Program - Death and Transfiguration

Death and Transfiguration Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra Johannes Fritzsch, Conductor

Friday 25 March 2022, 7.30 PM

queenslandconservatorium.com.au

PROGRAM Anna Amalia von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel Overture to Erwin und Elmire Conducted by Nathaniel Griffiths

Joseph Haydn Symphony no.88 G major

Fanny Mendelssohn Overture in C Conducted by Nathaniel Griffiths

Richard Strauss

Tod und Verklärung (Death & Transfiguration)

2

PROGRAM NOTES

Anna Amalia von BraunschweigWolfenbüttel (1739-1807) Overture to Erwin und Elmire (1776)

Although we know of many composers who worked for nobility, Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel has the distinction of being both a composer and a German princess. Anna Amalia’s cultural impact cannot be overstated: her influence continues to touch musicians today, as her library— containing over a million books, as well as manuscripts, ancestral registers, maps, and musical scores—houses many scores which may have otherwise been lost to time. Among these musical scores are the works of J.S. Bach.

Notably, Anna Amalia is known for overseeing the development of a flourishing culture within her court, becoming the most influential of its kind in Germany.

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Symphony No. 88 G Major (1787)

Haydn’s significance across the canon of Western classical music is unquestionable. Oft credited as the father of the symphony and of the string quartet, he celebrated widespread fame as a composer during his lifetime and through to this day. His years as Kapellmeister (music director) for the Esterházy royal family burdened him with an immense amount of work of all kinds musical, from composition, to conducting, playing chamber music, and overseeing operatic productions.

His prodigious compositional output ensured that by the time he left his post in 1790, he was a household name across Europe. He would remain so until his dying day, having written more than a hundred symphonies and over seven hundred pieces that we have records of today.

3

Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847) Overture in C (c. 1830)

Mendelssohn’s musical success came at the expense of fighting against the social conventions of the time. With Felix, her brother, supporting her, a number of her works were published under his name and later revealed as her own. The two served as each other’s confidantes and advisors throughout their lives, remaining close and sharing their musical endeavours.

Her father’s words “Music will perhaps become [Felix’s] profession, while for you it can and must be only an ornament.” are a testament to the pressures from within. Despite this, Fanny wrote hundreds of pieces during her lifetime— most predominant among them lieder (songs) and works for piano. The overture performed today is a rare orchestral composition, unpublished during her lifetime.

Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) (1889)

Strauss is known today as one of the most important composers of the late Romantic period, helping to establish the German Romantic style, contributing to its orchestrational subtleties and harmonic complexities. He is best known for his operas and tone poems, which he often conducted, both in Germany and overseas.

Death and Transfiguration is one of Strauss’ aforementioned tone poems, musically portraying life and death of an artist. The work is divided into four parts, each of which were written about in a poem by Alexander Ritter following the composition: an opening Largo, portraying a sick man facing death; Allegro molto agitato, indicating the unrelenting struggle between life and death; Meno mosso portraying the dying man’s life passing before him; and finally, Moderato—the transfiguration, so sought after by the artist.

Program notes by Dr Samuel Dickenson

4

ARTISTS

Image: Peter Wallis

Johannes Fritzsch Conductor

Johannes Fritzsch has been appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra from 2021. Previously he was honoured with the position of Conductor Laureate of the QSO, after his seven years tenure as their Chief Conductor (2008 – 2014). From 2006 – 2013 he was Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Oper Graz, Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester (Austria). Prior to his appointment in Graz, Johannes held the position of Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Staatsoper Nürnberg. From 1993 until 1999, he was Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Städtische Bühnen and the Philharmonic Orchestra in Freiburg, enjoying widespread acclaim. Johannes was born in 1960 in Meissen, near Dresden, Germany, where he completed his musical education. He has conducted many great orchestras, both within Germany and internationally.

He has been working with most of the orchestras in Australia and New Zealand and worked with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, West Australian Opera and South Australian Opera. In June 2019, Johannes joined the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University as Professor of Opera and Orchestral Studies. Over the past fifteen years Johannes has given many Master classes for the German conductor training and development organisation, Dirigentenforum des Deutschen Musikrates. Similarly, he has been active and enthusiastic in his involvement in Australia’s Symphony International Conductor Development Program. In 2018 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra invited him to design and lead the newly founded Australian Conducting Academy.

Since 2018 Johannes holds the position of Principal Guest Conductor of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

5

Nathaniel Griffiths Conductor

Australian-born conductor Nathaniel Griffiths is currently completing his Master’s in Orchestral Conducting at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, under the tutelage of Johannes Fritzsch. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Trombone from the University of Tasmania, where he began his studies in conducting with Johannes. Most recently, Nathaniel assisted on the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 performance of Strauss’ ‘An Alpine Symphony’, including directing the offstage brass. In September 2021 he made his opera conducting debut with the Queensland Conservatorium Opera Orchestra in a performance of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. Additionally, Nathaniel assisted on Opera Queensland’s 2021 production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with conductor Dane Lam. In 2019, Nathaniel was the Assistant Conductor on the Queensland Conservatorium’s production of Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera.

Nathaniel has participated in masterclasses with professional orchestras in Tasmania, Christchurch (NZ) and Hungary. He was awarded 3rd Prize in the 2019 Danube Symphony Orchestra Mozart/Tchaikovsky Competition in Hungary, adjudicated by Professor Andras Deak. In the same year, he took part in a masterclass with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra under Benjamin Northey. Nathaniel was a participant in the inaugural 2018 Australian Conducting Academy, hosted by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and lead by Johannes Fritzsch. He was awarded an internship with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in 2016, in partnership with the Queensland Conservatorium, where he worked with Johannes Fritzsch and Assistant Conductor Natalia Raspopova.

6

As a Master’s student at the Queensland Conservatorium, Nathaniel frequently assists on all orchestral and opera projects in the performance season. In 2022 he will make his debut with the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Fanny Mendelssohn’s Overture in C, and will participate by invitation in the 2022 Australian Conducting Academy, hosted by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra The Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra consists of approximately 90 of the most talented young instrumentalists in Queensland. The orchestra, from its home at the Griffith University South Bank campus, performs an annual series of orchestral concerts, large choral works, and operatic and musical theatre productions, in addition to a range of creative collaborations both on site as well as in the wider community. Queensland Conservatorium supports an annual commissioning project, enabling the creation and performance of new works, and the orchestra collaborates regularly with other departments in the Conservatorium and across the University.

Students in the Queensland Conservatorium orchestral program have the unique opportunity to perform under the baton of a variety of conductors, instilling a flexibility required in the profession. Resident conductors Johannes Fritzsch, Peter Luff and Peter Morris are joined each year by distinguished guest conductors from around the world, providing students with the rich depth of experience they will find when entering the profession. Notable guest conductors have included Sir Neville Marriner, Peter Sculthorpe, Jessica Cottis, Nicholas Braithwaite, Natalia Raspopova, Larry Rachleff and Elim Chan, to name a few.

7

Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra

Concertmaster Brunswick/ Mendelssohn Emilia Jarvela* Haydn Chae Eun Oh* Strauss Robert Smith* Violin 1 Theonie Wang Kristelle Jaimes Miriam Niessl Jonah Spriggs Eden Annesley Kevin Hsu Rhys Williams David Tan Daisy Elliott Emily Ampt Noah Coyne Yuro Lee Haneulle Lovell Luke Hammer

Violin 2 Micha Konopka Edmund Mantelli Julian Lachmund Noah Van den Berg Stevie Maston Chloe McClean Alisha Dunstan Micah Kenzie Amira Ryan Kaia Scheidler Madeline Crosby Dylan Weder Siobhan Mewes Melissa Buddle Alan Leslie Kezia Marvela

8

Viola Brunswick/ Mendelssohn Kyle Brady* Haydn/Strauss Jeremy Egerton* Angelina Kim Sebastien Masel Katelyn Ninness Maddisyn DixonWhitbourne Caitlin Annesley Harrison Brown Rose-Ann Breedt Ella Pysden Reese Corner Graeme Jennings

Violoncello

Flute

Clarinet

Brunswick/ Mendelssohn Mya Whatson*

Brunswick/ Mendelssohn Elinor Hillock* Sophie Schafer

Mendelssohn Lewis Blanchard* Nathanael Duffy

Haydn Daniel Shearer* Strauss Cindy Masterman* Emma Tudball Ariana Dedecius William Bland Cameron Fuller Benjamin Crosby Ai Hasegawa Contrabass Brunswick/ Mendelssohn Deakin Darby Haydn/Strauss Charlotte Scanlan* Rio Kawaguchi Cooper LeBroq Sophia Buchanan Adam Johnstone

Haydn Elinor Hillock*

Strauss Josephine Daniel* Stephanie Tan

Strauss Elinor Hillock* Vittoria von Caemmerer Sophie Schafer

Bass Clarinet Hugo Anaya Partida* Bassoon

Oboe Brunswick/ Mendelssohn Shana Hoshino* Joshua Cass Haydn Ruby Cooper* Shana Hoshino Strauss Shana Hoshino* Ruby Cooper Cor Anglais Joshua Cass*

9

Brunswick Sam Battock* Mendelssohn Sam Battock* Layni Cameron Haydn Milly Yip* Hayden Mears Strauss Chris Buckley* Hayden Mears

Trumpet

Timpani Mendelssohn Matthew Conway*

French Horn

Mendelssohn Riley Nimmo* Hamish McCamley

Brunswick Alex Hogan* Jessica Piva

Haydn Isabella Geeves* Cooper Williams

Haydn Alex Hogan* Matilda Monaghan

Strauss Jason Ding* Hamish McCamley Matthew Nash

Contrabassoon Sam Battock*

Mendelssohn Alex Hogan* Isabelle Raiz-Scanlon Jessica Piva Arabella Davie Strauss Madeleine Aarons* Lauren Owens Preston Ellis Daniel Almeida

Trombone Adam Haks* Sophie Ainsworth Bass Trombone Brady Foxley-Conolly* Tuba Jack Payne*

* Principal player 10

Haydn/Strauss Quinn Ramsey* Percussion Strauss Matthew Conway* Harp Tijana Kozarcic* Jemma Telleman

SPECIAL THANKS Special thanks to Queensland Conservatorium supporters and donors.

Philanthropy plays a vital role at Queensland Conservatorium. Only through your support can our students experience valuable learning opportunities through productions such as this one. To invest in the future of music and performance in Queensland, contact us on +61 (0)7 5552 7218 or email giving@griffith.edu.au Queensland Conservatorium thanks our generous donors and supporters.

We would like to acknowledge our instrument bank donors supporting the students in tonight’ performance.

Queensland Conservatorium Director | Professor Bernard Lanskey

Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University

Deputy Director (Engagement) | Associate Professor Peter Morris

140 Grey Street, South Bank 4101 Concert enquiries: +61 (7) 3735 6241

Deputy Director (Research) | Dr Alexis Kallio

Connect with us

Deputy Director (Learning and Teaching) | Associate Professor Donna Weston

 /queenslandconservatorium

 @qldcon

 qldCon_Griffith

 @qldcon

Head of Performance | Associate Professor Peter Luff Conservatorium Manager | Stuart Jones

griffith.edu.au/music

Technical Manager | Cameron Hipwell

griffith.edu.au/queenslandconservatorium

Front of House Operations Manager | Michael Hibbard

queenslandconservatorium.com.au

Operations Administrator | Clare Wharton

Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, and pays respect to the Elders past, present and emerging.

Ensembles Administrator | Daniel Fossi Technical Officers | Keith Clark, Amy Hauser, Len McPherson Venue Officer | Alexander Penca

11

Correct at time of print.

CRICOS No. 00233E