The Maroondah Symphony Orchestra Inc gratefully acknowledges the support of the Maroondah City Council and Arts Nunawading Inc

NEXT CONCERT Russian Fireworks

Sunday, 4th September 2016 at 2.30pm Soloist Shostakovich: Festive Overture Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 4 Zoe Freisberg Schumann: Cello Concerto in A Minor Op. 129 Soloist: Samuel Payne Violin

George Wood Performing Arts Centre Yarra Valley Grammar, Kalinda Rd Ringwood Conductor Leader Bookings: www.trybooking.com/KKNH Willem van der Vis Tania Vethanayagam Enquiries: [email protected] Elaine: 9720 8575 or 0418 620 479 Tickets available at the door. Sunday, 5 June 2016 2:30pm

George Wood Performing Arts Centre Yarra Valley Grammar Kalinda Road, Ringwood Printing courtesy of Michael Sukkar MP Member for Deakin Maroondah Symphony Orchestra Inc

The Maroondah Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1964. It prides itself on providing local access to quality classical music. It presents four to six concerts ZOE FREISBERG each year featuring works from both the classical and lighter music repertoires. Concert performances are given at local venues and additional concerts can be arranged for charity and other organisations. The Orchestra has a growing reputation. Much of this is due to the enthusiastic guidance and expertise of conductor, Willem van der Vis, and the quality of mu- sicians the Orchestra attracts. The Orchestra is based in Ringwood, although membership is not restricted to residents of the City of Maroondah and is open to musicians from senior secon- dary students through to mature age. Rehearsals are held each Tuesday at Ma- roondah Federation Estate, Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood from 8pm to 10:15pm. Zoe commenced her violin studies at the age of four under the direction For information about the Orchestra or membership enquiries: of her mother, Helena Freisberg. She completed her Bachelor of Music at www.maroondahsymphony.org.au the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with Michele Walsh in 2012 Phone: Lyn 9849 0987 or Rob 0419 230 344 and is currently studying at the Australian Academy of Music with Dr Robin Wilson. [email protected] Zoe has performed as soloist in Sibelius’ Violin Concerto with the Tasma- nian Symphony Orchestra and in Mozart’s A Major Violin Concerto with www.maroondahsymphony.org.au Orchestra . She is a member of the newly formed ensemble, Af- finity Collective. In 2014 Zoe was selected as an ‘Emerging Artist’ with the Australian Chamber Orchestra 2, completing four national tours un- der the mentorship of principal violin, Helena Rathbone. She was also a finalist in Symphony ’s Young Performers’ Awards in 2014 and 2015. Other solo performances include those with the Brisbane Philhar- monic Orchestra, Redlands Symphony Orchestra and Corda Spiritus Or- chestra.

An experienced orchestral musician, Zoe has acted as Concertmaster of the Australian Youth Orchestra, Neslon Cook Chamber Orchestra, the Bishop Orchestra and served as Concertmaster of the Queensland Youth Symphony from 2010 to 2013. She has participated in five Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camps and two Australian Youth Or- chestra international tours. A recipient of numerous awards, Zoe was honoured to receive the 2016 Workshop Sales and Professional Australian Classical Music Competition Travelling Scholarship, the 2014 Repairs of Bowed Instruments Australian Youth Orchestra’s ‘Richard Pollet Memorial Award’, the 2012 7 Glenwood Ave. Glen Waverley ‘Varda Jefferies Prize’ and the 2010 ‘Matilda Jane Aplin Prize’ from the 8002 7905 Queensland Conservatorium of Music. The Maroondah Symphony Orchestra is delighted to have Zoe as its solo- ist today. Musical Director Maroondah Symphony Willem van der Vis

1st Violin Cello Bassoon

Tania Vethanayagam * Felicity Schijf * Robert Weiss * Ilona von Mὅller Michael Bonsall Karen Martin Michela Scully Elaine Neely Lauren Hancock Arthur Braun French Horn Alicia Donelly Keren Smith Elwood Sze Judy Fox-Smith Vicki-Ann Ware Shahriah Shams John Ferwerda Christabella Stinson New Zealand born Willem van der Vis gained a Bachelor of Science Tony Hayes Jacquie Spring (Hons) in physics, before going on to play principal cello with the New 2nd Violin Leah Walsh Tony Hodges Zealand Symphony Training Orchestra and Southern Sinfonia Amelia Boissevain (Dunedin). Suneith Sukumar * Beth Marrocco Trumpet John Nowakowski In 1979 Willem moved to Australia, joining the West Australian Sym- Gerry Tan Double Bass Steve Burns * phony Orchestra. He also played with Orchestra Victoria, the New Zea- Elaine Ogden Ruth Collins land, Tasmanian and Symphony Orchestras. Anne Lacey Michael Taylor * Vincent Fazio Josh Vandenberg Trombone After completing his Bachelor of Music (conducting) at the Western Aus- Hannah Dean tralian Academy of Performing Arts and the Victorian College of the Arts Karina Pitt Flute Anthony Ware (Robert Rosen), he enjoyed further conducting studies in Moscow, Eng- Mereta Eichberger Maya Watt Kathleen Cheng land and the Czech Republic and with Professor in Mel- Caroline Barron * Robert Nitti bourne. Alana Thorpe Tuba Lauren Vos Bronwyn Arnott He has conducted the Stonnington, Heidelberg, Preston, New Monash, Jeniffer Hall Matthew Balassone * Ballarat, Derwent (Hobart) and U3A Symphony Orchestras and was Mu- Piccolo sical Director of the Murray Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra Timpani (Albury, NSW). Viola Alana Thorpe

He conducts at orchestral workshops and music camps around Australia. Nalini Scarfe Willem is also in demand as an adjudicator and holds workshops in or- Gitta Green * Joella Gould Oboe Casey-John Prater chestral conducting. Gerard Barclay Paul Watson

Rachel Magnusson Hilary Edwards * Myra Peeler Harp Geoff Oakes

New Players Clarinet Eugene Goh

Belinda Bolger * We currently have vacancies for viola, bass & brass players. Robert Dorin

* Section Leader

Overture to The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra) (1817) but romantic, featuring avant garde string techniques such as staccato bowing and Gioachino Rossini (1792-1869) bowing close to the bridge that amplify its ironically mocking tone, characteristic of Prokofiev. A lyrical violin motif, first heard over a plodding bassoon theme, opens Rossini had completed all of his 37 operas by the time he was 37. The Thieving Mag- the final movement. Much interplay between the fiery solo violin and orchestra pie is based on a true story of a French servant girl who was tried and executed for eventually leads to an ethereal coda that ends with the first movement flute solo. theft. Later the townspeople discovered a magpie was the real thief. Listening to this ebullient overture, it is easy to see how Rossini’s method of building crescen- INTERVAL - 20 minutes dos by adding instruments as the same motif is repeated earned him the nickname “Signor Crescendo”. Suite No. 2 from the ballet Spartacus (1954) Aram Khachaturian (1903 - 1978) Ballet Suite Sylvia (1876) Léo Delibes (1836 - 1891) 1. Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia 2. Entrance of Merchants, Dance of a Roman Courtesan, General Dance 1. Prelude - Les Chasseresses (The Huntresses) 3. Entrance of Spartacus, Quarrel, Treachery by Harmodius 3. Pizzicati 4. Dance of the Pirates 4. Cortège de Bacchus Khachaturian was born in Armenia in the shadow of the Caucasus mountains and The French composer Léo Delibes is best known for his ballet Coppélia and the worked all his life in the Soviet Union. His lively music pays homage to the ancient famous Flower Duet from his opera Lakmé. His lesser known ballet Sylvia revolu- folk music of this oft contested part of the world. The ballet Spartacus is based on tionised ballet by having a strong female lead instead of the traditional limpid the uprising of the slaves in ancient Greece around 70 BC. Spartacus is a rebel slave nymph or fairy. Sylvia is a powerful huntress who tangles with the gods Orion and who leads a revolt against his Roman captors, only to be betrayed. This is one of Eros and is in love with the shepherd Aminta. three suites prepared by Khachaturian from the ballet. The lengthy opening Adagio The majestic Prelude features horn calls and pastoral strings to accompany the first features the famous theme (used in the Onedin Line) in which his lover mourns entry of Sylvia and her fellow huntresses. Pizzicati hints at Eros’s disguise as a pi- Spartacus’ death. Energetic dances alternate with more sensual interludes featuring rate, whilst the Cortege of Bacchus celebrates Bacchus whilst trying to outdo the gran- the clarinet, before the suite concludes with the frenetic Dance of the Pirates. deur of Verdi’s March from Aida from a few years earlier! Polonaise from Eugene Onegin (1877) Concerto No. 1 in D for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 19 (1917) (1840 - 1893) Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) Eugene Onegin is the best known of Tchaikovsky’s 11 operas. It is based on Push- 1. Andantino kin’s novel about the love affair between Onegin and Tatyana. This grand Polo- 2. Scherzo - Vivacissimo naise is from the Act 3 ballroom scene during which the two lovers are reunited. 3. Moderato Prokofiev was born in Ukraine and died in Moscow on the same day as Lenin. Fol- Suite from the ballet The Firebird (1910) - excerpts lowing his return after 15 years abroad subsequent to the October revolution, Pro- Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971) arr. Merle Isaac (1989 - 1996) kofiev spent the remainder of his career supporting and lauded by the Soviet au- 5. The Infernal Dance thorities. His first violin concerto had its genesis in his concertino of 1915 and 6. Berceuse came to fruition in 1917. This was Prokofiev’s most productive year, in which he 7. Finale also produced his Classical Symphony and many other works, despite the upheavals Stravinsky’s score for The Firebird was the first of three written for Diaghilev’s Bal- in Russia culminating in the so-called “October Revolution” in November. Proko- lets Russes in Paris that revolutionised the world of ballet. It became so popular that fiev fled to the USA and eventually settled in Paris, where his first Violin Concerto Stravinsky was once hailed by a passer-by as “Mr. Fireberg”. To protect Crown was premiered in 1923 to a rather lukewarm reception. Used to the jarring modern- Prince Ivan, the magic Firebird casts a spell over the evil Kashchei and his cronies. ism of Stravinsky, the Parisian audiences found its lyricism too romantic, one critic In the Infernal Dance, Kashchei and friends are compelled by the Firebird’s spell to damming it as “Mendelssohnian”. dance to exhaustion. The Berceuse is a lullaby in which the Firebird lulls Kashchei to The opening lyrical melody initially played on the solo violin sets the character of sleep. Ivan then destroys the egg containing Kashchei’s soul, sunlight returns and the first movement, which ends with a quizzical flute solo. The Scherzo is anything the rescued captives celebrate. Robert Weiss