Musos Must Sees
13.01.2025
With new venues to explore, amazing guest artists and many great concerts to look forward to, there’s plenty to be excited about in 2025! We asked some of our musicians to pick their highlights for the year ahead.
Robert Gladstones, Principal 3rd Horn
I have several! I’ve played all the Star Wars movies now, with Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert to complete the set. It’s fun to play these scores – the action sequences are always full on and great to play. I first played Schumann’s Symphony No.4 as a Year 12 student with a local community orchestra in 1981. I have always enjoyed playing it and look forward to playing it again with Asher.
Semra Lee, Assistant Concertmaster
In 2025, I’m most looking forward to the Baroque Series concerts with my brother Shaun Lee-Chen! I suppose this is unsurprising, and I’m probably biased, but I know these concerts will be super fun and absolutely brilliant. I’m also looking forward to Otto Tausk returning and particularly to his Underground Series concert, Danceworks. I’m a huge new music fan and I think Otto is the perfect musician to lead this new venture.
Helen Tuckey, Tutti Viola
I’m looking forward to the Bartók Viola Concerto, a fantastic lyrical and virtuosic piece played by our outstanding Principal Viola, Daniel Schmitt. I have heard so many first-hand accounts about Bartók and the concerto; from the commissioner, William Primrose, from the author of “Bartók’s Viola Concerto” (New Zealand violist Donald Maurice), and from the legendary Alice Carrard (piano teacher of my daughter), who as a student in Hungary shared a composition classroom with Bartók.
Andrea Mendham, Tutti Violin
I’m looking forward to performing in The Music of John Williams. John Williams is my favourite composer of all time. The way he transforms movies with his music is incredible. His compositions may not always be easy to play, but they evoke so much emotion and portray the characters perfectly. Dan Golding and Andrew Pogson from “Art of the Score” are so informative and funny. I’m excited to see how they present Williams’ music and the pearls of wisdom they are able to share!
Allan Meyer, Principal Clarinet
I look forward to playing some repertoire for the very first time, in particular Richard Strauss’s Macbeth and the Schoenberg Chamber Symphony. The Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle of all five concertos with soloist Lukáš Vondráček will be a very special event to experience.
I am also looking forward to Jurassic Park in Concert, and being part of world premieres from a range of Australian composers, in particular James Ledger and Andrew Schultz. With our Principal Conductor Asher Fisch, and the return of guest conductors Vasily Petrenko and Umberto Clerici, it is going to be year full of exciting performances.