Ambassador thoughts

MSO presents a moving and brilliant Messiah

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Handel’s Messiah December 13, 2025, Hamer Hall, Melbourne, VIC CAN YOU IMAGINE – I cannot – Handel’s great contemporary, JS Bach (both born 1685), recycling some of his own music, from Cantatas on, ahem, erotic themes, for his masterpiece “Messiah”!? Handel wrote the work in 3 weeks, so, presumably, that self-theft was necessary. There’s no “standard”

David Hood December 14, 2025

Ambassador thoughts

MSO’s Mozart under Nicholas Carter – a fine performance

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Mozart’s Great Mass 20 September 2025, Melbourne, VIC Richard Strauss: Träumerei am Kamin No 2 from Four Symphonic Interludes from Intermezzo Johannes Brahms: Schiksalsied (Song of Destiny) Op. 54 Mozart: Mass in C major Conductor – Nicholas Carter Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Siobhan Stagg – soprano Samantha Clarke – soprano Matteo Desole – tenor David

Peter Hagen September 26, 2025

Ambassador thoughts

Shiyeon Sung with MSO shows great synergy and virtuosity

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto 7 August, 2025, Hamer Hall, Melbourne, VIC A spiritual journey, the inner conflict of a romantic and a bucolic romp. Now that’s what I call an evening’s entertainment, which is exactly what was delivered by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with conductor Shiyeon Sung and guest virtuoso violinist Simone Lamsma. Speaking in the pre-concert

Daniel Brace August 9, 2025

Ambassador thoughts

Exciting new works premiere at First Voices Showcase

MSO | First Voices Showcase June 4, 2025, Iwaki Auditorium, Southbank, VIC What a privilege to journey with a musician, artist, or, as in this case, composer, as they explore, and expand their craft and technical abilities. The MSO’s First Voices Showcase is one such program, where emerging artists are supported to compose for orchestral forces, helping to expand their

Daniel Brace June 6, 2025

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MSO never misses a beat in magical Mahler Symphony 2

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Mahler’s Symphony 2, ‘Resurrection’ Conductor Jaime Martin February 28, 2025, Hamer Hall, Melbourne VIC Mahler occupies a special place in the panoply of gifted composers. Up there with Wagner, his students and devotees tend to have a zeal and passion for his works, that can be quite overwhelming. To be honest, I’ve shied away from Mahler

Daniel Brace March 3, 2025

Ambassador thoughts

MSO chamber players present a curious and different world of music

MSO Chamber| Music for Harp and Strings 22 September, 2024, Iwaki Auditorium, Southbank, VIC ARTISTS Yinuo Mu – curator/harp Anne-Marie Johnson – violin Kirstin Kenny – violin Christopher Moore – viola Rachael Tobin – cello Stephen Newton – narrator PROGRAM BAX Quintet for Harp & Strings DEBUSSY Les cloches for harp and cello DEBUSSY En Bateau for harp and cello

Peter Hagen September 28, 2024

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MSO’s Fauré Requiem – kind, gentle, with outstanding soloists

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Fauré’s Requiem August 29, 2024, Hamer Hall, Melbourne, VIC The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus presented a program of miniature masterpieces, perfect pieces that left us completely satisfied. The first half of the program was without chorus and featured the dark and evocative Mythic by Elena Kats-Chernin. I’m such a fan of Kats-Chernin and there doesn’t

Daniel Brace August 30, 2024

Ambassador thoughts

MSO celebrates Indigenous Australian composers and musicians

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | First Voices Showcase 22 May, 2024, Iwaki Auditorium, Southbank, VIC Two years ago Aaron Wyatt picked up his conductor’s baton and made history as the first Indigenous Australian to have conducted one of the state symphony orchestras in concert. Fast forward to 2024, and Wyatt remains a creative force and an impressive front man for Indigenous

Daniel Brace May 24, 2024

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MSO presents a charming and emotional evening at Melbourne Town Hall

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Jaime conducts Enigma Variations 3 May, 2024, Melbourne Town Hall, Vic In Victorian times the Melbourne Town Hall must have buzzed as the centre of social and musical society, although it wasn’t until 1929 that the Grand Organ was installed. It’s always a thrill to see the many pipes, so much promised sound, in rank after

Daniel Brace May 4, 2024

Ambassador thoughts

A rhapsodic evening with Andrea Lam and the MSO

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody November 30, 2023, Hamer Hall, Melbourne While Bacewicz is still an unfamiliar name to many, recent years have seen this forgotten Polish composer experience a well-deserved resurgence. Conducted by Jaime Martín, the MSO performed her Overture on Thursday night. Not only was it an energising concert opener, but a pertinent introduction to a program

Lily Begg December 2, 2023

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Thunderous applause for MSO

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Mozart’s Final Symphonies November 25, 2023, Hamer Hall The Melbourne Symphony under Maestro Jamie Martín presented Mozart’s Final Symphonies, that is, Symphony No. 39, 40 and 41, otherwise known as Jupiter. There was definitely magic in the music, reflected by the thunderous applause that followed each symphony and at the conclusion of the concert. Symphony No.

Daniel Brace November 25, 2023

Ambassador thoughts

So much to enjoy in MSO’s Spring Gala

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Spring Gala: Symphonic Tales November 11, 2023, Hamer Hall, Melbourne You could not imagine a more magical evening than The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 and the Scheherazade Suite by Rimsky-Korsakov. These works need no introduction and have sparked imaginations of all ages and romances of all kinds. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, conducted by

Daniel Brace November 12, 2023

Ambassador thoughts

All Rise with MSO = Epic. Grand. Exhilarating!

All Rise: Jazz at the Lincoln Centre with Wynton Marsalis and the MSO 25 August, 2023, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Epic. Grand. Exhilarating. Describing All Rise with any level of useful detail is an impossible task. To label it as Jazz Symphony, in 12 movements, that utilises the forces of full symphony orchestra, 100 or so member choir, 6

Brad Slater August 27, 2023

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The delicate artistry of Javier Perianes with MSO

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Brahms and Dvořák 22 July 2023, Hamer Hall, Melbourne Jaime Martín – conductor Javier Perianes – piano Program BRAHMS Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op.15 DVOŘÁK Symphony No.6 in D, Op.60 “Favourite repertoire and composers” The Brahms D minor piano concerto is one of the longest piano concertos of the 19th century and is symphonic

Peter Hagen July 25, 2023

Orchestras

The MSO Launches 2024 Season of Storytelling

2024 SEASON LAUNCH Melbourne Symphony Orchestra In 2024 the MSO celebrates music’s ability to tell stories that move and inspire us, from evocative soundscapes and epic film scores to the majestic works of the great composers. The 2024 program features 12 world premieres of MSO commissions, 11 by Australian composers, two premieres of international composers, 17 MSO debuts and 14

Pepe Newton July 25, 2023

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MSO’s dreamy Berlioz

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique July 14, 2023, Melbourne Recital Centre Jaime Martín conductor Alexandra Oomens soprano Stephanie Dillon mezzo-soprano Gondwana Voices Lyn Williams AM children’s chorus director Program Michael Atherton Shall we Dream? Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream: incidental music (excerpts) Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique in five movements One expects the conductor after walking on to wave his

Peter Hagen July 19, 2023

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RISING Festival’s Bungul astounding, deeply moving and original

BUŊGUL Gurrumul’s Mother’s Buŋgul, Gurrumul’s Grandmother’s Buŋgul, Gurrumul’s Manikay Wed June 14, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Buŋgul – Gurrumul’s Mother’s Buŋgul, Gurrumul’s Grandmother’s Buŋgul, Gurrumul’s Manikay is an immersive experience, a journey in song and dance, and a cultural gift from the Yolŋu people. Started by the late, great Gurrumul Yunupingu and finished by his collaborators, the composer Erkki

Daniel Brace June 15, 2023

Ambassador thoughts

Special and precious gifts from MSO First Voices Showcase

MSO | First Voices Showcase May 26, 2023, Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne The warmth and excitement inside the Iwaki Auditorium, as members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble Dutala got ready to perform world premieres by First Nations artists, was in direct contrast to the cold rainy night outside. Thanks to an MSO education program, Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara singer/songwriter, Vonda Last

Daniel Brace May 27, 2023

Ambassador thoughts

‘Five stars’ for MSO’s War Requiem

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | War Requiem – Benjamin Britten April 14, 2023, Hamer Hall, Melbourne Jaime Martin – conductor Samantha Clarke – soprano Toby Spence – tenor David Greco – baritone Gondwana voices children’s chorus MSO chorus Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem from 1962, composed to commemorate the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral after the 1940 bombing by the German Luftwaffe, is

Alan Holley April 15, 2023

Ambassador thoughts

Brahms and more, MSO at its best

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Brahms Violin Concerto and more March 11, 2023, Hamer Hall Elena Schwarz, conductor Clara-Jung Wang, violin When programming this concert much more thought went into the repertoire than the title might suggest. Starting a concert with an overture, such as Natalie Williams’ Fourth Alarm, is conventional but also satisfying to the listener. Written for large orchestra,

Brad Slater March 12, 2023

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