Marvellous Milestones
CELEBRATING INCREDIBLE MSO MOMENTS ACROSS 2025 , FROM DIAMOND ANNIVERSARIES TO KEY BIRTHDAYS
Q&A
Meet the MSO’s new chair Edgar Myer
TOUR DE FORCE
The MSO heads to Europe in August
Autumn Edition 202 5
The Impact Of Your Support
300,057 LIVE AUDIENCE
174 PERFORMANCES
107 AUSTRALIAN WORKS PERFORMED
25 WORKS BY FIRST NATIONS COMPOSERS REPRESENTED*
Nurturing Next Gen
In 2024, the Orchestra continued its partnership with the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), delivering performance and learning opportunities for emerging instrumentalists who participated in a variety of activity including panel discussions, masterclasses, and performances in 2024. We welcomed students from Melbourne Youth Orchestras to the stage in a curtain raiser performance at the Sidney Myer Free Concerts and performed sideby-side with the MSO’s musicians in Katie Noonan x MSO: Love – An Act of Bravery. During the year, the MSO also hosted workshops for the Australian Conducting Academy, with emerging conductors Leonard Weiss CF, Aaron Wyatt, Sara Duhig, Ingrid Martín, and Nathaniel Griffiths.
Thanks
120 GUEST AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS, SOLOISTS & ENSEMBLES MSO CONCERTS VIEWED IN 75 COUNTRIES
58 WORLD PREMIERES*
90 MSO COMMISSIONS PERFORMED*
Celebrating First Nations
In 2024, the MSO’s Musical Acknowledgement of Country Long Time Living Here continued to open concerts across the State. The Orchestra remains grateful to MSO First Nations Creative Chair, Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO and the language custodians throughout Victoria who guided and contributed to this important, beautiful acknowledgement of First Nations peoples and culture. In addition, the MSO produced several concerts, events and programs which celebrated First Nations music, include the Music & Ideas: First Voices Showcase, the First Voices Composers Program, Cybec First Nations Composer In Residence and NAIDOC Week’s Dan Sultan x MSO concert.
11
157
35,000+ STUDENTS AND LIFELONG LEARNERS ATTENDED Schools performances, and Education and Engagement events (online and in-person)
*INCLUDING ARRANGEMENTS
It was sumptuous: by turns thrilling, powerful, snarling and tender, with striking attention to detail by all involved – the work of a virtuoso Orchestra and a conductor perfectly attuned.
– The Age, 25 March 2024
Martín has a remarkable rapport with the Orchestra and manages to extract from their performance all the joy, hope and resilience of the music.
– Limelight, 21 November 2024
to your generosity, we can continue to make orchestral music that matters.
IN THIS ISSUE
4 Year Of Celebrations
Jaime Martín, Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO and the MSO Chorus share their key 2025 milestones
7 Bon Voyage
Discover more about the MSO’s first European Tour in 11 years; featuring new MSO Concertmaster Natalie Chee
8 Focus On...
Meet MSO’s new Chair, Edgar Myer
10 Snapshots
Go behind-the-scenes at our supporter and patron events
14 Fresh Faces
Meet the 2025 cohort of our MSO Academy – and our new harp!
Welcome
TThe MSO creates music that matters for all Victorians, whoever or wherever they are. Your generous gift this tax time will help ensure our concerts and programs are more accessible, welcoming, and inclusive than ever. It’s all about the music.
here might be a chill in the air with winter whispering at our heels, but inside the concert hall, things are really warming up! There has been remarkable momentum here at the MSO, with our cherished free performances at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Jaime's first concerts of 2025 setting a vibrant tone for the months ahead. The announcement of Natalie Chee as our new Concertmaster for 2026 has generated much excitement (and you’ll read her full story in the next edition of this magazine). We've been particularly moved by the warm welcome extended to our CEO Richard Wigley and Chair Edgar Myer as they join our musical family in their new respective roles; turn to page 8 to read more about our new MSO Chair. They have settled in seamlessly and have loved talking with so many of our supporters at recent events. Behind the scenes, plans for our upcoming tour to the UK and Europe have engaged staff across the organisation – you can read more on page 7. Thank you to all who have expressed interest in joining us on this very special return to Europe and the UK – your enthusiasm and support makes these ambitious projects possible.
Recent weeks have seen the arrival of a host of spectacular new instruments, which have been received gratefully through the generous donations of a number of patrons. Our musicians
have embraced these instruments with genuine joy, knowing they represent both exceptional craftsmanship and the vision of patrons, who understand music's enduring power. More details about these legacy gifts, and the generous supporters who made them possible, appear later in this issue.
As we approach the end of the financial year, we extend our sincere gratitude to all who continue to support our Orchestra. Your contributions enable us to bring wonderful music to audiences both familiar and new, creating experiences that resonate long after the final notes fade. My best wishes as always,
Suzanne Dembo Chief Operating Officer
One Year, Many Milestones
Pop the champagne and light the candles on the cake! There's much cause to celebrate in 2025, with a multitude of merry musical milestones taking place at the MSO. From some of our favourite artists turning 60, to marking the longevity of our beloved MSO Chorus, this year is full of occasion.
MAESTRO MARTÍN TURNS 60
Everyone is asking Jaime Martínwhat do you have in store for your 60th birthday in September?
“I have absolutely no idea!” he laughs good-naturedly. “My wife and two kidsmy sons are 26 and 24 - keep asking me if I want a huge party, but I’m not sure that’s my style.”
In typical fashion, the generous conductor is more focused on throwing a party to celebrate others.
“One thing I will do; a few days before my actual birthday, I will be on tour with the MSO in Europe. One of the concerts will be in my hometown, which is very special. I have booked a fantastic place to invite the whole Orchestra and staff and we will all have
a nice meal. I would have done this even if it wasn’t my birthday. It’s my way of showing appreciation for all the work we do together.”
He can already see the menu.
“There will be lots of seafood, as the part of Spain where I am from is known for its fresh fish. The way we cook fish is very simple but prepared freshly and with care. A good recipe for music, food and life!”
Speaking to Martín, one gets the sense that there is a strong thread of gratitude as he looks back on his creative career - which at 59, shows no signs of slowing down.
“It was really in my 50s that I became more established in my conducting career, and found myself at the MSO, which was one of the best things to happen to me. I say that I am a young conductor in an old body.”
A centrepiece of the MSO’s 2025 calendar is the Ryman Healthcare Winter Gala in June featuring Chinese pianist sensation Lang Lang, who last performed with the Orchestra back in 2019. Martín is effusive about the opportunity to perform with him.
“It will be the first time I have worked with Lang Lang and I am really looking forward to it! He will be performing Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2, which is a fantastic piece he has recently recorded. We will also be
Words: Nicole Lovelock
performing Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, which is later coming on tour with us.”
Martín has a special place in his heart for the work he simply calls ‘Pictures’.
“Pictures has so much variety and orchestration - each movement is a surprise. It is taking you through different rooms and paintings, exactly like being at an exhibition. Some of the paintings will take us to faraway lands, some will take us to gardens in Paris. It’s a virtuoso orchestra display.”
“I have spoken about the first concert I went to with my family when I was nine; the repertoire was Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, but lesser known is that the other work was actually Pictures … so performing one of the first works that opened me up to orchestra music, in my hometown, with an orchestra of the calibre of the MSO, is going to be particularly memorable.”
Of course, Jaime Martín ends by extending words of celebration to one other important part of the MSO family: the MSO Chorus.
“This group represents exactly what we do and who we do it for,” he enthuses. “To our wonderful colleagues in the Chorus, who we love so muchhappy 60th!”
Photo Credit: Samantha Meuleman
CHEETHAM FRAILLON AO LIGHTS THE WAY
Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO has spent the day prior to this interview driving from Melbourne to Sydney - but far from sounding fatigued, she sounds energised.
“Driving is where I listen to my compositions. I like to do that when I'm in the process of creating a new work. It allows me to get away from the piano, get away from the computer screen, get away from anything visual and just hear it as an audience member might experience it. It's often through that process that I start to hear all the things I want to add or change.”
Cheetham Fraillon celebrated her 60th birthday at the end of last year and is now turning her attention to help celebrate one of her most cherished movements at NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary, from July 6 to 13.
“I'm very proud to be involved in this NAIDOC celebration, as I am every year. This year, the MSO has honored me with a concert of my work, featuring compositions I've composed for MSO over the past six years. When thinking about a name for the concert, I really wanted a title which would resonate with the main focus of my career, not only as a composer, but as Artistic Director of Short Black Opera,” she reflects.
The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is ‘The Next Generation: Strength,
Vision and Legacy’. It’s a perfect fit for an artist who takes her responsibility to help nurture and steward the next generation of First Nations talent.
“Over the last 15 years, my focus has been on creating pathways for First Nations musicians, ensuring that opportunity equals ability. And so I chose a phrase from the Yorta Yorta language, the language of my grandmother, of my mother, and my own language. Yinya Dana, literally means ‘light on the path’,” says Cheetham Fraillon.
“The pathway to a career in classical music had remained hidden from many First Nations musicians. I established Short Black Opera Company 15 years ago in order to make that path a lot clearer and we have succeeded. Now there are many more First Nations musicians travelling than ever before. My task is to help everyone else see how this will nurture these artists and help establish the relationships which are necessary for these careers to develop. The MSO has been a significant partner in the development of First Nations artists in classical music,” she says passionately. Cheetham Fraillon was 10 when NAIDOC Week was first conceived.
“It's 50 years of celebrating 60,000 years or more of continuing culture, it’s 50 years of helping the rest of Australia
to gain a greater knowledge and understanding of the oldest continuing cultures in the world. Without those 50 years of NAIDOC, without 25 years of reconciliation, without those leaders who were the architects and the engineers of the 1967 referendum, without all of those giants in the First Nations community … without our Ancestors and Elders and their leadership for all those years, the career and achievements we celebrate in this concert just would simply not have been possible,” she says.
Yinya Dana, which is co-presented by Short Black Opera, will feature four generations of the groundbreaking company that Cheetham Fraillon founded in 2009.
“The concert will feature four generations of Short Black Opera Artists, beginning with Lillie Walker, who started with Dhungala Children’s Choir when she was only 6 years old. Now at 18 years of age, she makes her debut with the MSO. Lillie is joined by Jess Hitchcock, a founding member of Short Black Opera, and Artistic Director of Ensemble Dutala; Aaron Wyatt, who is an accomplished violist and emerging First Nations conductor. Dhungala Children’s Choir complete the picture, of course, before I share the stage with my wife, Maestro Nicolette Fraillon, who will conduct the finale.
PhotoCredit:Stefanie Zingsheim SydneyConservatoriumofMusic
Photo Credit: Laura Manariti
THE MSO CHORUS: SIX DECADES OF SONG
It’s quite the coincidence that MSO Chorus Director Warren TrevelyanJones and the Chorus itself are both turning 60 later this year. MSO audiences are in for a treat, with some lavish choral pieces planned as the icing on the cake.
“We have two celebratory performances in the diary. One is Mozart’s Great Mass, planned for September. The C Minor Mass is one of the great choral works, following in the tradition of Handel and Bach, and it sees Mozart combine church music and opera in a very grand style. It's large in terms of the orchestral and choral forces, and it lasts much longer than the church constraints would allow for a mass setting on a Sunday morning.”
“The Mass also has acquired a mystique because it's an unfinished piece, rather like Mozart’s ‘Requiem’. This intrigue has inspired editors to tidy it up and complete it. It’s an iconic piece that we haven't done in a long time,” muses Trevelyan-Jones.
“The other performance is on October 10th, around the time of the Chorus's 60th. I'll be directing this one in Iwaki - it’s very much a chorus-focused concert featuring Gabriel Jackson's To the Field of Stars, which the Chorus co-commissioned some years back. We have lots to look forward to!”
The MSO Chorus remains hugely popular, even after six decades, with its 190 members from all walks of Melbourne life.
“That's what makes it very special. If you selected 200 people off the street, you get a wide variety of people. We have that shown across the age ranges, with singers from age 18 up to 80 and a very even mix across those ages, all from different cultural backgrounds and with difficult musical experiences. Some have never had a singing lesson, some are trained singers and everything in between. This all makes it so rich, culturally speaking,” he notes. “Melbourne has an extraordinary community-driven cultural scene. There are many community choirs, amateur choirs and singers, with the MSO Chorus representing the very top end of that. It offers the opportunity to work with not only one of the world's great orchestras, but top conductors and star soloists, with a wide-ranging repertoire and offering a lot of performance opportunities - it’s quite extraordinary.”
Trevelyan-Jones finds his role as Chorus Director continually enriching.
“I have a great job to do – I have to inspire and educate the Chorus members, and to make it enjoyable. They are making music at the highest professional level, but they're not professional singers. Being part of the Chorus is a unique opportunity to do something at the very highest level,” he says.
“It is so rewarding because all Chorus members are amateur - they really want to be there. They all put in an enormous investment in terms of time and commitment to attend rehearsals and learning the music, and inevitably make many sacrifices to be there. Their commitment is extraordinary and that should be acknowledged and appreciated.” ■
Ryman Healthcare Winter Gala: Lang Lang
Saturday 28 June, 7.30pm Hamer Hall
Yinya Dana: lighting the path
Friday 11 July, 7.30pm Hamer Hall
Mozart’s Great Mass
Thursday 18 September, 7:30pm & Saturday 20 September, 2.00pm Hamer Hall
Contact Head of Development
Christina Chiam on philanthropy@mso.com.au for further information on how you can support our First Nations artist development and performance initiatives, and the MSO Chorus
Photo Credit: Nico Keenan
Photo Credit: Laura Manariti
A Symphony Crosses Continents
After an eleven-year hiatus, the MSO will showcase Melbourne's unique symphonic voice this August across Europe, presenting distinctly Australian compositions alongside established classical masterpieces. In the past, Australia has looked to Europe as the cradle of the orchestral canon; now, the MSO is bringing a confident and bold-sounding Australian orchestra to the stages of Europe.
MSO Chair Edgar Myer noted that this return to European performance halls after more than a decade represents an important opportunity to showcase Melbourne's cultural identity to international audiences while highlighting the orchestra's artistic excellence.
“The decision to embark on the Europe Tour represented a leap of faith that reflects a braver, bolder, more culturally ambitious company, one that all Melburnians can be proud of,” said Mr Myer.
Beginning with a performance at the renowned Edinburgh International Festival on August 22, the Orchestra will travel through Spain, Italy, and Germany before concluding the tour with a final UK appearance at the iconic BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall. This marks the MSO's first international tour with a full Orchestra since its North American engagements across four cities in 2019.
Under the baton of Chief Conductor Jaime Martín, the MSO's Edinburgh program presents a thoughtfully curated repertoire to authentically reflect our Orchestra at its best.
Audiences will experience the world premiere of Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO's commissioned work Treaty, featuring acclaimed First Nations artist and cultural songman William Barton as soloist on the yidaki.
“It's the second work I've written for the MSO that features William, and this work has a special significance. Right now, in Australia, Victoria is leading the
way in truth telling and justice for First Nations people. To honor and highlight this process of treaty, and to help initiate for some, a conversation about the process of treaty and the need for it is an extraordinary opportunity,” explained Ms Cheetham Fraillon.
Edward Elgar's evocative In the South and Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures will complement this centrepiece of contemporary Australian composition, concluding with its powerful finale The Great Gate of Kyiv.
At Edinburgh, the MSO joins an illustrious roster of international ensembles including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra and the MSO’s own artistic partners, the NCPA Orchestra from Beijing. The prestigious festival, founded in 1947, continues its tradition of transcending political boundaries through global celebration of the performing arts under the direction of Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti.
The tour holds additional significance as it includes the Santander International Festival in Santander on Spain's northern coast – the birthplace of MSO's Chief Conductor Jaime Martín. This picturesque city along the Bay of Biscay will provide a fitting location to end the Orchestra's European journey, with Maestro Martín planning an end of tour party coinciding with his own 60th birthday celebration to commemorate the tour’s successful finale.
The MSO carries a distinguished international touring legacy, having been the first Australian orchestra to tour internationally in 1965. This 2025 European engagement represents both a continuation of that pioneering spirit and an opportunity to promote Australian cultural excellence on the world stage. ■
The MSO’s UK and Europe Tour is proudly supported by the Gandel Foundation, Metal Manufactures Electrical Merchandising, and MSO Europe Tour Circle patrons.
MSO's triumphant return to Europe brings Australian music to the world stage
WELCOMING OUR NEW CONCERTMASTER
The MSO is delighted to welcome Natalie Chee to the MSO family as their newest Concertmaster. Natalie has been based in Europe for her professional life to date, honing her considerable talents at institutions such as Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra and Camerata Salzburg. Most recently, she has been based in Cologne, Germany, as the Concertmaster for the Gürzenich Orchestra.
Due to international season commitments, Natalie officially begins with the MSO in January 2026. However, you’ll be able to see her in full flight with Jaime Martín from August where she’ll be performing with the MSO for their full five-city European tour.
Growing up in Sydney, Natalie is looking forward to calling Melbourne home and getting to know the MSO musicians.
“It's exactly the right time for me to come home for many different reasons. I wouldn't have been ready to come back to Australia say 10 or even 5 years ago, but the timing just seems so perfect now.
“My experience of other Australian musicians in general is that they are extremely flexible and open, and that is why we are well-loved in orchestras around the world. Australian musicians have great antennas and adapt quickly. I'm really looking forward to finally being a part of an Australian orchestra and making amazing music together.” ■
Photo Credit: Jassy Earl
Words: Nicole Lovelock
We sat down with Edgar Myer, new Chair at the MSO, for a conversation on stewarding a new era of leadership.
At the convergence of legacy and future
Words: Nicole Lovelock
Photo Credit: Mark Gambino
Edgar Myer joined the MSO Board in March 2023, and quickly became known for his calm presence and strategic leadership style. Qualified as a solicitor, he practiced at firms in Sydney and New York City, before becoming an investment director at his family office. He speaks with warmth and candour about his vision for one of Australia's most beloved cultural institutions.
Two significant life events happened for you at the end of 2024 – becoming a father for the second time and accepting the MSO Chair role. How are you managing these parallel journeys?
Our second boy arrived just before Christmas, right around when I accepted the MSO Chair position. Between our toddler, the newborn, and our dog, it’s fair to say home life is pretty busy. The MSO role was definitely a commitment I considered carefully, but the opportunity to take on this role at such a beloved cultural institution was simply too good to refuse.
Your family has deep connections to the MSO. How does that legacy inform your approach to leadership?
Every generation of my family has had some involvement with the MSO. While I acknowledge that heritage with pride, I'm focused on the here and now and what lies ahead. One constant throughout our city’s demographic evolution has been the peaceful enjoyment of beautiful music speaks to the power of music to relax, inspire and unite.
A reminder of this was during a recent Sidney Myer Music Bowl Free Concert, when I chased my toddler up the hill away from the stage through the 10,000 strong crowd to see a true mix of Melbourne - different accents, ages, styles, backgrounds - all united by music. That's simultaneously the story and the future of this city that we're privileged to serve.
You speak of MSO as a Melbourne service. Can you elaborate on that vision?
It's about asking what we can do for the city of Melbourne, for the people of Melbourne. How can we serve you?
Our strategic imperative is reaching beyond inner-city postcodes into
Music can mean different things to different people, but to me, it's always been its incomparable ability to relax or inspire us, and ultimately, unite us, and orchestral concerts demonstrate that.
suburbs and regions, ensuring the best of orchestral music is accessible to all Victorians. This spirit of service builds on events such as the annual Free Concerts at the Bowl and our NAIDOC Week concert, which reflect our city's great diversity. Of course at the same time we remain committed to our core programming and upholding our reputation for artistic excellence and leadership, which continues to go from strength to strength under the guidance of our artistic family led by Jaime Martín.
How has your professional background prepared you for this role?
My career has been quite broad. I'm a qualified lawyer with international experience, and my current role managing investment portfolios for our family businesses is varied. Having engaged with different governance frameworks through a number of different lenses and working in a field which requires long term thinking –I think equips me with a background that will be helpful in stewarding the MSO forward.
In our digital age, what value do you see in the live orchestral experience? It depends on the piece, but I think there’s a transportive quality provides a genuine point of difference to the online experience. Once you find your seat and the lights go down, you're transported into a different world. It depends on the piece but it can be quite a meditative experience, situated in a completely different context from the online world. Music can mean different things to different people, but to me, it's always been its incomparable ability to relax or inspire us, and ultimately, unite us, and orchestral concerts demonstrate that.
You seem especially passionate about MSO's educational initiatives.
These programs are gold. I've attended Jams for Juniors with our toddler;
additionally, seeing the impact of initiatives like Jams In Schools is remarkable. These are the sorts of programs that stimulate a true pipeline of engagement through our community. Whether it's to corporates, schools, or suburban concert venues, our musicians energize the ultimate beneficiaries: the people of Melbourne.
What was a formative moment in understanding the Orchestra?
Going on tour with the MSO to Indonesia last year was a pivotal experience. Being able to step inside the world of the musicians — getting breakfast, commuting to and from the hotel, hanging out casually — was enlightening. We're not just directors; we're advocates for the Orchestra, so having those personal connections is vital.
What are your markers for success as you look ahead?
We've inherited an organisation that's almost 120 years old. A lot of thought and energy has gone into making it what it is. I see our role as one of stewarding that onwards while ensuring we're making the investments and decisions now that will make us even stronger and sustainable in the future. That means ensuring financial and cultural health, growing audiences, maintaining artistic excellence while remaining relevant to the community we serve, and fostering respectful, two-way dialogue between the Board and musicians.
What message would you like to share with MSO patrons?
You are our family. Keep coming, keep subscribing. We want to hear from you. I want to meet you and hear firsthand about your experiences. Your patronage is key to keeping the MSO thriving and you are a vital part of a very proud Melbourne tradition. ■
Snapshots
CHINESE NEW YEAR 2025
An annual donation of $500 or more welcomes you into the MSO’s Patron Program. Enjoy behind the scenes access to Patron Lounges, Open Rehearsals and other special events throughout the year. To learn more about becoming an MSO Patron and getting closer to the music we all love, please contact philanthropy@mso.com.au
At our annual Chinese New Year Concert in February, we celebrated the Year of the Snake with guest conductor Lü Jia, celebrated Chinese pianist Haochen Zhang and pipa player Zhang Hongyan. Photo Credits: Laura Manariti.
Pictured 1: A troupe of dragon dancers welcome in the Year of the Snake. 2: Members of the MSO Board: Co-Deputy Chair Martin Foley, Chair Edgar Myer, Chair Emeritus Dr David Li AM, Margaret Jackson AC, Mary Waldron and Lorraine Hook, MSO First Violin. 3: Yashian Schauble and MSO Board Director, Gary McPherson. 4: MSO Head of Development Christina Chiam. 5: Angela Li, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria and MSO Chair Emeritus Dr David Li AM. 6: A Chinese dragon dancer befriends the crowd outside Hamer Hall.
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
On Valentine’s Day, we hosted the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) at Hamer Hall with their Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Hans Graf, violin prodigy Chloe Chua and cellist Ng Pei-San. It was the first time the SSO has played in Australia and their first international tour since 2017. Many Patrons who accompanied the MSO on tour to Singapore in 2024 were in the concert hall for SSO’s triumphant Melbourne performance. Photo Credits: Laura Manariti.
Pictured 1: Frank Mercurio, Di Jameson OAM, Lorraine and Eli Raskin. 2: SSO CEO Kenneth Kwok, MSO CEO Richard Wigley, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore Allaster Cox, SSO Chair Yew Lin Goh.
3: SSO Artistic Director Hans Graf and SSO CEO Kenneth Kwok.
RYMAN HEALTHCARE SEASON OPENING GALA
Our 2025 Ryman Healthcare Season Opening Gala performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, with soloists Catriona Morison, Eleanor Lyons and the MSO Chorus, took place on Thursday 27 February to wild acclaim from a capacity audience. Amazingly, this concert was the first time MSO Chief Conductor Jaime Martín had conducted Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 2.
Photo Credits: Laura Manariti.
Pictured 1: Liliane Rusek and Alexander Ushakoff. 2: Tim and Lyn Edward. 3: Besen Family Foundation CEO Tabitha Lovett. 4: Freemasons Foundation Victoria Director Philip Mayers AM, Rhona Mayers and guests. 5: MSO Co-Deputy Chair Martin Foley, MSO First Violin Lorraine Hook, MSO Board Director Margaret Jackson AC, Robin Rowe, Janet Matton AM, Kim Gearon and Lili Gearon.
MSO PATRON LOUNGE
In April, we saw the MSO debut of award-winning Russian piano virtuoso Daniil Trifonov, widely regarded as today's most exciting young pianist. His Melbourne performances of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, with many coming to see him play more than once. Photo Credits: Laura Manariti.
Pictured 1: MSO Board Director Margaret Jackson AC, MSO
Principal Horn Nico Fleury and MSO Cello Michelle Wood. 2: Grevis Beard, Dr Richard Knafelc, Helen and Chris Trueman. 3: Neil Day, Michael Riordan, Ellen Day and Jenny Anderson. 4: Mark and Mary Armour. 5: Phil Lewis, MSO Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Dembo and Eli Raskin. 6: MSO Assistant
Principal Second Violin Monica Curro, Dr Mary-Jane H
Gething AO and Kate Shelmerdine. 7: Suzie Brown OAM, Annie Neil, MSO Chief Conductor Jaime Martín and MSO
First Violin Eleanor Mancini. 8: Oliver Hutton and Weiyang Li.
New Beginnings
The MSO Academy Class of 2025
The MSO welcomes four new musicians to the prestigious MSO Academy program for 2025. Joel Walmsley (trumpet), Joolee Kim (flute), Joshua Jones (cello), and Michael Lo (trombone) are the latest cohort in this specialised career development initiative.
Now in its third year, the MSO Academy provides a structured transition between musical education and professional orchestral careers. This paid, year-long program guarantees participants over 60 mainstage performances alongside Melbourne Symphony Orchestra veterans, supplemented with chamber projects and professional development sessions covering orchestral operations, per formance psychology, and creative career pathways.
The Academy experience emphasises mentorship relationships with permanent MSO musicians, creating connections that benefit both
established professionals and emerging artists. This knowledge exchange forms a cornerstone of the program's approach to musical development. For select Academy members, an extension program offers a second year of professional development. These returning participants not only advance their own careers but also provide peer support to newer cohorts, strengthening the program's mentorship structure.
This third Academy cohort brings the total number of participants to 17 since the program's inception — each representing the future of Australian orchestral music. The program serves as a critical professional stepping stone, preparing talented musicians for successful careers while maintaining the high standards of orchestral performance. ■
Contact Head of Development
Christina Chiam on philanthropy@ mso.com.au to learn how you can help foster the next generation of talented musicians at the MSO Academy.
Words: Nicole Lovelock
New Instruments Transform the MSO Sound
The Orchestra has also been able to significantly upgrade their instrumental resources with the acquisition of several new percussion instruments and a concert harp. This expansion of the Orchestra's musical capabilities comes through the generous support of the MSO's Instrument Fund donors.
The percussion section has received a complete renewal with four new timpani, two xylophones, a glockenspiel, a vibraphone, and a set of tubular bells. These additions represent a comprehensive upgrade that will enhance the section's sound quality and technical capabilities for years to come. These new instruments will feature prominently in upcoming performances. The xylophone played a small but notable role in the MSO's An Evening of Fairy Tales in mid-May, in Prokofiev's Cinderella. Meanwhile, the glockenspiel and bells will showcase their distinctive tones in performances of Ravel's
Photo Credit: Samantha Meuleman
Photo Credit: Samantha Meuleman
orchestration of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition in June.
Additionally, the Orchestra has acquired a hand-crafted concert harp from Chicago's renowned Lyon & Healy workshop (pictured below, with MSO Principal Harp Yinuo Mu). This goldadorned instrument, the only one of its kind in Australia, represents a significant enhancement to the orchestra's string section capabilities. These acquisitions were made possible through dedicated philanthropy from Tim and Lyn Edward, Catherine and Fred Gerardson, Pauline and David Lawton, the Joe White Bequest, and numerous other Instrument Fund contributors.
Thanks to their generosity, these instrumental additions ensure the MSO maintains its ability to perform the highest quality orchestral repertoire while providing musicians with exceptional tools that match their professional abilities. ■
To learn more about the MSO’s Instrument Fund priorities or to join this generous community,contact Donor Liaison Keith Clancy on philanthropy@mso.com.au
Keith’s Picks
MSO Donor Liaison and symphonic music doyen Keith Clancy lists his top picks for the remainder of our 2025 program — for your consideration:
Mozart’s Great Mass
THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM AND SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER, 2 : 00 PM HAMER HALL
Mozart’s Missa Solemnis in C Minor features some of his most ravishing vocal and orchestral writing. A foreboding opening, Kyrie, is followed bydazzling arias, duets, trios and quartets for soloists interspersed with grandiose choral movements. I can not wait to hear this unfinished masterpiece brought to life by the MSO Chorus and soloists, including local legends Siobhann Stagg and Samantha Clarke.
Impressions of Paris
THURSDAY 23 OCTOBER, 7.30PM AND SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER, 2.00PM HAMER HALL
This concert features a genuine rarity on the stage – a performance of Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand with soloist Nicholas McCarthy. One of Ravel’s last and most profound works, this 1930 meditation on the destruction and heroism of World War 1 is coupled with the Symphony in D Minor by César Franck, which takes the listener on a journey from darkness to a D Major finale of blazing, triumphant splendour.
Voice of the Viola
FRIDAY 7 NOVEMBER, 7.30PM THE ROUND, NUNAWADING
SATURDAY 8 NOVEMBER, 7.30PM MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE
This concert features a rare performance of virtuoso violist Paul Hindemith’s most lyrical and amusing works. The Swan-Turner, for viola and a small windbased orchestra without violins, takes its inspiration from medieval folk songs - the title itself references the medieval taste for swans roasted on the spit. The beautiful Serenade No.2 by Brahms completes this fascinating program, which celebrates the ‘middle child’ of the strings.
