Queensland Symphony Orchestra Season 2019

Music Director: Alondra de la Parra

2019 Artist-in-Residence: Paul Lewis

6 Australian conductors; 13 Australian Soloists; 3 Australian Choirs; 8 Australian Composers; 10 Australian Compositions; 1 Australian Premiere and 1 World Premiere

Led by 10 Maestro concerts, a spotlight on Australian composers and showcasing concertos for harp, clarinet, trombone and double bass among others, Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Season 2019 is one to cement its reputation as an orchestra for everyone.

“2019 is the year we shine a spotlight on the diversity of musical instruments and I am thrilled to announce that our season will showcase concertos for harp, clarinet, guitar, oboe, cello, trombone, double bass, viola, as well as piano and violin,” Music Director Alondra de la Parrasaid.

She also announced pianist Paul Lewis as 2019 Artist-in-Residence, following the applauded residency this year of Sergio Tiempo. “Paul is an exceptional pianist with a renowned international reputation and is a specialist in the music of the great masters, particularly Beethoven. He has a long touring history with Australia, but next year will be his debut with Queensland Symphony Orchestra; he will perform in four concerts.”

Australian composers Elena Kats-Chernin, Lachlan Skipworth, Brett Dean (Australian premiere), Carl Vine and Nigel Westlake are celebrated through the season.

“For a long time, Queensland Symphony Orchestra has given a platform to composers from around the world, but in 2019 we turn our eye closer to home. I am excited to present a collection of works by Australian composers who proudly take their place in our program alongside those whose music has delighted us for generations,” said Ms de la Parra.

Queensland Symphony Orchestra will welcome back Australian-born conductor Simone Young to conduct THE GREAT SYMPHONY in July which includes the Australian premiere of Brett Dean’s work, Notturno inquieto, and in October, Brisbane’s famous violinist Ray Chen returns in a concert showcasing his talent. The season is full of soloists including the Austrian percussionist Martin Grubinger, French harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Australia’s classical guitar star Karin Schaupp, and Spanish cellist, Pablo Ferrandez among others. Importantly, Queensland Symphony Orchestra musicians including violinist Warwick Adeney, cellist Hyung Suk Bae, trombonist Jason Redman and double bassist Phoebe Russell will star as soloists during the season.

THE MAESTRO PROGRAM

The Maestro season opens on February 16 with HEAVENLY, featuring the music of Mozart and Mahler with Artist-in-Residence Paul Lewis and soprano Morgan England-Jones under the baton of Alondra de la Parra.

In March, ROMEO & JULIET will open with Rossini’s William Tell Overture, before Ginastera’s Concert for Harp, and then Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Suite, led by conductor Diego Matheuz, with French harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet.

DREAMSCAPES in April features the work of Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, followed by Copland’s Concerto for Clarinet performed by Italian Alessandro Carbonare before Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique as the finale, led by Spanish conductor, Jaime Martin.

In May the epic CATHEDRAL OF SOUND will see Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Conductor Laureate Johannes Fritzsch together with pianist Piers Lane and the Orchestra perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K488 and Bruckner’s Symphony No.7.

SOULFUL JOURNEYS in June will open with Spiritus, the work of Australian composer Lachlan Skipworth, before Nocturnes by Debussy and Dvořák’s Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra. This Maestro will be led by Swedish conductor Daniel Blendulf with soloist the Spanish cellist, Pablo Ferrandez.

THE GREAT SYMPHONY in July heralds the return of Australian conductor Simone Young for the Australian premiere of Australian composer Brett Dean’s work Notturno inquieto. Bartok’s Viola Concerto will be performed by German violist Nils Mӧnkemeyer with Schubert’s Symphony No.9 in C (Great C Major) the finale.

In August, Alondra de la Parra returns to take up the baton for THE NEW WORLD. Featuring music inspired by America and with Austrian percussionist Martin Grubinger, the works of Copland, Dorman and Dvorak will be celebrated.

ROMANCE AND REVOLUTION is the headline Maestro for September, starring Alondra de la Parra conducting and Artist-in-Residence Paul Lewis with Queensland Symphony Orchestra performing Australian composer Paul Vine’s V-An Orchestral Fanfare, with Beethoven’s Piano ConcertoNo.4 in G and Prokofiev’s Symphony No.5 in B flat.

In October the internationally acclaimed, Brisbane-born violinist Ray Chen returns with Australian conductor Erin Helyard. RAY CHEN RETURNS will feature music from Bach, Handel and Mendelssohn.

The final Maestro for the year in November is TCHAIKOVSKY AND BEETHOVEN with Alondra de la Parra conducting and Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulovic to solo.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Season 2019 also features special events, with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert opening the year on February 9, before The Last Night of the Proms in May combines thetraditional elements of the Royal Albert Hallevent with a unique Australian touch, featuringAustralian artists and music (Nigel Westlake) together with Gershwin, Rossini and others.

The Latin America Gala on August 17 will see Alondra de la Parra conduct an America vs Brazil orchestral sound-off with guitarist Yamandu Costa and Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Paul Lewis in Recital on September 14 will see the Artist-in-Residence performing Haydn, Brahms and Beethoven up close and personal in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Studio.  Then on November 15 de la Parra and Lewis will perform again together for Timeless, the closing gala.

MUSIC ON SUNDAYS

The Music on Sundays program features five concerts ranging from the Festival of Folk in March, to Kings and Queens in May featuring Queensland Symphony Orchestra trombonist Jason Redman as soloist, then Animal Kingdom in June (which poses the question, what do a bee, a lark and a swan have in common?), to Sounds from the Deep in August with Brisbane classical guitarist Karin Schaupp and then the finale, Toys and Puppets on October 27 conducted by Alondra de la Parra with Queensland Symphony Orchestra double bassist Phoebe Russell as soloist. See full program detailed in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra 2019 Calendar. 

CHAMBER PLAYERS SERIES

The Chamber Players series also features five concerts, beginning with Trumpeter’s Trapeze in April and wrapping up with Compelling Times on November 24. An up-close and personal series starring Queensland Symphony Orchestra musicians at their home studio in South Bank, concerts will be held in April, May, July, September and November. See full program detailed in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra 2019 Calendar. 

CHORAL PROGRAM

In 2019 two choral events will be staged. The first on June 1 is the Opera Gala featuring a night of Verdi and Puccini under the Italian born conductor Giovanni Reggioli with soloists Natalie Aroyan (soprano) and Kang Wang (tenor) and the Brisbane Chorale. The second is Handel’s enduring masterpiece, Messiah, conducted by Stephen Layton with Sara Macliver (soprano), Helen Charleston (mezzo soprano), Gwilym Bowen (tenor) and Laurence Williams (bass-baritone) and the Brisbane Chamber Choir. See full program detailed in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra 2019 Calendar. 

WAVE FESTIVAL

Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s WAVE Festival will return to morph modern sounds, technology and the talent of Australia's hottest contemporary acts with the classical heritage and strength of the Orchestra Poet Luka Lesson, hip-hop artists Horrorshow, beatboxer Tom Thum, and electronic musicians The Kite String Tangle and Sampology will followin in the sound-wake of previous collaborators.

EXCITE 2019

Orchestras are for everyone, including the kids, and in 2019, Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s EXCITE program will roll out a great mix of new and familiar family works.

qso.com.au

Images: QSO Music Director Alondra de la Parra.

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