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

“Amazing, absolutely amazing!” MSO’s Sibelius

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | A Celebration of Sibelius October 30, 2025, Melbourne Town Hall, VIC Benjamin Northey – Conductor Edward Walton – Violin A night of Sibelius works, large and small, with a brilliant young soloist and the commanding presence at the podium of Benjamin Northey, for the last of the Melbourne Town Hall MSO series; not to be repeated

David Hood November 1, 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

Ambassador thoughts

MSO’s consummate performance of Fairy Tales

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | An Evening of Fairy Tales May 15, 2025, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne For classical music lovers, it’s a real treat to hear the music of operas and ballets by renowned composers without the visual spectacle of sets and costumes, soaring vocals and twirling ballet dancers (wonderful though these may be). British conductor Alpesh Chauhan curated

Catherine C. Turner May 17, 2025

Ambassador thoughts

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 ‘Raiders’ inspires future Symphony-goers

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert 25 January, 2025, Plenary of the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, VIC Saturday night movies with movie snacks have long been a tradition in my family, although even the best surround home sound system might sound a little lacklustre after seeing Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost

Daniel Brace January 28, 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

Ambassador thoughts

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 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

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

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

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

Composer

Free Showcase JAN 28 – MSO celebrates 20 years with The Cybec Foundation

This concert is BOOKED OUT – FREE Live stream via link below To celebrate a milestone partnership and the 20th anniversary of the Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers program, Cybec Assistant Conductor Carlo Antonioli will lead the MSO in the Cybec Showcase: 20th Anniversary concert to be hosted by Principal Conductor in Residence Benjamin Northey, at The Edge, Federation Square

Pepe Newton January 17, 2023

Ambassador thoughts

MSO with Christian Li – a fine night of music making for audiences both young and old

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | MENDELSSOHN AND BRAHMS Friday December 2nd 2022, Hamer Hall Sir Andrew Davis – conductor Christian Li – violin Ensuring the tradition and richness of the classical western art music tradition, and indeed the future of our Australian orchestras, continues cannot be taken for granted. Friday night’s concert with the MSO was totally encouraging in the way

Brad Slater December 4, 2022

Ambassador thoughts

MSO: Stunning solos and a world premiere for Eötvös

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Debussy’s Nocturnes: Darkness and Light October 13, 2022, Hamer Hall, Melbourne Nodoka Okinawa – conductor Yinuo Mu – harp Upper voices of the MSO chorus Descending multiple sets of escalators to reach the stalls of the Hamer Hall, and surely we were beneath the high water mark of the Yarra now in the early stages of

Alan Holley October 14, 2022

Ambassador thoughts

Lisa Gerrard’s soaring vocal perfection

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Immortal Diamond Oct 5, 2022, Hamer Hall Melbourne Lisa Gerrard, Paul Grabowsky, MSO, conductor Benjamin Northey “Immortal Diamond was largely composed during the dark winters of lockdowns and can perhaps be understood as a secular requiem for those who passed, and a prayer for better days ahead.” (Composer: Paul Grabowsky) Starting the performance with a projection

Brad Slater October 6, 2022

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