Johannes Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn

Sergei Rachmaninoff Variations on a Theme of Paganini for Piano and Orchestra

Stefan Cassomenos soloist

Edward Elgar Enigma Variations

Fabian Russell director

The second Duality concert series program features three famous works from the classical repertoire – all in Variations! Brahms’s great overture expounding Haydn’s theme is then followed by the highly popular Rachmaninoff Paganini tribute.

Finally, what could be more dramatic than Elgar’s enigmatic symphonic poem? Is it joyous or mournful? Come and decide for yourself and join best friends superstar pianist Stefan Cassomenos and conductor Fabian Russell.

Tickets here

Conductor Mario Dobernig leads the GSO as it dances from classical ballet to flirt with a Spanish gypsy and even an encounter with Death himself. This selection of lush music is a deviation from the orchestra’s usual programming, offering works seldom, if ever, heard in Geelong. Lily Bryant won the Australian Youth Classical Music Competition in 2022 and joins the orchestra with a thrilling arrangement of melodies from Bizet’s Carmen.

Conductor Mario Dobernig
Flute Lily Bryant

Debussy Prelude à l’après-midi d’un faune
Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre
Bizet / arr. Borne Carmen Fantasy
Tchaikovsky Waltz from Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky Balletsuite from Swan Lake

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WEBER

Der Freischütz Overture

R.STRAUSS
Tod und Verklärung

TCHAIKOVSKY
Symphony No.2 

Conducted by
Keith Crellin OAM

And to our last but certainly not the least concert in our Rebirth 2022 Series. We begin with Weber’s dark overture to the opera Der Freischütz - The Freeshooter. Richard Strauss wrote Tod und Verklärung - Death & Transfiguration - as the music for his own passing – a rebirth into the next life perhaps. It is an intensely emotional work in which the whole orchestra is the soloist & star of the show. To finish the year, one of Tchaikovsky’s earlier symphonies dubbed ‘The Little Russian’ as it is based on Ukrainian Folk Music. It is as spectacular and energising as he ever wrote - a great way to finish off the year!

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Bohemia and Beyond     

Saturday 22 October 5pm Costa Hall

Richard Davis conductor
Stefan Cassomenos piano

Smetana
Ma Vlast: Vltava (Die Moldau)
Schumann
Piano concerto in A minor Op.54
Dvořák
Symphony No.9 in E minor Op.95 ‘From the New World’

From Bohemia’s woods and fields, down the mighty Vltava river, across Bavaria to Saxony. The GSO journeys through Europe with Richard Davis and soloist Stefan Cassomenos presenting lush melodies and stunning imagery.

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Our 2022 Closing Gala brings together instrumentalists and choristers from all over Southwest Victoria, alongside Melbourne musicians and magnificent soloists, under the baton of esteemed conductor Michael Dahlenburg, on one enormous shared stage. REGENERATION bursts into life with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ glorious Serenade to Music, inspired by the discussion of the Music of the Spheres in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, and written to mark the jubilee of the conductor Sir Henry Wood. We then witness the world premiere of a fresh new work created collaboratively by local Southwest schoolchildren with composer and renowned pedagogue Dermot Tutty. Our 2022 Festival concludes with an uplifting selection of the most rousing opera choruses and arias, with which we encourage you to sing along, leaving our souls regenerated and our hearts filled with hope and with gratitude that we have once again regathered in our beloved Port Fairy.

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PROGRAMME:

WEBER - Der Freischütz Overture

ELGAR - Cello Concerto soloist Catherine Kwak

BRAHMS - Symphony No.2

conducted by Keith Crellin OAM

PROGRAMME:

WEBER - Der Freischütz Overture

ELGAR - Cello Concerto soloist Catherine Kwak

BRAHMS - Symphony No.2

conducted by Keith Crellin OAM

Including Composition and Improvisation in the Crashendo program at Laverton College

Conference Paper
Sunday 3 July
Scotch College, Melbourne

Abstract: Crashendo! is a community-based music program at Laverton College. Students participate in small group classes and ensemble rehearsals for four hours after school each week. Tuition is free and instruments are provided. Under the guidance of teaching artists, students develop technical proficiency on their instrument, and skills such as cooperation, commitment, focus, confidence, trust and self-discipline. Teachers use method books for beginners then select standard repertoire as the students advance in ability. Following a research trip to New York, I returned to address deficits in the curriculum pertaining to composition and improvisation. Our students are the composers of the future in this country and I felt they were missing out on clear opportunities to be new music creators. This practice-based presentation describes my experience in reviewing the curriculum through extensive discussion, challenges in shifting pedagogical approaches, inclusion of external assistance and the implementation of some minimum composition and improvisation requirements in rehearsals and performances.

RACHMANINOV
Piano Concerto No.3

Pianist Stefan Cassomenos

BRAHMS
Symphony No.4 

Conducted by
Fabian Russell

Mario Dobernig Conductor
Lee Abrahmsen Soprano
James Egglestone Tenor

A superb concert featuring much loved music from the golden era of Vienna – favourite songs, waltzes and orchestral show pieces from Johann Strauss II, Franz Lehár, Brahms and Puccini.

Conductor Mario Dobernig will lead the GSO through wonderful waltzes and vocal music featuring Geelong’s own international soprano Lee Abrahmsen and tenor James Egglestone.

Tickets here

From chamber to concerto, from ballet to song, the 3MBS Marathon showcases this great composer in one extraordinary day. Works include: Violin Concerto in D, Souvenir de Florence, Piano Trio in A minor and Variations on a Rococo Theme.

Join us on Saturday, 19th February when we welcome the return of Melbourne’s much-loved musicians performing live at the Melbourne Recital Centre or streaming through Australian Digital Concert Hall. Enjoy performances from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Elyane Laussade, Christian Li, Charlotte Miles, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Timothy Young, Samuel Sakker, Tristan Lee, Gintaute Gataveckaite and many more of Melbourne’s favourite artists.

Tickets here

A double shot of its ‘Symphonic Vaccine’ program is the treatment of choice, this time with a classic Tchaikovsky double of the Violin Concerto and the 4th Symphony. No one will be spared a cure for a happy and healthy close to Corpus Medicorum’s 2021 season.

The orchestra is very excited to host Leon Fei – Melbourne’s own incredible violin talent – and be directed by wonderful musical director, Keith Crellin.

BRAHMS - Symphony no.2 in D major Op.73
BRAHMS - Piano Concerto no.2 in Bb major Op.83

Soloist - Benjamin Martin (piano)
Conducted by Keith Crellin OAM