Queensland Symphony Orchestra unveils 2021 Season
With three world premieres and a Concert Hall program ready to celebrate joy, Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s 2021 will bring much delight to audiences.
Proving that orchestral music is back in full force in the new year, Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) has unveiled a season of 18 concerts, all to be performed in the Concert Hall at QPAC, including three commissioned world premieres and headlined by the acclaimed Maestro series; in a collection of 10 world-class classical celebrations.
Soloists performing with QSO include one of the greatest pianists Queensland has ever produced in the internationally acclaimed Piers Lane, revered didgeridoo artist William Barton, dynamic young violinist Grace Clifford, one of Australia’s leading woodwind players oboist Diana Doherty, organist Joseph Nolan, Australian sopranos Emma Pearson, Lorina Gore and Rebecca Cassidy (Opera Queensland Young Artist) and musical theatre star Simon Gleeson.
QSO musicians take centre stage in 2021 with solo performances for Concertmaster Warwick Adeney, Section Principal Flute Alison Mitchell, Section Principal Clarinet Irit Silver, Principal Tuba Thomas Allely and Acting Section Principal Cello Hyung Suk Bae.
Leading the conductor line-up in 2021 is the Orchestra’s celebrated Conductor Laureate Johannes Fritzsch, together with dynamic Australian conductor Dane Lam, Umberto Clerici, Elena Schwarz, Benjamin Northey, Max McBride, Alexander Briger, Benjamin Bayl, and of course hosting Music on Sundays the irrepressible Guy Noble.
Celebrated conductor Ludovic Morlot joins the Orchestra as the only international artist for the season. Ludovic Morlot will make his QSO debut, conducting ‘Song to Symphony’ in November 2021 and the Season Closing Gala, ‘Four Last Songs’, in December 2021. Following eight years as Music Director, Ludovic Morlot is Conductor Emeritus of the Seattle Symphony.
In a fitting move, QSO’s season will open on 6 February 2021 with a Special Event called ‘QSO Favourites’, celebrating favourite pieces from Beethoven to Bolero. In between is a calendar of musical moments that stars premieres, movie music and classical warhorses ranging from Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Scheherazade’ to Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 to the mighty ‘Firebird’ by Stravinsky and more.
Excitingly and in an Orchestra first, three world premieres will be staged in 2021, commissioned by QSO and all by Australian composers. Over the weekend of 30 April and 1 May 2021, QSO musicians Irit Silver and Alison Mitchell will perform a world premiere double concerto for flute, clarinet and orchestra, by Australian composer Gordon Kerry during the ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ performance.
In June, ‘Epic Sounds’ will feature the world premiere of a new work by acclaimed Australian didgeridoo player and composer William Barton. The sound of this majestic instrument will fill the concert hall, in a performance that also features Wagner’s dramatic Overture to ‘The Flying Dutchman’ and the Symphony No.5 by Sibelius.
In September, ‘Queensland’s Finest’ will feature three of Queensland’s brightest musicians, together for the first time. Conducted by Dane Lam, acclaimed both here and overseas, this performance includes the world premiere of a new composition by a talented young composer, Sebastian Lingane, who was the winner of QSO’s 2019 Compose Program. They are joined by famed Queensland pianist Jayson Gillham who won the Montreal International Music Competition in 2014, performing Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto.
There is plenty to offer outside the classical world as well. The extraordinarily popular ‘Cinematic’, a concert featuring a mix of blockbuster movie music returns, and Australian singer and actor Simon Gleeson joins soprano Lorina Gore in the Musical Theatre Gala, featuring some of the most-loved show tunes from Broadway to West End, while classical works inspired by Shakespeare’s plays will prove a blockbuster, featuring Mendelssohn’s iconic music for ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ through to Prokofiev’s extraordinary ballet music for ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
Season 2021 will also see Queensland Symphony Orchestra again travel throughout Queensland to perform, educate and inspire. In 2019, QSO worked with 125 schools and over 13,000 school students across the state. Of these, 7,000 were students outside the Brisbane metropolitan area. The regional touring program is an important part of the QSO’s commitment as the state orchestra.
The Orchestra’s Young Instrumentalist Prize proves every year that Queensland is a wealth of young musical talent and will take place in 2021, ensuring that the future of music is in excellent hands.
QSO’s Chief Executive Craig Whitehead said the Orchestra was excited for Season 2021 after what has been an incredibly challenging year for every orchestra, every musician, and every music lover around the world.
“During 2020, we have been extremely disappointed that we have been unable to deliver live concerts to the people of Queensland, however, we’ve created a fantastic range of online content from musicians’ homes, backyards, parks and playgrounds, playing all sorts of music, from Bach to ‘Baby Shark’, an epic anthem collaboration with the Gold Coast SUNS and the Brisbane Lions and of course at the AFL Grand Final,” Whitehead said.
“We know that nothing can stop the music of QSO and our Season 2021 will celebrate all that is joyous, uplifting and new. The diverse line-up for 2021 shows again Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s commitment to being an Orchestra for everyone.”
Concertmaster Warwick Adeney said the musicians have deeply missed performing for audiences.
“As I reflect on the past year, I am struck by how universal our experience has been,” Adeney said.
“We have each encountered frustration, sadness, and longing. For us at QSO, we were devastated to miss so much of our planned 2020 concert season. There is no doubt it has been a challenging time, and yet amidst the yearning to fill the concert hall again, we have told new stories, and explored new ways of making and sharing music.
“In 2021 we invite you to join us and take your seat in the concert hall once again. Our season will be a celebration of live performance, and its power to inspire us and draw us together.”
Ticket packages for QSO’s 2021 season are on sale from Monday, 16 November 2020, at Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s website. Single tickets to all concerts will be on sale from Monday, 14 December at 9:00 AM.
For more information about the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, visit their website.
Queensland Symphony Orchestra 2021 Season
‘QSO Favorites’ – Beethoven to Bolero (Special Event)
Saturday, 6 February 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Dane Lam
In the lead-up to our season this year, we asked you what pieces you wanted to hear. Your feedback inspired us, and we’re delighted to present a concert of favourites – yours and ours – including the majestic Allegretto from Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 through to Ravel’s unforgettable Bolero. Conducted by dynamic Australian conductor Dane Lam, it’s going to be a great concert – whether you are new to the magic of orchestral music or whether you’ve been enjoying it for years.
‘Arabian Nights’ – Music of Love and Intrigue (Friday Night + Maestro)
Friday, 19 February 2021 @ 7:30 PM; Saturday, 20 February 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Johannes Fritzsch
One of the most thrilling spins on the time-honoured ‘The Arabian Nights’ tales is Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s symphonic suite ‘Scheherazade’. The title is the name of a Persian queen who tells stories night after night to her controlling Sultan husband to keep herself alive. Scheherazade herself is represented by the poignant sound of a solo violin, while the massed orchestra conjures up tales of adventure, fun, and mystery. Under Conductor Laureate Johannes Fritzsch this concert also features Ravel’s impressionistic take on the waltz, ‘La Valse’.
‘Musical Landscapes’ – Evocative Scenic Melodies (Music on Sundays)
Sunday, 28 February 2021 @ 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Umberto Clerici
Host – Guy Noble
Soloist – Warwick Adeney, violin
The natural world inspired many composers to create their greatest music. Felix Mendelssohn visited the Scottish island of Staff in 1829 and was struck with the majestic sea cave known as Fingal’s Cave. Instantly, the sound of the rolling waves and the isolation of the location inspired him to write one of his most popular works, ‘The Hebrides’. Starting with this majestic overture, Queensland Symphony Orchestra will lead the audience through a series of evocative classical works that have drawn their inspiration from nature.
‘Firebird’ – An Instrumental Spectacular (Morning Masterworks + Maestro)
Friday, 19 March 2021 @ 11:00 AM; Saturday, 20 March 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Elena Schwarz
Soloist – Piers Lane, piano
We are privileged to host one of the greatest pianists Queensland has ever produced, Piers Lane, to perform Franz Liszt’s monumental first concerto for piano and orchestra, a spectacular showcase for pianist and orchestral musicians alike. The concert finishes with a suite of music from Stravinsky’s ballet ‘The Firebird’.
‘Enigma’ – A Musical Tour de Force (Friday Nights + Maestro)
Friday, 9 April 2021 @ 7:30 PM; Saturday, 10 April @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Johannes Fritzsch
Soloist – Joseph Nolan, organ
It can sometimes be dangerous to be friends with a composer! In 1899, English composer Edward Elgar created his Enigma Variations, a set of variations on the one melody, with each one representing a different friend of his. From his wife to his music publisher, each friend was immortalised in music as their different personalities shone through. This piece has never lost popularity, especially with the moving and powerful ‘Nimrod’ variation. We’re also delighted to showcase the majestic QPAC organ and soloist Joseph Nolan, in Poulenc’s mighty Concerto.
‘Cinematic’ – Heroes and Heroines (Special Event)
Saturday, 24 April 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor & Host – Nicholas Buc
Our signature Cinematic concert returns for another year! Cinematic presents an evocative mix of music from the movies, with a bit of classical thrown in. Themed Heroes and Heroines – it’s a tribute to heroic characters, big and small, super and ordinary, across the ages. From blockbuster classical to blockbuster films, you’ll hear why – when it comes to the music of action and inspiration – there is nothing more powerful than a live symphony orchestra.
‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ – Musical Vignettes (Morning Masterworks + Maestro)
Friday, 30 April 2021 @ 11:00 AM; Saturday, 1 May 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor Benjamin Northey
Soloist Alison Mitchell, flute
Soloist Irit Silver, clarinet
Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ was a series of pieces for piano based on a famous set of paintings. The paintings themselves were small but the sounds that Mussorgsky created were so big, it wasn’t long before fellow composer Maurice Ravel arranged them into an aurally spectacular version for orchestra. As an added highlight, we’re delighted to feature two of our Orchestra’s musicians Irit Silver and Alison Mitchell, performing a world premiere double concerto for flute, clarinet and orchestra, by Australian composer Gordon Kerry. Presented in association with QPAC.
‘Shakespearean Classics’ – Music Inspired by the Bard (Music on Sundays)
Sunday, 9 May 2021 @ 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Max McBride
Host – Guy Noble
Soloist – Rebecca Cassidy, soprano (Opera Queensland Young Artist)
In this concert, hear a selection of the most powerful and enjoyable works inspired by Shakespeare’s plays from Mendelssohn’s iconic music for ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ through to Prokofiev’s extraordinary ballet music for ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Presented in association with Opera Queensland.
‘Musical Theatre Gala’ – Broadway to West End (Special Event)
Saturday, 15 May 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor & Host – Guy Noble
Soloist – Lorina Gore, soprano
Soloist – Simon Gleeson, tenor
Featuring award-winning Australian soprano Lorina Gore and acclaimed performer Simon Gleeson with the full power of a large orchestra, you will be treated to music from ‘Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Chess’, ‘Frozen’ and much, much more from the great musicals of the 20th and 21st century. This concert will also feature two emerging Musical Theatre soloists from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. Presented in association with Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.
‘Mozart and Brahms’ – Music to Soothe Your Soul (Morning Masterworks + Maestro)
Friday, 28 May 2021 @ 11:00 AM; Saturday, 29 May 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Alexander Briger
Soloist – Diana Doherty, oboe
There are times when we want orchestral music to take us on journeys that are dramatic and stormy, but then there are times when we crave the opposite. Brahms had proved he could do the former with his majestic First Symphony and then set out to do the latter in his Symphony No.2. His music will soothe your ears and your heart. Serene and glowing, it is a masterpiece designed to lift your spirits. It’s also a perfect match for the Mozart Oboe Concerto in C, performed by Diana Doherty, one of Australia’s greatest woodwind players.
‘Epic Sounds’ – Music that Soars (Friday Nights + Maestro)
Friday, 25 June 2021 @ 7:30 PM; Saturday, 26 June 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor Benjamin Northey
Soloist William Barton, didgeridoo
QSO presents the premiere of a new work by acclaimed Australian didgeridoo player and composer, William Barton. The sound of this majestic instrument will fill the concert hall, in a performance that also features Wagner’s dramatic Overture to ‘The Flying Dutchman’ and the mighty Fifth Symphony by Sibelius. Presented in association with QPAC.
‘Great Inventions’ – Music of Surprise and Delight (Music on Sundays)
Sunday, 25 July 2021 @ 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Benjamin Bayl
Host – Guy Noble
Soloist – Thomas Allely, tuba
In this entertaining concert, QSO features music by the great composers, each one marked by a unique attempt to try something different. For instance, Beethoven wrote the second movement of his Eighth Symphony to sound like an invention of his day – the metronome! Haydn also was inspired by the mechanical world – his famous Symphony No. 101 has a delightful ticking melody in the second movement that earned it the nickname ‘The Clock’. Debussy sought to mimic the sound of Indonesian Gamelan music in his Pagodes from ‘Estampes’.
‘Breathtaking Tchaikovsky’ – Passion and Tragedy (Morning Masterworks + Maestro)
Friday, 6 August 2021 @ 11:00 AM; Saturday, 7 August 2021 @ 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Johannes Fritzsch
Nine days before the great Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky died, he premiered his last great symphony – the Symphony No.6. It is known as the ‘Passionate’ symphony in Russian or the rather more tragic ‘Pathétique’ in French. Conducted by QSO Conductor Laureate Johannes Fritzsch, this will be an unforgettable experience for everyone in the concert hall.
‘Around the World’ – An Orchestral Globetrot (Music on Sundays)
Sunday, 29 August 2021 @ 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor & Host – Guy Noble
QSO’s irrepressible host and conductor Guy Noble will take your around the world with music from every corner of the globe. You’ll imagine the icy beauty of Finland as Sibelius’ Finlandia rings in your ears, enjoy a fireworks show with an English monarch and feel the magic of Totoro, one of Japan’s most-loved animated characters, and more!
‘Queensland’s Finest’ – A Trio of Talent (Morning Masterworks + Maestro)
Friday, 3 September 2021 @ 11:00 AM; Saturday, 4 September 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Dane Lam
Soloist – Jayson Gillham, piano
This concert is a showcase of three of Queensland’s brightest musicians, featured together for the first time. Conducted by Dane Lam, acclaimed both here and overseas, this performance includes a brand-new composition by talented young composer, Sebastian Lingane, who was the winner of QSO’s 2019 Compose Program. They are joined by Australian pianist Jayson Gillham who won the Montreal International Music Competition in 2014, performing Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto with “absorbing and relentless elegance” (Montreal Gazette). He has only grown in stature as an interpreter of Beethoven’s piano concertos since. You can also enjoy Richard Strauss’ tone poem ‘Till Eulenspiegel’ – a musical tale of a mischief-maker represented with equally mischievous music. Presented by Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Brisbane Festival. Presented in association with QPAC.
‘Beethoven and Sibelius’ – Musical Masterpieces (Friday Nights + Maestro)
Friday, 1 October 2021 @ 7:30 PM; Saturday, 2 October 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Alexander Briger
Soloist – Grace Clifford, violin
Australian violinist Grace Clifford will take you to the world of Jean Sibelius with his finger-busting and evocative Violin Concerto. This will be followed by the one and only ‘Beethoven 7’, a piece with such infectious rhythms and powerful emotions that you only need to hear it once to be swept away by it. This is a must-see concert in our 2021 season.
‘Song to Symphony’ – Inspirational Folk Melodies (Music on Sundays)
Sunday, 28 November 2021 @ 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Ludovic Morlot
Host – Guy Noble
Soloist – Hyung Suk Bae, cello
QSO’s final Music on Sunday’s concert for the year features a program of music inspired by folk songs – Brahms’ famous Academic Festival Overture, a joyous medley of drinking songs arranged for orchestra, Copland’s superb rendering of the tune ‘Simple Gifts’ in his ‘Appalachian Spring’, and Dvořák’s lyrical ‘Silent Wood’, presented in a gorgeous arrangement for cello and orchestra, featuring QSO cellist Hyung Suk Bae.
‘Four Last Songs’ – Season Closing Gala (Friday Nights + Maestro)
Friday, 3 December 2021 @ 7:30 PM; Saturday, 4 December 2021 @ 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM (at the Concert Hall, QPAC)
Conductor – Ludovic Morlot
Soloist – Emma Pearson, soprano
At the age of 84, shortly before Richard Strauss died, he took four poems and set them to music. These songs for soprano and orchestra went on to become known as Strauss’ ‘Four Last Songs’. Performed by Australian soprano Emma Pearson, there is no better way we could finish off our concert year. The concert also features one of Debussy’s great masterpieces, ‘La Mer’, an invocation of the sea so strong, you can smell the salt and hear the waves.
Media Release supplied by Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
