Sydney Youth Orchestra: Romance And Tragedy
Sydney Youth Orchestras present Romance and Tragedy in the majesty of Sydney Town Hall in their final concert for 2015.
Conducted by Brian Buggy the SYO Philharmonic will play the Overture to Tchaikovsky’s ballet, Romeo and Juliet, followed by Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 performed by the Sydney Youth Orchestra conducted by Fabian Russell.
The words – ‘romance’ and ‘tragedy’ aptly capture the essence of this concert program. The poignancy and passion of Romeo and Juliet remind us why Tchaikovsky will always be considered as one of the greatest composers, and the emotional rollercoaster of Mahler’s great Fifth Symphony begins with an anguished and sombre funeral march which works through despair and nostalgia in the middle movements followed by a jubilant, neoclassical rondo that knits the disparate work together. For the conductor, Mahler’s Fifth Symphony poses great challenges. The conductor must bring unity to a work that is about disunity. To make it work it must allow us to hear every aspect of it in equal measure.
The fourth movement, the much-loved Adagietto for strings and harp, is one of Mahler’s most famous
compositions. Frequently heard as a stand-alone piece on the radio, it is for many, their first encounter with the music of Mahler.
As world-renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel sees it, the Fifth is a “great challenge; a symphony where you really have to search to find the centre. The orchestra has to have tremendous technique and huge sensitivity: there are extremes of happiness, sadness, depression and hope in this work…I believe the most important thing is simply to feel it and play.”
Hear the exuberance and daring of Sydney’s best young musicians as they rise to the challenge of this iconic repertoire.
For 42 years, the Sydney Youth Orchestra has been a vital part of the cultural life of our nation by training thousands of talented young musicians to pursue their musical dreams and take their place in orchestras throughout Australia and the world. SYO has a strong track record of delivering a consistently outstanding educational and performance program across the primary, secondary and tertiary segments through to the pre-professional stage. The annual program has grown to encompass 13 ensembles, with over 450 young musicians aged 6-25 years, in a weekly foundation program of rehearsals, specialised tutorials and performances.
SYO fills its unique training role within the sector feeding a significant number of proficient musicians to major ensembles organisations such as the Australian Youth Orchestra, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the Australian National Academy of Music, the Sydney Symphony Fellows, ACO2 and beyond. Indeed, 23 members of the recent Australian World Orchestra performing under Sir Simon Rattle were SYO alumni.
SYO alumni are placed in all of the professional orchestras in Australia, leading chamber ensembles such as the Goldner Quartet, Australia Ensemble, Ensemble Offspring and the Omega Ensemble, as well as orchestras internationally, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Halle Orchestra, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Hong Kong Philharmonic.
SYO’s program not only equips members for a career as a professional musician. The orchestral training program teaches teamwork, discipline, dedication, leadership, and a commitment to excellence. Whatever career path these talented young people follow, they are likely to become leaders in and contributors to the community, future audiences, donors and supporters. Whilst SYO has as its foundation a detailed Orchestral Training Framework ensuring that its students meet educational outcomes, the equal purpose of the organisation is to develop strong performance ability and a deep knowledge of repertoire. In the concert, SYO will showcase the result of consistent and dedicated training by our best and brightest.
Tickets: Adult $50.00/Junior (4-16yrs) $15.00/Concession (seniors/pensioners) $40.00/Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) (Admits 4) $100.00/Under 30s $30.00/Student Offer $15.00
BookIings online through the SYO website or through Ticketek
