Dedications: Concert Program

Welcome to Orchestra Victoria’s final performance of 2024, Dedications, which promises to be a night of artistic mastery, featuring our Deputy Concertmaster Yi Wang and Associate Principal First Violin Erica Kennedy as soloists.

I must begin by thanking our government sponsors, Creative Australia and Creative Victoria as well as our generous philanthropists for their support, without them concerts like this would not be possible. I also thank the University of Melbourne for their partnership. It is always a joy to welcome the students of the Melbourne Conservatorium into our concerts.

2024 has been an incredibly broad and satisfying year for our musicians, from our ballet and opera seasons, to performing at the Melbourne Recital Centre, touring regionally and to be here with you all at the Hanson Dyer Hall.

I hope that you enjoy tonight’s wonderful concert, under the direction of conductor Fabian Russell and we look forward to seeing you again in 2025.

Jacinta Ewers
General Manager

We are thrilled to welcome you to Dedications, the third and final concert of the 2024 Southbank Series, performed by the talented musicians of Orchestra Victoria. Under the direction of Fabian Russell, we invite you to immerse yourself in the profound landscape of early 20th-century Russian music, right here in the intimate setting of Hanson Dyer Hall.

Tonight’s program features two remarkable works that reflect the complexity and richness of this era. Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso No. 1 is a captivating exploration that weaves together Baroque, modern, and popular influences, featuring our very own Yi Wang, Deputy Concertmaster, and Erica Kennedy, Associate Principal First Violin in a showcase of virtuosity and wit. Following this, we present Dmitri Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony, originally his Fourth String Quartet, a deeply personal work born from the shadows of political oppression. Orchestrated by Rudolf Barshai with Shostakovich’s endorsement, this piece transforms the intimate string quartet into a rich orchestral tapestry and is a moving testament to resilience and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.

Whether you are returning to enjoy another night of orchestral magic or experiencing it for the first time, we invite you to sit back, relax, and let the music sweep you away. Thank you for being here with us tonight as we bring the music to you.

See you in 2025!

Jessica Gethin
Artistic Advisor