

ANDREW HAVERON violin

THURSDAY AFTERNOON SYMPHONY

Afternoons of sublime music

Enjoy your performances while the sun shines. With a great selection of concerts, the Thursday Afternoon Symphony pack gives you priority access to seats, parking and dining offers. All at a time that suits you.

When 1:30pm on Thursdays

Where Sydney Town Hall

Pack sizes Choose between 9, 5 or 4 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

9 CONCERT PACK – MASTERPIECES

In 2021 our Thursday Afternoon Symphony concerts focus on masterpieces of musical expression. From the intrigue of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and the high Romantic style of Tchaikovsky to the moving drama of Shostakovich –enjoy a journey through every colour of emotion.

5 CONCERT PACK – ROMANTIC VISIONARIES

Beethoven is the perfect departure point for this collection of concerts that explore romantic expression. The masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich and the expansive visions of Mahler create a compelling journey.

4 CONCERT PACK – CLASSICS AND NEW TRADITIONS

Mozart wasn’t just the master of the Classical style, he was a great innovator. The composers selected as part of these concerts all left their own marks on music – you’ll experience music as it transforms through the centuries.

GREAT MINDS

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN

Leonore Overture No.3

Ah! perfido

Symphony No.7

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

LAUREN FAGAN soprano

MUSICAL GENIUS MOZART & SCHUMANN

LACHLAN SKIPWORTH

Fifty Fanfares Commission

MOZART

The Abduction from the Seraglio – Overture

MOZART

Clarinet Concerto

SCHUMANN

Symphony No.2

ASHER FISCH conductor

FRANCESCO CELATA clarinet

HEAVENLY VOICES

MAHLER'S FOURTH SYMPHONY

MARK HOLDSWORTH

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SCHUBERT Lieder selections

MAHLER Symphony No.4

UMBERTO CLERICI conductor

JACQUELINE PORTER soprano

Page 8 Page 10 Page 12

STANDING UP TO STALIN SHOSTAKOVICH’S SYMPHONY NO.10

BREE VAN REYK

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BRITTEN

Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No.10

KARINA CANELLAKIS conductor

SACRED GROUND

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS MOZART’S REQUIEM

MARY FINSTERER

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SCHUBERT Offertorium (Intende voce)

MOZART Requiem

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

SIOBHAN STAGG soprano

CATILIN HULCUP mezzo-soprano

STEVE DAVISLIM tenor

JAMES CLAYTON baritone

SYDNEY PHILHARMONIA CHOIRS

ARCTIC WINDS SIBELIUS & TCHAIKOVSKY

LOUISA TREWARTHA Fifty Fanfares Commission

LILBURN

Aotearoa Overture

SIBELIUS Violin Concerto TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.5

GEMMA NEW conductor

GRACE CLIFFORD violin

FROM RACHMANINOV WITH LOVE

SHAMRAY PERFORMS RACHMANINOV

ANDREW ARONOWICZ

Fifty Fanfares Commission

RACHMANINOV

Piano Concerto No.3

ELGAR Symphony No.1

MARK WIGGLESWORTH conductor

KONSTANTIN SHAMRAY piano

BANQUET OF SOUND BEETHOVEN & BRAHMS

HARRY SDRAULIG

Fifty Fanfares Commission

BEETHOVEN

Triple Concerto

SCHREKER Intermezzo

BRAHMS Symphony No.3

NICHOLAS CARTER conductor

PIERS LANE piano

ANDREW HAVERON violin

UMBERTO CLERICI cello

FLYING COLOURS STEPHEN HOUGH PERFORMS TCHAIKOVSKY

ELLA MACENS

Fifty Fanfares Commission

TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No.1

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No.5

DONALD RUNNICLES conductor

STEPHEN HOUGH piano

TEA & SYMPHONY

Enjoy your symphony snack-sized Tea and biscuits with your ticket. Shorter one-hour concerts on Fridays mornings at a great price. And priority access to seats and special subscriber offers. Experience what you love about live performance at a perfect time of day.

When 11am on Fridays

Where Sydney Town Hall

Pack size 4 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

DANE LAM CONDUCTS

SAINT-SAËNS

LYLE CHAN

Fifty Fanfares Commission

SAINT-SAËNS

Symphony No.3, Organ Symphony

DANE LAM conductor

DAVID DRURY organ

SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS

HAYDN: SEVEN LAST WORDS

HAYDN Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

4 CONCERT PACK – UPLIFTING SOUNDS

Hear the Sydney Town Hall reverberate with glorious sounds of impressive variety, including music from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s brass ensemble and the rich sounds of the Sydney Town Hall Grand Organ. From Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony to the grandeur of Haydn, Bach and Brahms.

CELEBRATIONS AND FANFARES

SYDNEY SYMPHONY BRASS

COPLAND

Fanfare for the Common Man

VIERNE

Triumphal March for the Centenary of Napoleon I HANDEL

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba MESSIAEN

L’ Ascension: Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père

CHARPENTIER

Te Deum – Prelude BIZET

Carmen Suite

GIGOUT

Grand Choeur Dialogue

FABIAN RUSSELL

conductor

DAVID DRURY organ

TRANSFORMATIONS

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS

BACH & BRAHMS

BACH arr. WEBERN The Musical Offering – Ricercare

BRAHMS arr. SCHOENBERG Piano Quartet No.1

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

GREAT CLASSICS

Relax to the classics

Make Saturday your day of calm, with some of the world’s most popular music starting at 2pm. It’s your opportunity to unwind over a drink, take in your favourites and be home before sunset. Includes priority access to seats and special subscriber offers.

When 2pm on Saturdays

Where Sydney Town Hall

Pack sizes Choose between 6 or 4 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

6 CONCERT PACK – THE CLASSICS AND BEYOND Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms and Mahler – in Great Classics you can experience the evolution of symphonic music from the order and style of the classical masters to the expansive passion of the great Romantics.

4 CONCERT PACK – CLASSICAL TO ROMANTIC

This collection of concerts explores the music of the Classical and Romantic eras, and the composers who led the evolution with moments of musical greatness.

GREAT MINDS

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN

Leonore Overture No.3

Ah! perfido

Symphony No.7

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

LAUREN FAGAN soprano

UPLIFTING EXPRESSIONS

HAYDN & GABRIELI

BARBER Mutations from Bach

GABRIELI

Canzon per Sonar Primi Toni No.1

LAURIDSEN O Magnum Mysterium

GABRIELI

Canzon per Sonar in Echo Duodecimi Toni

HAYDN Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

HEART OF BRAHMS SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BRAHMS

BRAHMS Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn

BRAHMS arr. SCHOENBERG Piano Quartet No.1

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

GERMAN GENIUS STEPHEN HOUGH PERFORMS BEETHOVEN

MENDELSSOHN Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No.3

MOZART Symphony No.41, Jupiter

BENJAMIN BAYL conductor

STEPHEN HOUGH piano

MUSICAL POETS

SCHUBERT & MAHLER

SCHUBERT Lieder selections MAHLER Symphony No.4

UMBERTO CLERICI conductor

JACQUELINE PORTER soprano

AMONG

RAVEL Le Tombeau de Couperin GRIEG Piano Concerto HAYDN Symphony No.104, London

NICHOLAS CARTER conductor

PIERS LANE piano

SYMPHONY HOUR

Take a new musical journey

Symphony Hour is all about music that packs a punch in a bite-sized package. There’s a complete musical journey in each one-hour concert.

When 7pm on Thursdays

Where Sydney Town Hall

Pack size 5 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

REFLECTIONS OF LIGHT

JONNY GREENWOOD & SAINT-SAËNS

LYLE CHAN Fifty Fanfares Commission

JONNY GREENWOOD Water

SAINT-SAËNS

Symphony No.3 , Organ Symphony

DANE LAM conductor

DAVID DRURY organ

Thu 25 Feb

STARS AND SEAS

ADÈS, ILLEAN & DEBUSSY

NATALIE NICOLAS Fifty Fanfares Commission

THOMAS ADÈS Polaris

LISA ILLEAN Land's End

DEBUSSY La Mer

FINNEGAN DOWNIE DEAR conductor

A WINDOW TO THE SOUL SIBELIUS SYMPHONY NO.2

MARIA GRENFELL

Fifty Fanfares Commission

MAX RICHTER On the Nature of Daylight

SIBELIUS Symphony No.2

BENJAMIN NORTHEY conductor

4 Nov Thu 22 Apr

5 CONCERT PACK

Enjoy a rush of emotion as we pair the the most celebrated with the most contemporary voices. Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead, the cinematic sounds of Max Richter and the pulsing sounds of John Adams contrast with the colours of Debussy, Brahms and Sibelius in this exploration of the power of orchestral music.

BREAKTHROUGHS ADAMS & SHOSTAKOVICH TRANSFORMATIONS

SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS BACH & BRAHMS

MICHAEL BAKRNČEV Fifty Fanfares Commission

JOHN ADAMS Shaker Loops

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No.1

FABIAN RUSSELL conductor

BACH arr. WEBERN The Musical Offering – Ricercare

BRAHMS arr. Schoenberg Piano Quartet No.1

SIMONE YOUNG conductor

Thu 27 May

Thu 29 Jul

EMIRATES CLASSICS IN THE CITY

From the Baroque to the Romantics, Classics in the City explores the most intimate orchestral music. Perfectly located in the heart of the city, the City Recital Hall provides intimacy matched by glorious acoustics.

When 7pm on Wednesday or Thursdays

Where City Recital Hall

Pack size 4 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

CELEBRATING BACH ANDREW HAVERON PERFORMS BACH

BACH Orchestral Suite No.2

Concerto for Two Violins Orchestral Suite No.3

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

FIONA ZIEGLER violin

EMMA SHOLL flute

HERE’S TO MOZART CLERICI CONDUCTS MOZART & SCHUBERT

IBERT Hommage à Mozart

MOZART Piano Concerto No.17

SCHUBERT Symphony No.5

UMBERTO CLERICI conductor

DANIEL DE BORAH piano

4 CONCERT PACK – INTIMATE CLASSICS

Meet the best music from the Baroque to the 20th century. On our way, we’ll encounter Italian masters from Venice, Bach, the master of the late Baroque, Mozart, the jewel of the Classical era and Britten, who brings Baroque style into the 20th century.

Wed 3 Mar Thu 4 Mar

9

Wed 23 Jun Thu 24 Jun

17

BOLD INTIMACY BRITTEN & SHOSTAKOVICH VENICE AND BEYOND THE ITALIAN BAROQUE

BRITTEN

Prelude and Fugue for 18 Solo Strings

BRITTEN

Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

SHOSTAKOVICH arr. BARSHAI Chamber Symphony (after the String Quartet No.10)

ANDREW HAVERON director and violin

ANDREW GOODWIN tenor

BEN JACKS horn

MONTEVERDI L’Orfeo: Sinfonia

GABRIELI Canzona for Brass and Strings

VIVALDI Concerto for Four Violins

CORELLI Concerto Grosso No.4

REBEL Les élémens

BENJAMIN BAYL conductor

Wed 11 Aug Thu 12 Aug Wed 29 Sep Thu 30 Sep

21

24

COCKTAIL HOUR

Get closer to the music in Cocktail Hour. In the intimate setting of the Sydney Opera House’s Utzon Room surrounded by stunning harbour views, you’ll experience us up close and personal as we perform this collection of chamber music.

When 6pm on Fridays or Saturdays

Where Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room

Pack sizes Choose between 6 or 3 concerts

Fully flexible Yes

6 CONCERT PACK – VOICES OF CHANGE

The individual voices of our musicians shine through in this collection of music in which every composer has something extraordinary to say. You’ll hear some of Mozart’s most revolutionary pieces, Romantic masterpieces by Brahms and Tchaikovsky, and the contemporary voices of Australians Paul Stanhope and Harry Sdraulig.

3 CONCERT PACK A – WINDS OF CHANGE

The cobbled streets of Florence and languid summer nights in America; this is music that’s evocative and beautiful, but also pushes boundaries – with classics by Mozart and Tchaikovsky alongside music by Australians Paul Stanhope and Harry Sdraulig.

3 CONCERT PACK B – FROM THE HEART

In this selection of concerts we have music that comes straight from the hearts of our composers. Mozart pays tribute to Haydn, Shostakovich to his wife Irina Antonovna and Tchaikovsky writes music that made Leo Tolstoy weep.

TCHAIKOVSKY

Souvenir de Florence

GRIEG

String Quartet No.1

SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Kristy Conrau

Marianne Edwards

Graham Hennings

Claire Herrick

Stuart Johnson

Wendy Kong

Timothy Nankervis

Leonid Volovelsky

Sun Yi

MOZART

String Quartet No.19, Dissonance

SHOSTAKOVICH

String Quartet No.9

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Emma Jezek

Stuart Johnson

Timothy Nankervis

Anna Skálová

FRANÇAIX

Cor Anglais Quartet

MOZART

Divertimento, K.563

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Tobias Breider

Umberto Clerici

Andrew Haveron

Alexandre Oguey

MOZART

Grand Sestetto Concertante

BRAHMS

String Sextet No.1

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Kees Boersma

Umberto Clerici

Sandro Costantino

Lerida Delbridge

Jane Hazelwood

Elizabeth Neville

Anna Skálová

RUSSIAN GREATS

TCHAIKOVSKY & PROKOFIEV

TCHAIKOVSKY

String Quartet No.1

PROKOFIEV

Quintet in G minor

SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Alice Bartsch

Harry Bennetts

David Campbell

Kristy Conrau

Alexander Morris

Alexander Norton

Shefali Pryor

Amanda Verner

Justin Williams

SUMMER BREEZES

SYDNEY SYMPHONY WOODWINDS

BARBER

Summer Music

PAUL STANHOPE

Aftertraces…

POULENC Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon

HARRY SDRAULIG

Hat-trick

LIGETI

Six Bagatelles

SYDNEY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Joshua Batty

James Burke

Diana Doherty

Todd Gibson-Cornish

Ben Jacks

Alexandre Oguey

Shefali Pryor

CREATE YOUR OWN PACK

The music you love. At a time and day that works for you. Create a custom season pack that includes everything you want.

Concerts Whichever you like

Pack size Choose 4 or more concerts

Good to know: If your plans change, you can swap your concerts with no additional fees.

MOOD GUIDE

Whether you’re looking for adventure or the familiarity of your favourite music, our mood guide will help you find the concerts that suit your taste and mood.

Joy Music has the power to feed the soul and lift our spirits. This is music that will take you beyond the everyday.

Adventurous Great music pushes boundaries – it provides intrigue and a sense of wonderful discovery, and makes us feel something new. For the curious and open-minded.

Bold There’s nothing more electric than a symphony orchestra at full flight. This music is boldly expressive and thrilling.

Warm Music to warm your heart – for music that will move you, look no further.

NOT SURE WHERE TO START?

Use our mood guide to build the perfect experience and we have also suggested some concert combinations to get you started.

SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY

The Sydney Symphony will continue to apply NSW Public Health Orders as they relate to ticketing and seating arrangements.

As these Orders can change at very short notice, we will be allocating seats closer in time to concert dates than we have in previous seasons. This will allow us to maintain a COVID-19 safe environment.

SUBSCRIBER PRIORITY – NEW SEATING LIMITS

As there will be fewer seats available in 2021, we expect to sell most of our concerts on subscription.

SOCIALLY DISTANCED SEATING

In order to create the best experience while maintaining social distancing requirements, the Sydney Symphony will be allocating all seats for 2021. Select-your-own seating options by phone or internet will return when restrictions ease.

PRIORITY STANDBY STATUS FOR SUBSCRIBERS

Where we can’t confirm your reservation for a concert immediately, you will have Priority Standby status. This means our subscribers will receive any new seats as soon as they become available.

NEW FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLAN: PAY-AS-YOU-GO

We have also introduced more flexible payment arrangements so that your account will be billed for your tickets only when they are confirmed and issued.

ACCESS

If you would like to book wheelchair or accessible seating spaces at either venue, please call us on (02) 8215 4600.

INFORMATION

For more information regarding accessibility services at our venues, visit sydneysymphony.com/access

PRICING – SERIES PACKS

PRICING – CREATE YOUR OWN PACK

APPLICATION FORM

Follow the steps below and return this form to: Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Reply Paid 4338, Sydney NSW 2001 OR book online at sydneysymphony.com For further assistance making your selection please call (02) 8215 4600 (Mon – Fri 9am – 4pm).

STEP 1. YOUR CONTACT DETAILS

Title Dr Mr Mrs Ms Mx

First name

name

COMPANION (IF APPLICABLE)

Title Dr Mr Mrs Ms Mx

I wish to claim a concession as a: Pensioner Full-time student Youth (30 & under)

Please enclose photocopied proof of age and/or student card and/or pension details.

Please email me Stay Tuned for news, special offers and information about concerts

I wish to claim a concession as a: Pensioner Full-time student Youth (30 & under)

Please enclose photocopied proof of age and/or student card and/or pension details.

Please email me Stay Tuned for news, special offers and information about concerts

Special Assistance: Please include your requirements with this booking form if you require special seating.

STEP 2. CHOOSE A SYMPHONY SERIES PACK (2A) OR CREATE YOUR OWN PACK (2B)

Nominate your preferred Series Pack or a Create Your Own Pack.

STEP 2A. I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE THESE SERIES PACKS

For Series Pack options, seat prices and venue maps see page 45

Series

Choose a minimum of four concerts to make up a pack. Include the same number of seats and reserve for all the concerts you select. To calculate the total price see page 46

STEP 3. TAX-DEDUCTIBLE GIFT

I would like to make a tax-deductible gift to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra of $

Subtotal $ Gifts of $2 or more are tax-deductible

Add another page to include more concerts STEP 4. TOTAL

Add amounts from Steps 1–3 to calculate the total amount

PAYMENT

STEP 5. SELECT A PAYMENT OPTION

I am paying 20% on ordering and 80% on 1 February 2021

Pay-As-You-Go option: 20% on order and the cost of my ticket deducted as each concert is confirmed

I am paying the Total Amount due now

I have enclosed a cheque (payable to Sydney Symphony Orchestra Holdings Pty Ltd) for the sum of $

Cash: do not mail; please pay in person at the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Box Office

THERE’S A NEW FUTURE FOR MUSIC JOIN US FOR THE JOURNEY

Thank you for standing by us in 2020. While life took an unexpected turn, we’re more determined than ever to create a bright future for music.

What does this future look like? It’s one of rebuilding career and performance opportunities for Australian artists who have dedicated their lives to music. One where children encounter musical inspiration in their formative years. And one where music is accessible to more of our community.

PLAY YOUR PART FOR THE FUTURE

You can help take music from the concert hall to the wider community by making a tax-deductible donation with your 2021 subscription.

To make a donation with your subscription either: fill in the relevant step on your 2021 booking form, call 02 8215 4600 or visit sydneysymphony.com/donate

THANK YOU

For

your continual support through

the

and challenging times. Your loyalty in 2020 has helped us return to what we love – sharing the music.

MUSICIANS OF THE SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Simone Young am

Chief Conductor Designate

Donald Runnicles

Principal Guest Conductor

Vladimir Ashkenazy

Conductor Laureate

Andrew Haveron

Concertmaster

FIRST VIOLINS

Harry Bennetts Associate Concertmaster

Sun Yi Associate Concertmaster

Lerida Delbridge Assistant Concertmaster

Fiona Ziegler Assistant Concertmaster

Kirsten Williams

Associate Concertmaster Emeritus

Jenny Booth

Brielle Clapson

Sophie Cole

Claire Herrick

Georges Lentz

Nicola Lewis

Emily Long

Alexandra Mitchell

Alexander Norton

Anna Skálová

Léone Ziegler

SECOND VIOLINS

Kirsty Hilton Principal

Marina Marsden Principal

Marianne Edwards Associate Principal

Emma Jezek Assistant Principal

Alice Bartsch

Victoria Bihun

Rebecca Gill

Emma Hayes

Shuti Huang

Monique Irik

Wendy Kong

Benjamin Li

Nicole Masters

Maja Verunica

VIOLAS

Tobias Breider Principal

Anne-Louise Comerford

Associate Principal

Justin Williams Assistant Principal

Sandro Costantino

Rosemary Curtin

Jane Hazelwood

Graham Hennings

Stuart Johnson

Justine Marsden

Felicity Tsai

Amanda Verner

Leonid Volovelsky

CELLOS

Catherine Hewgill Principal

Leah Lynn Assistant Principal

Kristy Conrau

Fenella Gill

Timothy Nankervis

Elizabeth Neville

Christopher Pidcock

Adrian Wallis

David Wickham

DOUBLE BASSES

Kees Boersma Principal

Alex Henery Principal

David Campbell

Steven Larson

Richard Lynn

Jaan Pallandi

Benjamin Ward

FLUTES

Joshua Batty Principal

Emma Sholl Associate Principal

Carolyn Harris

OBOES

Diana Doherty Principal

Shefali Pryor Associate Principal

COR ANGLAIS

Alexandre Oguey Principal

CLARINETS

James Burke Principal

Francesco Celata Associate Principal

Christopher Tingay

BASS CLARINET

Alexander Morris Principal

BASSOONS

Todd Gibson-Cornish Principal

Matthew Wilkie Principal Emeritus

Fiona McNamara

CONTRABASSOON

Noriko Shimada Principal

HORNS

Ben Jacks Principal

Geoffrey O'Reilly Principal 3rd

Euan Harvey

Marnie Sebire

Rachel Silver

TRUMPETS

David Elton Principal

Anthony Heinrichs

TROMBONES

Ronald Prussing Principal

Scott Kinmont Associate Principal

Nick Byrne

BASS TROMBONE

Christopher Harris Principal

TUBA

Steve Rossé Principal

TIMPANI

Mark Robinson

Associate Principal/Section Percussion

PERCUSSION

Rebecca Lagos Principal

Timothy Constable

CHAIR PATRONS

“ Without you, our beloved Sydney Symphony Orchestra would not have survived this period. Your generosity has brought joy and optimism to us all.”

Andrew Haveron, Concertmaster

CHAIR PATRONS

Emma Dunch

Chief Executive Officer

I Kallinikos Chair

Andrew Haveron

Concertmaster

Vicki Olsson Chair

Joshua Batty

Principal Flute

Karen Moses Chair

Harry Bennetts

Associate Concertmaster

Judy & Sam Weiss Chair

Victoria Bihun

Violin

Sylvia & the late Sol Levi Chair

Kees Boersma

Principal Double Bass

Council Chair

Tobias Breider

Principal Viola

Roslyn Packer ac & Gretel Packer am Chair

James Burke

Principal Clarinet

Oranges & Sardines Foundation Chair

Nick Byrne

Trombone

Robertson Family Chair

Anne-Louise Comerford

Associate Principal Viola

White Family Chair

Timothy Constable

Percussion

Christine Bishop Chair

Rosemary Curtin

Viola

John & Jane Morschel Chair

Lerida Delbridge

Assistant Concertmaster

Simon Johnson Chair

Diana Doherty

Principal Oboe

John C Conde ao Chair

Todd Gibson-Cornish

Principal Oboe

Nelson Meers Foundation Chair

Rebecca Gill

Violin

In memory of Reg & Jeannette

Lam-Po-Tang Chair

Carolyn Harris

Flute

Dr Barry Landa Chair

Jane Hazelwood

Viola

Bob & Julie Clampett Chair, In memory of Carolyn Clampett

Claire Herrick

Violin

Russell & Mary McMurray Chair

Catherine Hewgill

Principal Cello

The Hon. Justice AJ &

Mrs Fran Meagher Chair

Kirsty Hilton

Principal Second Violin

Drs Keith & Eileen Ong Chair

Scott Kinmont

Associate Principal Trombone

Audrey Blunden Chair

Emily Long

Violin

Dr Margot Harris Chair

Leah Lynn

Assistant Principal Cello

Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Vanguard Chair (lead support from Seamus R Quick)

Nicole Masters

Violin

Nora Goodridge oam Chair

Fiona McNamara

Bassoon

Nelson Meers Foundation Chair

Timothy Nankervis Cello

Dr Rebecca Chin & Family Chair

Elizabeth Neville Cello

Bob Magid oam & Ruth Magid Chair

Alexandre Oguey

Principal Cor Anglais

Mackenzie’s Friend Chair

Mark Robinson

Associate Principal Timpani/Section Percussion

Sylvia Rosenblum Chair, In memory of Rodney Rosenblum

Rachel Silver

Horn

Sue Milliken ao Chair

Emma Sholl

Associate Principal Flute

Robert & Janet Constable Chair

Matthew Wilke

Principal Emeritus Bassoon

Nelson Meers Foundation Chair

Justin Williams

Assistant Principal Viola

Robert & L Alison Carr Chair

For a full listing of our Sydney Symphony family of donors, please visit sydneysymphony.com/our-supporters

To discuss your giving or learn which areas most need your support, please contact our Philanthropy team on 02 8215 4674 or philanthropy@sydneysymphony.com

SEASON 2021

CALENDAR

sydneysymphony.com

Phone (02) 8215 4600

Email info@sydneysymphony.com

Post Sydney Symphony Reply Paid PO Box 4338

Sydney NSW 2001

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