Concert Program

St. Lukes Symphony on the Waterfront

Saturday 8 Feb 2025 12pm - 9pm
Waterfront Park (Haines Park), Devonport

Hosted by Devonport City Council,
featuring the Tasmanian
Symphony Orchestra.
A large outdoor event featuring a diverse crowd seated on tiered grass levels and picnic blankets, enjoying a waterfront concert. The backdrop includes a performance stage and the prominent red-and-white "Spirit of Tasmania" ferry docked nearby, creating a vibrant and scenic atmosphere.

The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the traditional owners and continuing custodians of Lutruwita / Tasmania. We pay respect to the Aboriginal community today, and to its Elders past and present. We recognise a history of truth, which acknowledges the impacts of colonisation upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and stand for a future that profoundly respects their stories, culture, language and history.

Events

Afternoon session

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A 'movement' is a longer piece of music broken up into bite-size pieces. It makes it easier to perform and provides contrast within the work. Find out more here.

12.15-12.45pm - Sparrow Grass

A fledgling folk trio from North West Lutruwita/Tasmania, Sparrowgrass combines three divine voices with a focus on happy harmonies and a range of acoustic instruments. Versatile and fun, with roots firmly in Celtic and Australian folk traditions.

Sophie Leslie – vocals, ukelele, cajon
Tessa Lee – vocals, acoustic guitar
Alex Morse – vocals, double bass

1.00-1:30pm – Contemporary Dance Community Class with TasDance

Get moving with Caitlin from Tasdance - for all ages. Boogie to keep the blood flowing and the body happy in the lead up to the big event!

1.45-2.15pm - Classical North West

Enjoy music from local tuba player Lachlan Poon, Pianist Dominique Baker and Soprano Jacqueline Ward.

2.30-3:00pm – Contemporary Dance Community Class with TasDance

Get moving with Caitlin from Tasdance - for all ages. Boogie to keep the blood flowing and the body happy in the lead up to the big event!

Image

Kaija Saariaho.

Evening session

💡 FIRST-TIMER TIP

A 'movement' is a longer piece of music broken up into bite-size pieces. It makes it easier to perform and provides contrast within the work. Find out more here.

5.15-5.45pm - Tai Chi with Des Chan

Start the evening off with some relaxing Tai Chi with Des Chan! Tai Chi contains a set of simple, gentle movements, based on the Yin-Yang principle. It has been proven to reduce stress, improve general health, balance and general wellbeing. This session is suitable for people of all ages and physical abilities.

5.47-5.55pm - Welcome to Country by Dave mangenner Gough

Dave mangenner Gough is a proud trawlwoolway man, Manager of Tiagarra Cultural Centre, and Chairperson of Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation. With a deep connection to his culture and community, Dave will deliver a Welcome to Country to acknowledge and honour the traditional custodians of the land.

6:00pm-6:30pm – Right on Cue

Right On Cue is a dynamic community choir based in Devonport, Tasmania, known for its vibrant performances and welcoming atmosphere. Open to singers of all ages and abilities, the choir celebrates the joy of music and connection through a diverse repertoire that inspires and entertains. The choir is conducted by Musical Director Petrina Jahnz.

7:00pm - Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with conductor Jen Winley

Program:

Antonin Dvořák Slavonic Dance No 1
Camille Saint-Saëns Danse macabre
Gabriel Fauré Sicilienne from the play Pelleas and Melisande
Tchaikovsky Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker
Ennio Morricone Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission
Belá Kovács Sholem – Alekhem, Rov Feidman!
Aram Khachaturian Masquerade Suite No 1: Waltz

8pm INTERVAL

Rossini The Barber of Seville: Overture
World in Union Singalong
Holly Harrison Power Up
Vittorio Montin Csárdás
Edward Elgar 'Enigma' Variations, Op.36: Nimrod
Alexander Borodin Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances: No. 17

Concert 101: Learn about the works being performed

For the enjoyment of all in the concert hall, please only watch Concert 101 before or after the performance. 

More about the music

Slavonic Dance No 1

Composed by Antonín Dvořák

4 minutes

Written in 1878 by Czech composer Antonin Dvořák, The Slavonic Dance No 1 is a lively and vibrant piece inspired by the folk dances and music of Central and Eastern Europe.

Vivid, energetic and catchy, you can easily imagine people dancing at a village festival.

The Slavonic Dances (he wrote 16 in total over his career) were an immediate success and established Dvořák's international reputation. Their accessibility and charm continue to captivate audiences, making them staples of both orchestral concert programs and more intimate piano duets.

A force of nature

Danse macabre

Composed by Camille Saint-Saëns

8 minutes

💡 FIRST-TIMER TIP

The names of movements in symphonies often follow traditional conventions that give insight into the character, tempo, and sometimes the form of each section.

These terms not only instruct performers on the tempo and mood of each movement but also guide listeners through the emotional and narrative arc of the symphony. For example, ‘Allegro’ refers to tempo and ‘molto’ translates to very, so: very fast!

Thrilling, mischievous and spooky! This 1874 composition brings to life the “Dance of Death” French legend; every year at midnight on Halloween, Death appears and summons skeletons from their graves. With his violin, Death leads them in a wild dance until the rooster crows at dawn, signaling the end of their ghostly festivities.

Listen out for: the sound of the clock striking midnight, the rattling of bones and the rooster’s signature crow.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Sicilienne from the play Pelleas and Melisande

Composed by Gabriel Fauré

4 minutes

A sicilienne is a type of Italian dance music that has a lilting, gentle rhythm; think of a swaying motion, like a boat on calm water. Gabriel Fauré captures this style beautifully while adding his signature French elegance. He originally wrote this piece as part of his music for a production of Pelléas et Mélisande, a play about love, mystery, and tragedy.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker

Composed by Tchaikovsky

7 minutes

Waltz of the Flowers by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is an elegant and joyful piece of music from his famous ballet The Nutcracker (you might have heard of it). The piece comes from Act II of the ballet, where Clara (or Marie, depending on the version) is in the Land of Sweets. The Waltz of the Flowers is a grand dance performed by the flowers as part of a magical celebration.

Listen out for: The harp solo that sounds like a sunrise setting the stage for the flowers to wake and begin their dance.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission

Composed byEnnio Morricone

3 minutes

"Gabriel’s Oboe" is a beautiful and poignant piece composed by Ennio Morricone for the 1986 film The Mission. The movie, starring Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro, tells the story of Jesuit missionaries in 18th-century South America and their efforts to protect indigenous people from colonial exploitation.

The piece is introduced in the film when Father Gabriel (played by Jeremy Irons), a Jesuit priest, uses his oboe to connect with the indigenous Guaraní people. The melody is simple yet deeply emotional, blending classical and cinematic styles.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Sholem – Alekhem, Rov Feidman!

Composed by Belá Kovács

With Andrew Seymour, TSO Principal Clarinet

5 minutes

Belá Kovács wrote Sholem – Alekhem, Rov Feidman! (Peace be upon you, Rabbi Feidman) in 1994. It’s a part of his series of "Hommages," short pieces that honour different composers or styles. This piece celebrates the Jewish klezmer tradition and its deep cultural roots.

The star of this piece is the clarinet! It’s a real showcase of the clarinet’s personality, ranging from deep, rich tones to high, piercing notes.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Masquerade Suite No 1: Waltz

Composed by Aram Khachaturian

Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian wrote this piece in 1941 for a play called Masquerade. The play is a tragic story of love, jealousy, and betrayal set in 19th-century high society, and the music captures its emotional highs and lows perfectly. It’s cinematic, dramatic and feels like you’re stepping into a grand, elegant ballroom.

Listen out for: If this piece sounds familiar, you’ve probably heard it in one of its many pop culture appearances! The Masquerade Suite features in TV show Fleabag, the music of Aussie / UK band Sky, the film Anna Karenina and more.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

The Barber of Seville: Overture

Composed by Rossini

7 minutes

Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville is one of the most famous and recognisable pieces of classical music. An overture is the instrumental introduction to an opera, setting the stage for the story. The Barber of Seville is a comic opera, full of humour, clever schemes, and lively characters, and the overture gives you a taste of all that energy and fun.

Listen out for: The lively main theme that appears after the quiet introduction; you might recognise it from cartoons like Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

World in Union Singalong

Vocalists from Exhale Choir, Right on Cue Choir and our community chorus featuring local volunteers will perform World in Union with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. And YOU get to join in on the final chorus!

World in Union is a modern anthem set to the music of Jupiter, one of the most famous movements from Gustav Holst's orchestral suite The Planets. This version was first created in 1991 as the theme for the Rugby World Cup. The lyrics, written by Charlie Skarbek, celebrate global togetherness and the spirit of competition, echoing the themes of unity and harmony present in Holst’s original music.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Power Up

Composed by Holly Harrison

3 minutes

Now for something from more recent times! Power Up is an engaging and dynamic composition by Australian composer Holly Harrison, crafted for orchestra and body percussion. Commissioned in 2021 during her residency with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO) as part of the Australian Composers’ School, the piece was recorded by the TSO in February 2022.

Drawing inspiration from 80s rock music, Power Up is all about rhythm, rhythm, rhythm.

Power Up was also developed as a learning resource for body percussion. You can find it or free on the TSO website.

Listen out for:The drumkit!

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Csárdás

Composed by Vittorio Monti

With Emma McGrath, TSO Concertmaster, and
Andrew Seymour, TSO Principal Clarinet

5 minutes

Monti's Csárdás is a fiery, virtuosic piece that’s full of energy, drama, and fun. Composed by Italian violinist Vittorio Monti in 1904, it’s based on a traditional Hungarian folk dance called the csárdás. It’s an emotional rollercoaster of a piece, ranging from slow, yearning melodies to a fast, toe-tapping beat.

Listen out for: An epic battle of virtuosic skills - violin vs clarinet. Who will come out on top?

Mahler’s Magic Horn

'Enigma' Variations, Op.36: Nimrod

Composed by Edward Elgar

The Enigma Variations, Op. 36, is a suite of 14 variations for orchestra, written by English composer Edward Elgar in 1899. Each variation is a musical portrait of someone Elgar knew, capturing their personality or a memory associated with them. The “Enigma” refers to a secret theme running through the work, which Elgar never fully explained, leaving listeners to puzzle over its meaning. Nimrod is the ninth variation - a musical portrait of Elgar’s editor and publisher, Augustus J. Jaeger, who encouraged and supported Elgar through years of depression and lack of confidence in his compositions.

Listen out for: The majestic climax, with soaring strings and brass.

Mahler’s Magic Horn

Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances: No. 17

Composed by Alexander Borodin

12 minutes

The Polovtsian Dances is one of the most famous pieces from Russian composer Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor. Composed in the late 19th century, this opera tells the story of Prince Igor’s campaign against the Polovtsians, a nomadic Turkic people, and his capture by their leader, Khan Konchak.

This piece is performed when Khan Konchak entertains Prince Igor with a grand display of music and dance, celebrating the Polovtsian people's power and culture.

Listen out for: Rich, flowing melodies inspired by Russian folk music and Middle Eastern influences.

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Streaming sixteen concerts from Federation Concert Hall, this is the full orchestra at its brilliant best.

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra on stageEmma McGrath performing Chindamo.
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Musicians

Satu Vänskä

Violinist

Supported by Anonymous

Satu Vänskä

Born to a Finnish family in Japan, violinist Satu Vänskä has developed an international profile through her role as Principal Violin with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. In addition to this role, Satu is quickly gaining a reputation as violin soloist, play director and curator of various diverse projects.

The development of such is reflective of Satu’s desire to continually evolve as a musician and to courageously embrace new musical challenges. She has a passion for dynamic programming that explores the link between old and new music, alongside presenting boundary-blurring cross-genre collaborations, that resonate with today’s classical music audiences. Highlights of the 2024 sesaon, include her debut with the Melbourne Symphony performing the Beethoven Violin Concert under the baton of Umberto Clerici, recitals at the Melbourne Recital and Ukaria Cultural Centres with Konstantin Shamray, Chamber Landscapes at Adelaide Festival and she looks forward to returning to the Tasmania Symphony as part of their Obscura series.

Satu is the founder, curator, front-woman, violinist and vocalist of Satu In The Beyond with Richard Tognetti and producer Paul Beard. This is a band that has evolved from ACO Underground over the years with the aim to present audiences with originally written music.

Satu performs on the 1728/29 Stradivarius violin on loan from the ACO Instrument Fund.

Orchestra List

Jen Winley Conductor

Violin

Emma McGrath Concertmaster

Ji Won Kim Associate Concertmaster 

Lucy Carrig-Jones Principal Second

Susanna Low Principal First

Kirsty Bremner

Miranda Carson

Yue-Hong Cha

Tobias Chisnall

Frances Davies

Michael Johnston

Elinor Lea

Christopher Nicholas

Rohana O’Malley

Hayato Simpson

 

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Did you know our Concertmaster plays a violin hand-crafted by one of the finest and most important luthiers (a string-instrument maker) of the nineteenth century, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798–1875).

He crafted 3000+ instruments in his time and we’re very proud to have a violin made in 1845 on loan from two of our generous Tasmanian patrons.

Viola

Caleb Wright Principal

Douglas Coghill

Anna Larsen Roach

Curtis Lau

William Newbery

Cello

Jonathan Békés Principal

Ivan James

Nicholas McManus

Martin Penicka

Double Bass

Stuart Thomson Principal

Aurora Henrich

Matthew McGrath

Flute

Lily Bryant Guest Principal

Maria Hincapie Duque

Lloyd Hudson Principal Piccolo

Oboe

Rachel Bullen Guest Principal

Dinah Woods Principal Cor Anglais

Clarinet

Andrew Seymour Principal

Eloise Fisher Principal Bass Clarinet

Bassoon

Tahnee van Herk Principal

Melissa Woodroffe Principal Contrabassoon

French Horn

Greg Stephens Principal First

Claudia Leggett Principal Third

Roger Jackson

Julian Leslie

Trumpet

Fletcher Cox Principal

Mark Bain

Melanie Wilkinson

Trombone

David Robins Principal

Jackson Bankovic

Bass Trombone

James Littlewood Guest Principal

Tuba

Rachel Kelly Principal

Timpani

Matthew Goddard Principal

Percussion

Gary Wain Principal

Tracey Patten

Drum Kit

Stephen Marskell Guest Principal

Harp

Azumi Lehmann Guest Principal

Piano/Celeste

Michael Power Guest Principal

*Correct at time of publishing

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A 'movement' is a longer piece of music broken up into bite-size pieces. It makes it easier to perform and provides contrast within the work. Find out more here.

Odeon

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Federation Concert Hall

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Karen Gomyo

Coming up

Karen Gomyo

Sparks will fly, featuring Karen Gomyo.

Delius The Walk to the Paradise Garden
Dvořák Violin Concerto in A minor, Op 53
Robert Schumann Symphony No 1 in B-flat, Op 38, ‘Spring’

Clara-Jumi Kang

Coming up

Clara-Jumi Kang

Conducted by Eivind Aadland, featuring Clara-Jumi Kang on violin.

Scott Cabinet of Curiosities
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D, Op 35
Dvořák Symphony No 7 in D minor, Op 70

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TSO Concertmaster Emma McGrath plays an 1845 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin on loan from two of our generous Tasmanian patrons.

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Government Support
Australian Government
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City of Devonport
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St. Lukes
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Tasmanian Government

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