Virtuosi Tasmania 2013 SeasonTSO Chorus

After a successful tour to Longford and Franklin with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus in 2011 we are again on the road, this time to Swansea and Westbury. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus brings a feast of choral music to your community. With Handel’s famous Zadok the Priest for starters, the main course delivers choruses from the great operatic composers Wagner, Verdi and Benjamin Britten, and for dessert, compote of waltzes by Gounod and Lecocq. There’s spice too with Southern Indian rhythms; the staples include Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, and a contemporary touch is Eric Whitacre’s delicious Alleluia. Performed a cappella or with piano accompaniment this multinational program proudly displays the home-grown Tasmanian product.

TSO ChorusSat 21 Sept 2pm Westbury Town Hall, Westbury

Sun 22 Sept 1pm Swansea Town Hall, Swansea

Sun 22 Sept 3pm Swansea Town Hall, Swansea

The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus (TSO Chorus)

The TSO Chorus is an auditioned group of 80 voices. June Tyzack has been Chorusmaster since 2001 and she is supported by Assistant Chorusmaster Andrew Bainbridge and Répétiteur Karen Smithies.

The Chorus was founded in 1992 to present concert performances of Opera, and in its first five years performed La Traviata, La Bohème, Madam Butterfly, Carmen and La Cenerentola. Since then the repertoire has broadened to include the requiems of Mozart, Fauré, Brahms, and Sculthorpe, the masses of Haydn, Puccini and Schubert, and symphonies by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Vaughan Williams.

The ‘Last Night of the Proms’ and the TSO Christmas concerts are box office hits, and many performances are broadcast by ABC Classic FM. The Chorus has participated in the 10 Days on the Island festival, the Festival of Voices, MONA FOMA, and a two day Synesthesia Festival at MONA in 2012. Also to its credits are the world première performances of Andrew Ford Blitz (2012), Richard Mills Passion According to St Mark (2009), Maria Grenfell Night Songs (2008) and James Ledger Wandering Star (2006).

For ABC Classics with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the chorus appears on the 2012 The Glory of Christmas CD and has recorded Mendelssohn Symphony No. 2 Lobgesang, and a CD of National Anthems.

With Sydney Symphony, the TSO Chorus joined forces with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius for Decca/ABC Classics. In addition to touring regional Tasmania singing mostly a cappella repertoire, the Chorus is frequently invited to augment interstate symphonic choirs. Since 2006 we have performed at the Sydney Opera House with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs – Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms and Ravel Daphnis and Chloé (Oleg Caetani 2006), Haydn Die Schöpfung (Sir Richard Hickox 2007), Elgar The Dream of Gerontius (Vladimir Ashkenazy 2009), Verdi Requiem (Robertson 2013), at the Adelaide Festival with the Adelaide Festival Chorus – Mahler Symphony No. 8 (Arvo Volmer 2010), and at the Perth Concert Hall with the WASO Chorus – Walton Belshazzar’s Feast (Paul Daniel 2011). In 2012 members of the TSO Chorus made their international debut augmenting WASO Chorus in performances of Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem in Hong Kong with Jaap van Zweden.

This year, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus revisited its operatic roots with an Opera Gala conducted by the TSO Chief Conductor, Marko Letonja. Other performances with orchestra include Mozart Coronation Mass, Ravel Daphnis et Chloé, and Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms.

For further information about the TSO Chorus, please visit www.tsochorus.com.au

PROGRAM

HANDEL Zadok the Priest

HANDEL See the conqu’ring hero comes from Judas Maccabeus

WHITACRE Alleluia

GORECKI Lobgesang op 76

Lisa YOUNG Other Plans

LAURIDSEN Dirait-on from Les Chansons des Roses

TOCH arr. TYZACK Geographical Fugue

WAGNER Entrance of the Guests at Wartburg from Tannhäuser

BRITTEN Time & Concord from Gloriana

VERDI Si ridesta in ciel l’aurora from La Traviata

GOUNOD & LECOCQ WALTZES

Medley from Faust, La fille de Madame Angot and Romeo et Juliette

BOOKINGSTSO Box Office $30/$25 Ph 1800 001 190 or go to www.tso.com.au Bear Cottage Crafts, Swansea $30/$25

PERFORMERSThe Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Chorus Master: June Tyzack. Piano: Karen Smithies.

INFORMATIONStephen Martin Ph 0429 795 979 email: martin@virtuositas.org.au or go to www.virtuositas.org.au.

MAILING LIST To join our mailing email list just complete the back of the flier and send it to 37 Balaka Street Rosny 7018or email the secretary secretary@virtuositas.org.au

MEMBERSHIP TO VIRTUOSI TASMANIAVirtuosi Tasmania Inc. All donations to Virtuosi Tasmania above $2 are tax deductible. Membership of Virtuosi Tasmania Inc. is $10 over a financial year. For all membership and mailing list enquiries, please contact: Pieter Buining: Ph 6244 3714, 37 Balaka St Rosny Tas 7018 email: secretary@virtuositas.org.au or go to www.virtuositas.org.au