The Eight Seasons

Good evening and welcome to Orchestra Victoria’s presentation of The Eight Seasons led by our Concertmaster Sulki Yu. What a privilege it is, in the city of multiple seasons in a day, to present a concert that takes our audience not just on a musical journey across the different seasons of the year, but also to different corners of the world. I hope that this concert, in the tremendous Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, delights your senses, as you come with us on this aural odyssey of different colours and sounds.

Whilst you would normally see us in the pit supporting our colleagues at The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia and Victorian Opera, it is a joy to see our musicians performing on the stage. Tonight, the Orchestra Victoria Strings will unleash their full artistic exuberance for your enjoyment.

Thank you to Creative Australia, Creative Victoria and to all our philanthropic donors, your support of Orchestra Victoria makes concerts like this possible.

Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Jacinta Ewers
General Manager - Orchestra Victoria

It is with great pleasure I welcome you all to ‘The Eight Seasons’; Orchestra Victoria’s first concert at the Melbourne Recital Centre for 2024. Exploring the world around us through music is something that resonates very strongly with us as musicians, though our unique ability to capture a sense of time, place, and space through the musical score. This charismatic program will venture through two works based on the seasons; movements from the iconic The Four Seasons by Vivaldi, side by side with Piazzolla’s Argentian flavoured The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. I am delighted that the concert will feature our incredible concertmaster, Sulki Yu. As one of Australia’s finest performers, Sulki’s stellar musicianship will be beautifully showcased and equally supported by her colleagues; this evening promises to be a true feast for the ears.

I invite you to take a seat and experience the magic for yourselves!

Jessica Gethin
Artistic Advisor - Orchestra Victoria

The storylines, harmonic progressions and the dialogue between instruments in Vivald's Four Seasons make it such an iconic work that is so well-loved even today. Piazzola's tangos have always been a personal joy to play for me, and to combine his soulful harmony, lyricism and energy tonight with Vivaldi at the Melbourne Recital Centre is a true honour. I am very excited to perform both interpretations for you tonight with my Orchestra Victoria colleagues, and I hope you enjoy the performance.

Sulki Yu
Concertmaster