2019 Concerts

Paul Terracini conductor
Isaac Davis cello

Dvořák Cello Concerto
Naomi Dodds Scarlet Sculptures
Franck Symphony in D minor

PSO presents two of the greatest Romantic works for orchestra alongside a new piece from the recipient of the annual PSO Young Composer Prize.

César Franck completed his last major work and only symphony in 1888. Conceived on a grand scale, the symphony triumphantly interweaves the French and Germanic styles of the day in a work of great colour and imagination.

Young up-and-coming artist Isaac Davis joins PSO to perform Dvořák’s much-loved Cello Concerto. One of the great concertos for any instrument, the work showcases soloist and orchestra alike with its unequalled melodic lyricism.

Paul Terracini conductor
Emily Su violin

Grieg Peer Gynt Suite no. 1
Rautavaara Apotheosis (from Symphony no. 6 ‘Vincentiana’)
Sibelius Violin Concerto

Edvard Grieg’s most famous work, Peer Gynt, opens a concert celebrating Nordic music. In a richly evocative score, the composer paints scenes of exotic people and places, sunrise over the desert, and even the hall of the mountain king.

Be captivated as the winner of the 2018 NSW Secondary Schools Concerto Competition, Emily Su, appears as soloist in Sibelius’ magnificent Violin Concerto, the composer’s only foray into the concerto form. The work is symphonic in scope, presenting soloist and orchestra as equals, interweaving the virtuosic solo part with the rich orchestral score of this late Romantic masterpiece.

The music of Einojuhani Rautavaara, arguably the greatest Finnish composer since Sibelius, is as eclectic as it is idiosyncratic. Apotheosis is confronting and starkly beautiful, the final movement from his sixth symphony, inspired by the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh.

George Ellis conductor
George Washingmachine magician

Ever-popular duo George Ellis and George Washingmachine return to PSO in a brand new musical adventure. Watch the cunning Magician make the Maestro disappear!

Can the Maestro and the Magician reconcile their differences, or will they forever remain on opposite sides of the stage? Learn all about the orchestra, or get up close to the musicians and their instruments, as they introduce the amazing sights and sounds of the symphony orchestra.

It’s all tremendous fun for the whole family, as the two Georges create musical mayhem in their unique and rollicking show to the sounds of Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Mancini and Ravel. Can the Magician stop the music this time?

Paul Terracini conductor
Noëmi Nadelmann Carmen
Jenny Liu Micaela
Simon Kim Don José
Andrew Jones Escamillo

Penrith Symphony Orchestra Festival Chorus
Lucy McAlary chorus director

Penrith Symphony Orchestra

Bizet Carmen

Be swept away by a tale of fate, lust, murder and jealousy in a full concert performance of one of the greatest operas of all time. Bizet’s Carmen features stars of Opera Australia alongside the orchestra and the Penrith Symphony Orchestra Festival Chorus.

Luke Spicer conductor
Ronan Apcar  piano

Borodin In the Steppes of Central Asia
Borodin Nocturne (arr. Sargent)
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 2
Dvořák Symphony No. 8

Guest conductor Luke Spicer guides PSO on a journey to faraway places in a program rich in exoticism and colour. Beginning this expedition is In the Steppes of Central Asia; ride the endless horizon with the trade caravans of the Caucasus, in Borodin’s vivid tone poem.

Shostakovich completed his second piano concerto in 1952 for his son Maxim’s nineteenth birthday. Delightfully free spirited and one of his happiest compositions, it is easy to see why the piece was an immediate and enduring audience favourite. Ronan Apcar, winner of the 2018 Conservatorium High School Concerto Competition joins the orchestra as soloist in this buoyant and affectionate work.

Happy and wistful, Dvořák’s eighth symphony draws in the listener with its endless melody and almost improvisatory character. One of the composer’s brightest works, it was completed over the summer of 1889 in just two and a half months, incorporating his beloved Bohemian folk music in a score packed full with memorable melodies.

Paul Terracini conductor
Leanne Jin piano

Tchaikovsky Capriccio Italien
Prokofiev Piano Concerto no. 1
WSU Composer Prize New Work
Alfvén Midsommarvaka
Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty Suite

Tchaikovsky’s vibrant impression of Rome and Italy was inspired by a three-month sojourn there in 1880. Be transported as the composer captures all the glittering colour and flavour of the Eternal City.

Bursting with energy and rhythmic dynamism, Prokofiev’s majestic Piano Concerto no.1 was written in 1912 while the composer was still a student at the St Petersburg Conservatory. Prokofiev, also a brilliant pianist, went on to win the piano prize performing the work. The concerto’s short duration belies its tremendous musical impact, vitality and charm.

Ritual, fairy tales and festival; Alfvén’s Midsommarvaka depicts a traditional celebration of Midsummer Eve. The composer’s best-known work weaves traditional folk melodies with the composer’s own, creating a rich tapestry of colourful celebration.

The Sleeping Beauty Suite derives from the ever-popular ballet, for which Tchaikovsky provided the musical score. Completed in 1889, the music draws the listener into a magical fairytale realm with its sumptuous and enchanting orchestration.

Paul Terracini conductor
Brittanie Shipwayspecial guest soloist

Penrith City Choir, Academy Singers, Warrimoo Chorale,
Penrith City Children’s Choir
Lucy McAlary chorus director

Penrith Symphony Orchestra
Penrith Youth Orchestra

PSO in partnership with Penrith City Choir presents a very special concert to celebrate and share the joy of the festive season. Revel in a program featuring much-loved favourites, including a selection of carols, show tunes and orchestral classics, Tchaikovsky’s Christmas favourite, The Nutcracker, and the Grand March from Verdi’s Aida.

Join the orchestra, musicians from the Penrith Youth Orchestra and massed choir, for this wonderful concert. There might even be a surprise guest from the North Pole.