December 2014

WALTZINGTHE NIGHT AWAY

Wrest Point sWayeD to a central european beat on the evening of saturday 13 september as the tasmanian symphony orchestra under conductor brett Kelly reeled off one waltz after another at the Viennese ball, the tso’s major fundraising event for the year.

in addition to Viennese music, guests were treated to a three-course Viennese menu specially curated by robin Kelly, senior chef de cuisine at Wrest Point. the dessert buffet — which groaned under the weight of sacher torte, Linzer torte, Gugelhupf, apple strudel and other treats — proved especially popular! the austrian fare was complemented by tasmanian wines courtesy of Home Hill, Kelvedon estate, Lake barrington, Laurel bank, milton and sugarloaf ridge.

ryk Goddard kept the night bouncing along as mc and once the waltzing was done DJ martin blackwell brought on the turntable.

being a fundraising event, there were auction and silent auction items on offer. among the most highly contested were a weekend at mona and, as per tradition, the chance to conduct the tso, which was won by Jo scott, tso Foundation supporter and tso Friend. David Warren successfully bid to dance with Dinah Woods, tso oboe, and elvio brianese successfully bid to dance with anne Kim, wife of concertmaster Jun yi ma. John soundy, of ripple realty, did a marvellous job as auctioneer.

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vertures

Left: Jo scott’s guest appearance as conductor.

below left: David Warren successfully bid to dance with tso oboist Dinah Woods.

below right: elvio brianese successfully bid to dance with anne Kim.

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the Viennese raffle was launched on the night, the prize being a luxury 12-day austrian holiday courtesy of emirates airlines and the austrian national tourist office. Fittingly, mr Dean cleaver, emirates regional manager Vic/sa/tas and nt, was on hand to say a few words. in addition to emirates airlines and the austrian national tourist office, the tso would like to acknowledge the support of Wrest Point, the six vineyards listed above, Hobart autohaus and Launceston bmW for contributing to the success of the evening.

an event of this magnitude does not organise itself. to that end, the tso would like to thank the members of the ball committee who generously volunteered their time and services: Kate berger, Gemma black, Lucy carrig Jones, tara Kelly and michelle Warren — take a bow!

Left: Dean Cleaver, Emirates Regional Manager VIC/SA/TAS and NT, Stephanie Cleaver, Allanah Dopson, Nicola Hodgman and The Honourable Will Hodgman, Premier of Tasmania.

Far left: Damon Thomas and Jun Yi Ma, TSO Concertmaster.

Left: Ryk Goddard.

All images by Richard Jupe

WAlTzING THE NIGHT AWAY

TSO IN THE COMMUNITYlOOk OUT as TSO musicians break out! TSO musicians have been busy outside the concert hall these past few months participating in outreach activities in a wide range of venues.

Recent events include a performance for the residents of Umina Park aged care facility in Burnie, a concert for school children at kingston library, a Christmas concert by the TSO Horn Quartet at the Royal Hobart Hospital and visits to the lady Gowrie child care centre in Moonah. The lady Gowrie visits form part of an on-going program to introduce this particular group of young children to the instruments of the orchestra.

TSO musicians are keen to be involved in the community and share the joy of music with people of all ages. The TSO is particularly eager to connect with those who are unable to attend concerts or have not been exposed to orchestral music in the past. The message is simple: the TSO is for everyone!

HUNTERS AND COllECTORSDO YOU HAvE items of TSO memorabilia including concert programs, newspaper clippings, photographs and the like? If so, would you be happy to loan them to us so that we can scan them for our digital archive?

For the moment, we are calling for items from the 1960s and 1970s only. We’ll broaden the time period once we have the 60s and 70s sorted.

The best way to get items to us would be to drop them in to the TSO Box Office in Hobart. Alternatively, you can post them to us at GPO Box 1450, Hobart TAS 7001. Don’t forget to include your return address.

Should you have any queries, please email David Havey, Orchestra librarian, harveyd@tso.com.au, or phone 6232 4429.

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AS PART of the celebrations marking 100 Years of Hydro Tasmania, the TSO gave a concert at the historic Hydro village of Tarraleah in the Central Highlands on the afternoon of Saturday 8 November.

Although Tarraleah was established in the mid-1930s, large numbers of migrants from war-shattered Europe transformed the village in the second half of the 1940s. “Their common Hydro bond brought English, Polish, German, Italian, Scandinavian, Eastern European and other migrants together with Tasmanians and other Australians, and created lively and diverse Hydro communities,” said Hydro Chairman Grant Every-Burns, who opened the concert.

In honour of those Hydro workers, many of whom still call Tasmania home, the orchestra, under Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Marko letonja, performed works by Respighi, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Handel, as well as a specially commissioned piece, Tarraleah, by Hobart-based composer Maria Grenfell. Cellist Sue-Ellen Paulsen appeared as soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme.

The concert played to a full and appreciative audience at Tarraleah’s Great Hall. All proceeds went to Colony 47.

Hydro Tasmania has been a sponsor of the TSO for more than two decades and, since the start of this year, Principal Partner.

1 Composer Maria Grenfell takes a bow.

2 Roger Jackson checks the acoustics.

3 Grant Every-Burns, Hydro Chairman, welcomes guests while Stephen Davy, Hydro CEO, looks on.

4 Ian Wollstein, TSO Technical Coordinator, supervises the set-up.

5 Photographic exhibition in the village.

6 Marko Letonja, Sue-Ellen Paulsen and orchestra in rehearsal.

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orchestra in Australia and overseas, and her many engagements with Howard Shelley. She is especially proud of performing Richard Mills’ Concerto for violin and viola (again, with her sister Barbara), which was recorded and released on CD in the TSO’s Australian Composer Series on ABC Classics. Janet has enjoyed the camaraderie of members of the orchestra, especially the very supportive viola section. Her last concert with the TSO will be Ben Folds Live with the TSO on 10 December. She will not be hanging up the viola for good and looks forward to different musical adventures. “I will enjoy returning to the TSO as a member of the audience and wish the players well. I plan to spend many hours on the bowls green – when I’m not scuba diving!” The TSO wishes Janet well in her retirement.

JESSICA ARMSON has joined the TSO as Philanthropy and Special Events Coordinator. Born and raised in Brisbane, she graduated from the University of Queensland before living in london for a number of years and travelling around Europe. Returning to Brisbane, she took up a position at the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation where she established her career in philanthropy. Seeking further adventure and wanting to develop her interests in philanthropy, she spent 18 months in the remote Aboriginal community of Mulan in Western Australia where she launched an art and cultural centre and community development project. Tasmania beckoned when her husband was admitted as a PhD candidate on scholarship in the School of Architecture & Design at the University of Tasmania. Happily, Pablo the cat was okay about moving to Tasmania too! Jessica has settled in well at the TSO and particularly enjoys getting to know all the wonderful supporters and patrons over a glass of bubbly.

After 28 years as Principal viola with the TSO, JANET RUTHERFORD has decided to retire. She has made the decision with very mixed emotions. Canberra-born Janet took up the post in 1987 and remembers fondly many highlights of her years with the orchestra including performing Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante with her sister (then TSO Concertmaster) Barbara Gilby and conductor Stuart Challender; vaughan Williams’ Flos campi (on two occasions); touring with the

COMINGS AND GOINGS

BIGGER AND BETTERin WHat Has become an annual event, members of the tasmanian youth orchestra (tyo) spent a day mingling with their professional counterparts in the big rehearsal. this year a total of 76 orchestral players were involved, including 32 from the tyo.Held in Federation concert Hall on saturday 20 september, the big

rehearsal was led by conductor richard Gill, one of the nation’s most revered music educators. “the big rehearsal is a really important chance for these young players to learn on the job from professional musicians,” said richard. “it’s up to the kids to extract as much information as they can from their tso mentors.”

repertoire played through on the day included the symphony no 2 by sibelius and the Festive overture by shostakovich. sonya Pigot, a student at st michael’s collegiate school and winner of the rising star competition, was soloist in the second movement of the Piano concerto no 2 by saint-saëns.

ASPIRING CONDUCTORS gathered in Hobart 18-22 October for the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program hosted by the TSO and led by Johannes Fritzsch, Chief Conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and now resident in Hobart. The participants — Christopher Dragon, Michael keen, Ingrid Martin, Sarah Penicka-Smith and Natalia Raspopova — took part in a range of activities including working with small ensembles before stepping up to the podium in front of the whole orchestra. Repertoire ranged from Mendelssohn to Brahms to Shostakovich. The week was rounded off with drinks and nibbles in the Green Room for course participants, TSO musicians and members of the TSO Conductor’s Circle.

STEPPING UP TO THE PODIUM

Johannes Fritzsch offers advice to Natalia Raspopova and Michael Keen.

Jessica Armson. Janet Rutherford.

sonya Pigot takes a bow at the big rehearsal.

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AlBERT HAll GETS A STEINWAYUNTIl NOW, whenever the TSO required a piano for performances in launceston’s Albert Hall, one of the Hobart Steinways had to be hauled onto the back of a truck, driven up the Midland Highway, carried up the front stairs of Albert Hall, wheeled across the auditorium and hoisted, with considerable difficulty, onto the stage. The piano then had to be tuned. None of this was particularly good for the instrument and, as you might imagine, it wasn’t much fun for those doing the heavy lifting. And, of course, it was costly.

But as of last month, the TSO now has a Steinway & Sons concert grand permanently housed in Albert Hall thanks to a grant of $25,000 from the Tasmanian Community Fund. The bulk of the grant was spent refurbishing the piano, a job that was done by piano technicians in Sydney. The reconditioned Steinway now sits in its own climate controlled box in the wings of the Albert Hall stage.

Having a top-notch Steinway in Albert Hall is good for the TSO and good for launceston as the instrument will be used not just by the orchestra, but by other music groups and local schools. It also means that ABC Classic FM will have the freedom to record and broadcast concerts from Albert Hall featuring piano.

The Steinway was officially launched at a function on the stage of Albert Hall on 12 November. lynn Mason, Chair of the Tasmanian Community Fund, outlined the role of the TCF in supporting the project, and Nicholas Heyward and Robert Gibson from the TSO explained the significance of the project to the TSO and discussed the piano itself.

You can make a donation to the TSO on behalf of someone else. A gift with real value, your donation will help the TSO deliver programs to schools, hospitals, aged care facilities and other organisations.

You will receive a receipt for your tax-deductible donation and the person on whose behalf you make your donation will receive a hand-written TSO Christmas card.

To make your donation or for further information, please contact Jessica Armson, Philanthropy and Special Events Coordinator, on 6232 4405 or email armsonj@tso.com.au.

Here’s a Christmas gift with a difference!

1 Robert Gibson.

2 Sue Madden, Yvonne and Keith Adkins.

3 Stephen and Heidi King with Alida and Peter Quigley.

4 Karen Calford, Professor David Rich and Glenys Rich.

5 Lynn Mason, Chair of the Tasmanian Community Fund, Robert Gibson and Nicholas Heyward.

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MUSICIANS from the TSO have continued to volunteer their time to speak and perform for TSO Friends.

violinist Edwina George appeared at back-to-back engagements when she spoke and played for northern Tasmanian members in launceston on 28 September and southern Tasmanian members in Hobart on 5 October. Taking up the violin at the age of four, Edwina spoke of her very first attempts at playing the instrument — difficult when it consisted of a cereal box, ruler and pencil! — and her dogged determination to master the violin, even if it meant travelling from Bundaberg to Brisbane for weekly lessons, a four-hour car journey each way. A graduate of Queensland and Griffith universities (the latter being the Conservatorium of Music), Edwina recalled some of her more unusual gigs in Queensland, including playing down a mine shaft and outside a fish and chips shop on the Gold Coast, where one uncultured patron was heard to mutter, “This isn’t the #x!y@z Opera House,

I came here to eat!” In 2012 she took up a scholarship at the Australian National Academy of Music and the following year was appointed to the position of Tutti violin with the TSO. Edwina spoke about the importance of marrying the sound of the violin to the personality of the musician. Her own violin was made in london by Jacob Ford in 1780. As she pointed out, this was around the same time that the young Mozart composed his five violin concertos.

Meet the Woodwind Trio in Hobart on 16 November consisted of TSO musicians Dinah Woods (oboe) and Tahnee van Herk (bassoon), and Jennifer Marten-Smith (piano), Associate lecturer in Accompaniment at the Conservatorium of Music. The afternoon’s concert included a trio by English composer Geoffrey Bush and sonatas by Schumann and Saint-Saëns. Members of TSO Friends were delighted to get to know Tahnee, a relative newcomer to the TSO. She spoke about her career to date, including her position as Associate

Principal Bassoon with Orchestra victoria, which performs for The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia and victorian Opera. The concert came to an end with Poulenc’s Trio, a delightful piece which demonstrated the versatility and skill of the musicians. Audience members appreciated the fluid, mellow harmony of the bassoon and oboe, Jennifer’s empathetic accompaniment and the liveliness of the interpretation. After the concert, TSO Friends were able to chat with the musicians and showed particular interest in Dinah’s new reed-making equipment.

The generosity of TSO musicians in providing such beautiful musical programs for TSO Friends is very much appreciated. Heartfelt thanks to Edwina, Dinah, Tahnee and Jennifer.

Members of TSO Friends have been busy selling tickets in the TSO’s Viennese Raffle, which was drawn on 29 November. The prize, a luxury 12-day Austrian holiday for two, was donated by Emirates Airlines and the Austrian National Tourist Office.

Above: Dinah Woods explains the finer points of reed making.Left: Tahnee van Herk, Jennifer Marten-Smith and Dinah Woods.

Edwina George. Grant Taylor, Diane Truskett, Astrid Mulholland from the Austrian National Tourist Office, Muriel Morillon, Carol Samuelson and Keith Anderson.

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l ITTlE RED RIDING HOODtHe brotHers Grimm might have been responsible for popularising well-known fairy tales, but there was nothing grim about Federation concert Hall on the evening of 16 october when it teemed with children of all ages in fancy dress for Little red riding Hood, the final betta milk Family classics concert for the year.

there were red riding hoods galore, plenty of wolves, a prince charming or two and Jack with his very own beanstalk accompanied by harp sidekick. indeed, Jack and his harp buddy won the costume competition.

Frank and nikki from betta milk were on hand to keep the youngsters entertained and to judge the competition — a very difficult task given the standard of entrants, as you can see from these photos.

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Bicycles are a normal sight around the corridors of the TSO but there were certainly more than usual on Wednesday 15 October, which was national Ride to Work Day. The award for the longest commute went to lloyd Hudson, who cycled all the way from Primrose Sands, a distance of more than 50km. And, yes, he cycled home too! Among the Ride to Work Day participants was John De Paoli, TSO Business

Manager, who, the following month, took part in the Tasmania Police Charity Trust Bike Ride, a gruelling three-day ride across northern Tasmania. John raised over $900 for the Trust, an organisation which assists a wide range of people, especially those who find life difficult due to disadvantage, severe impairment or illness.

Members of the Cammeray Public School Concert Band had an up-close-and-personal encounter with the TSO on 30 October when they sat on the stage of Federation Concert Hall as the orchestra rehearsed Mozart’s Linz

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Symphony with conductor Johannes Fritzsch. No strangers to rehearsals themselves, the youngsters were able to see and hear how it is done by professionals. The budding musicians were a long way from home — Cammeray is a suburb on Sydney’s lower North Shore. The TSO visit formed part of the band’s tour of Tasmania, which saw it perform at Bellerive Primary School, Clarence High School, Southern Support School, Barossa lodge in Glenorchy and Port Arthur.

The TSO is featured on a soon-to-be-released CD, Gallipoli — A Tribute. A joint project between the Ian Potter Cultural Trust and Monash University, the CD is dedicated to RSl Australia, RSA New zealand and legacy. The TSO’s contribution is Elegy for Strings “In Memoriam Rupert Brooke” by Sydney-born composer, Frederick Septimus kelly. kelly wrote the work while stationed at Gallipoli in 1915. Elegy for Strings will be performed by the TSO in Federation Concert Hall next year as part of the Essentially Elgar concert on 27 March. Gallipoli — A Tribute will be released in January 2015.

Robert Clark, Principal Bass Trombone, clocked up 40 years with the orchestra in September. Congratulations Rob!

The Steinway & Sons concert grand newly installed on the stage of Albert Hall in launceston (see page 5) carries an intriguing inscription in ink on the iron frame. The pianist lili kraus writes of her delight in “christening” the piano on 4 April 1970. A little bit of archival sleuthing has revealed that on that particular date she performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A major, k414, in Hobart under verdon Williams, the orchestra’s then Resident Conductor. Born in Budapest in 1903, lili kraus was a leading interpreter of Mozart’s music. Indeed, she played 25 Mozart concertos in a single series in New York in 1966-67.

Word around the orchestra is that the Gaiety Theatre in zeehan is a gem of a venue. The orchestra gave a concert there on 7 November and was struck by the marvellous acoustics. Some musicians even said that they would like all future recordings to be made there. A nice idea, but probably not practical!

Guests at a Government House reception on 18 November for xi Jinping, the President of China, were serenaded by three musicians from the TSO — Miranda Carson, Chris Nicholas and Martin Penicka — together with Jo St leon.

In June, the Hush Foundation donated $30,000 to the Tasmanian Health Organisation — South. The money was raised through the sale of Hush CDs. You can play your part in supporting this wonderful charity by buying a copy of The Magic Island, the TSO’s contribution to the Hush Collection. Purchase this CD of all-Australian music online or at the TSO Box Office for only $25. Perfect for Christmas!