Melbourne Symphony Announces 2009 Season

Highly acclaimed for its performances in Australia and abroad, the MSO attracts some of the best guest artists and conductors from around the globe performing a broad range of repertoire – from Bach to Boulez.

Managing Director Trevor Green said "It's our mission and passion to provide the highest quality live classical music experience to our audiences. We're continually striving to meet and exceed those challenges by presenting the most appealing, exciting concert programs for a broad range of tastes."

Next season the MSO celebrates many significant landmarks including the 50th anniversary of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the opening of the Melbourne Recital Centre with a new series and welcomes some outstanding artists making their Australian debuts with the Orchestra. It also celebrates the 30th anniversary of Nadia Boulanger's death and the bi-centenary of Felix Mendelssohn's birth. In an exciting year for the MSO Chorus, they perform stand-alone a cappella concerts in Sydney and regional Victoria in addition to sharing the stage with the Orchestra for mighty works such as Faure's Requiem, Beethoven's Ninth symphony and Mahler's Resurrection Symphony. Under the baton of Chorus Master Jonathan Grieves-Smith, the Chorus gives the world premiere of Paul Stanhope's Lamentation at the Castlemaine State Festival.

So in its 2009 season, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra says 'Bravo' to its audiences for their support and enjoyment, and 'Bravo' to the wonderful musicians and guest artists who create unforgettable musical experiences.

GUEST ARTISTS

Many exceptional guest artists feature in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's 2009 season, some making their debut, whilst others make a welcome return. Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Sydney Symphony's Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, makes his first appearance conducting the MSO. One of the world's greatest conductors, Sir Andrew Davis makes his debut with an Australian orchestra, conducting two programs with the MSO. Other artists making their Australian debuts with the MSO include one of the world's leading sopranos, Christine Brewer, contemporary composer/conductor Matthias Pintscher, Boston Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart and pianist Jonathan Biss.

Yan Pascal Tortelier, Barry Douglas, Yvonne Kenny, Janine Jansen, Viktoria Mullova, James Morrison and Stephen Kovacevich make welcome return appearances. There is also a special program built around the talents of superstar soprano Sumi Jo.

WORLD AND AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES IN 2009

As one of the country's best orchestras, the MSO's dedication in fostering new works by local composers is unrivalled. 2009 sees six world premieres of new works by Australian composers including Brenton Broadstock, Paul Stanhope and Elena Kats-Chernin, plus two new works by young composers mentored through the MSO's Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers Program. In homage to the music of Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla, Elena Kats-Chernin's Re-Collecting Astoroids has been commissioned by Symphony Australia for the MSO.

The MSO is delighted to announce that Brenton Broadstock will take up the position of Composer-in-Residence in 2009, a role which has been created in association with the Vice Chancellor's Fellowship program at the University of Melbourne. Two world premieres of his works feature next year – The Hall of Mirrors and Made in Heaven. The latter composition is a poetic tribute celebrating the 50th anniversary of that quintessential jazz album, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue.

Twelve Australian premieres feature in 2009; from the 18th century composer, Luigi Cherubini's recently-discovered Chaconne for Orchestra to three works by highly acclaimed contemporary German composer and next season's curator of the Metropolis series, Matthias Pintscher. Other premieres include works by composers such as Pierre Boulez, Fraser Trainer, Felix Mendelssohn and Bernd Zimmermann. In a joint commission by the MSO and the Helsinki Philharmonic, Vladimir Ashkenazy conducts the Australian premiere of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara's Before the Icons.

SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL 50th ANNIVERSARY

One of the most important and much-loved landmarks in Melbourne celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009. Sidney Myer's dream of providing music for the people in free open-air concerts by the MSO, beginning in 1929, found a permanent home with the completion of the Music Bowl - a gift to the people of Victoria by the Sidney Myer Charity Trust. On 12th February 1959, the MSO performed at the first Sidney Myer Music Bowl concert and now, 50 years later to the day, the Orchestra will perform an exact replica of the opening night program featuring music by Gershwin, Bizet, Enescu, Wagner and Melbourne composer Robert Hughes.

In 2009, the MSO's Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Oleg Caetani will conduct all four Sidney Myer Free Concerts including a Valentine's Day program on 14th February, a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony featuring the talents of the MSO Chorus and concludes with a program featuring guitarist, Edoardo Catemario performing Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE

An eagerly-anticipated development on the Melbourne performing arts scene is the opening of the magnificent Melbourne Recital Centre, with its main hall named in tribute to one of Australia's greatest patron's of the arts, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. MSO's Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Oleg Caetani will conduct Wagner's Siegfried Idyll and Schoenberg's First Chamber Symphony as part of the official opening on 8th February 2009, which also celebrates Dame Elisabeth's 100th birthday.

In honour of this exciting new venue, the MSO has specially created a new three-concert series. Oleg Caetani opens the first concert in the series conducting Bach's magnificent St John Passion featuring the prestigious Choir of St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig. Bach himself wrote this work specially for his first Holy Week in Leipzig where he served as Thomaskantor and Music Director from 1723 until his death.

NADIA BOULANGER

A towering figure of the 20th century, French musician Nadia Boulanger's profound influence has shaped many conductors, composers and musicians of today. Next year the MSO celebrates the 30th anniversary of her death featuring the musical and compositional talents of some of her students. Conductors Oleg Caetani, Yan Pascal Tortelier and pianist Stephen McIntyre are some of the musicians she taught. Next season features works by composers she influenced such as Aaron Copland, Astor Piazzolla, Leonard Bernstein and George Antheil. In an Australian premiere, the Orchestra performs a work by her sister, Lili Boulanger's Psalm 129.

FELIX MENDELSSOHN

In celebration of the bi-centenary of Felix Mendelssohn's birth, the MSO's 2009 season features a variety of works by one of the great musical prodigies. Works featured include A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, his Violin Concerto and the Australian premiere of his concert aria Infelice featuring soprano, Rachelle Durkin and violin obbligato performed by Ilya Gringolts. Israeli piano duo, Silver-Garburg performs his Concerto for Two Pianos, which Mendelssohn wrote for himself and his sister, Fanny, at the tender age of 15.

METROPOLIS

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra continues its passionate commitment to performing contemporary music of our time through its annual Metropolis concerts in May. Next season it has been curated by acclaimed German composer/conductor Matthias Pintscher.

Matthias Pintscher, whose formative influences include Hans Werner Heinze, Pierre Boulez and Peter Eotvos, makes his Australian debut with the MSO. In Metropolis 2009 he conducts the Australian premieres of his own works; Reflections on Narcissus, Transir and Osiris, alongside other premieres including works by composers such as Boulez, Zimmermann and Sciarrino.

Now in its sixth year, the MSO's Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers Program, proudly supported by the Cybec Foundation, provides the opportunity for young composers to write a work for the Orchestra, mentored by some of Australia's most recognised composers. Two new works will be performed in our 2009 Metropolis series.

MSO CHORUS

Following an outstanding first season with the Orchestra, next year the MSO Chorus gives the world premiere of Paul Stanhope's Lamentation under the baton of Chorus Master, Jonathan Grieves-Smith at the Castlemaine State Festival. A co-commission between the MSO Chorus, Sydney Chamber Choir and London's Elysian Singers, Stanhope's new work is a powerfully expressive setting of Biblical texts and the poems of exile by Palestinian writer Jabra Ibrahim Jabra. The MSO Chorus also performs a wonderful program of a capella concerts featuring works by Schubert, Purcell, Bach and Mendelssohn at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney's Angel Place and in regional Victoria.

CELEBRITY CONCERTS

Roberta Flack

One of the world's legendary soul performers, Roberta Flack kicks off her Australian tour with the MSO in two concerts. Friday 30 and Saturday 31 January at the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, 8pm. Human Nature

Get ready for a symphonic night of chart-topping hits as Human Nature sing and dance their way across the orchestral stage! Friday 6 and Saturday 7 February at the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, 8pm.

Classical Mystery Tour

Following sensational reviews in Europe and North America, the MSO presents 'Classical Mystery Tour', a Beatles tribute evening. Thursday 9, Friday 10, Saturday 11July at the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, 8pm. See brochure for further details on all these concerts. -- www.mso.com.au