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Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

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The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Davis conducting the MSO and MSO Chorus
Short nameMSO
Former nameAlbert Street Conservatorium Orchestra
Victorian Symphony Orchestra
Founded1906
LocationMelbourne, Australia
Concert hallHamer Hall, Melbourne
Principal conductorJaime Martín
Websitewww.mso.com.au
Logo of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

The MSO relies on funding by the Victorian State Government and the Federal government and support from private corporations and donors. It is supported by Symphony Services International. Sophie Galaise joined the MSO as its first female managing director in 2016. Its chairman is David Li (since 2021).[1]

History

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The founder of the Albert Street Conservatorium Orchestra was musician and conductor Alberto Zelman. This orchestra gave its first concert on 11 December 1906. In 1923, Bertha Jorgensen became the first female leader of a professional orchestra in Australia, and she went on to play with the orchestra for 50 years and became the longest-serving female leader of an orchestra on an international scale. [2] In 1927, the Albert Street Conservatorium Orchestra combined with the Melbourne University Symphony Orchestra to form the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.[3]

In 1934, the MSO became one of the Australian Broadcasting Commission's radio orchestras.[4] In 1949, the orchestra took on the new name of the Victorian Symphony Orchestra, reverting to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 1965. Following the re-structure of the Australian Broadcasting Commission into a corporation, in 1997 the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ABC. It became an independent company when the six Australia state orchestras were divested from the corporation in 2007.[5]

The MSO's longest-serving chief conductor was Hiroyuki Iwaki (1974–1997), who was named Conductor Laureate of the orchestra in 1989 and held the title until his death in 2006. The orchestra's most recent chief conductor, Sir Andrew Davis, was appointed in June 2012. Davis gave his inaugural concerts as the MSO's chief conductor in 2013, having made his debut with the orchestra in 2009.[6] The MSO also works with principal conductor-in-residence Benjamin Northey, principal guest conductor Xian Zhang and guest conductors like Thomas Adès, John Adams, Tan Dun, Markus Stenz and Simone Young.

The MSO was the first Australian orchestra to perform overseas (New Zealand, 1965), and the first to play in Carnegie Hall, New York, in 1970.[7] Its overseas tours – the US, Canada, Japan, Korea, Europe (2000, 2007, 2014), China (2002), St Petersburg, Russia (2003) and Japan (2005) – have gained it widespread international recognition. In January 2000, under the baton of the then chief conductor and artistic director Markus Stenz, the MSO represented Australasia at the Festival of the Five Continents in the Canary Islands alongside other orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and New York Philharmonic. In January 2007 the Orchestra embarked on its second European tour, visiting five cities in Spain (Castellon, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Madrid), Paris, Berlin and Milan.

Sir Andrew Davis took up his duties as chief conductor in 2013. During his tenure, the MSO made its debut at five of the classical music festivals, including The Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival.[8] In July 2015, the MSO extended Davis' contract through 2019.[9] Davis concluded his MSO chief conductorship at the end of December 2019.[10]

Dr Sophie Galaise was announced as Managing Director[11] in January 2016. In 2021 Dr Galaise was recognised by Musical America as one of the Top 30 Professionals of the Year,[12] and in 2022 she was acknowledged by the Asia Society Australia as a Melbourne Asia Game Changer.[13]

In April 2020, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of live performances, the MSO management was forced to temporarily ‘stand down’ MSO musicians and some administrative staff. In addition to the Australian Government’s JobKeeper program, the MSO Board pledged $1 million to support musicians and staff.[14] In December 2020, the MSO launched its on-demand digital streaming platform, MSO.LIVE, which broadcasts performances to audiences at home.[15][16]

Jaime Martín first guest-conducted the MSO in June 2019, and returned for an additional guest-conducting appearance in February 2021. In June 2021, the MSO announced the appointment of Martín as its next chief conductor,[17] and Martín led his first performance as chief conductor at Hamer Hall in February 2022.[18] In March 2024, the MSO announced the extension of Martín's contract as chief conductor to 2028, with the addition of the title of artistic adviser.[19]

In November 2022, the MSO announced a partnership[20] with the London Symphony Orchestra. The agreement between the two orchestras enables cross-cultural collaboration between the two countries and includes reciprocal touring in Australia and the UK, facilitating emerging artist exchanges and co-commissioning performances and activities, including digital innovations, such as LSO Live and MSO.LIVE.[21]

The MSO's recent discs include Strauss' Four Last Songs, Don Juan and Also sprach Zarathustra[22] on ABC Classics. On the Chandos label the MSO has recently released Berlioz' Harold en Italie with James Ehnes and Ives' Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2, both led by Sir Andrew Davis.[23]

Israel-Gaza 2024 controversy

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On 13 August 2024, the MSO cancelled Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham’s performance, to which tickets had already been sold. MSO said the reason for the cancellation was the pianist's remarks made prior to his performance of a musical piece, which he dedicated to the more than 100 Palestinian journalists killed by Israel in the Hamas–Israel war in Gaza. In his remarks, Jayson Gillham said that the killing of journalists in Gaza by Israel was a war crime and that "a number of these have been targeted assassinations of prominent journalists as they were travelling in marked press vehicles or wearing their press jackets”.[24] MSO said that Gillham's remarks "were made without authority and went beyond the remit of his contract".[25]

The cancellation was seen as highly controversial because the same pianist also performed a song by György Ligeti, where he noted that Ligeti was from a Holocaust-surviving family and he spoke about the political background of the piece, as witnessed by Palestinian-Australian writer and composer Nahed Elrayes. This part of Jayson Gillham’s concert did not attract any attention and was not seen by MSO as being "made without authority and going beyond the remit of his contract", whilst similar action with regards to 100 Palestinian journalists killed by Israel was censored by MSO.[25]

MSO censorship of Jayson Gillham attracted wide condemnation from the Australian public and from the musicians of the MSO. The Australian Music Students’ Association launched an open letter and said it was “intensely disappointed” and strongly condemned the decision. Erin Madeley, the chief executive of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, expressed in his statement that Gillham had been treated "appallingly", that the decision caused enormous hurt and distress to Jayson, and was disrespectful to his fellow musicians and to journalists in Gaza.

Later, MSO rowed back on their own decision to cancel the performance, admitting that cancelling the concert was "an error", and confirmed that the pianist performance was now cancelled due to "safety concerns". The nature of the safety concerns was not revealed and hence it is not clear if there were (or there are) any safety concerns in the first place.[26]

The musicians of the MSO have passed a vote of no confidence in its board, citing that the scandal had brought the orchestra "into disrepute" and highlighted "years of unresolved concerns". Despite the reversal of the decision, musicians at the MSO voted to remove the leaders of the orchestra.[27]

Chief conductors

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Discography

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Charting albums

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List of albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Certifications
AUS
[28]
Music for Dreaming
  • Released: 1995
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Sound Impressions/Sony (MDCD001)
 98
Live in Australia
(with Meat Loaf)
  • Released: 1994
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Warner Bros. (5046-75070-2)
 20
Classical Spectacular
  • Released: 2005
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Decca (4768903)
 47
My Life Is a Symphony
(with Kate Ceberano)
  • Released: May 2023
  • Format: CD, digital
  • Label: ABC Music (ABCM0016)
 6[29]

Awards and nominations

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AIR Awards

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The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2023 Blueback (Original Motion Picture Score)
(with Benjamin Northey and Nigel Westlake) 		Best Independent Classical Album or EP Nominated [30][31]

APRA Awards

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Since 2003 APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) have combined with AMC (Australian Music Centre) to present the Classical Music Awards at an annual ceremony as part of the APRA Music Awards.[32] In 2011 the Classical Music Awards were re-branded as the Art Music Awards.[32]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2003 "End of All Journeys" (Andrew Batterham) – MSO Orchestral Work of the Year Nominated [33][34]
2005 Moments of Bliss (Brett Dean) – MSO Best Performance of an Australian Composition Nominated [35][36]
2006 Oboe Concerto (Ross Edwards – MSO, Diana Doherty Orchestral Work of the Year Nominated [37][38]
Community Outreach 2005 Program – MSO Outstanding Contribution to Australian Music in Education Nominated
2007 Welcome to the MCG (Christopher Gordon) – MSO, Lyn Williams Orchestral Work of the Year Nominated [39][40]
2008 90 Minutes Circling the Earth (Stuart Greenbaum) – MSO, Brett Kelly Orchestral Work of the Year Won [41][42]
Glass Soldier Suite (Nigel Westlake) – MSO, Geoffrey Payne, Jean-Louis Forestier Nominated
Musaic (Anne Cawrse) – MSO, Kevin Field Nominated
Oboe Concertante (Margaret Sutherland) – MSO, Jiří Tancibudek, Patrick Thomas Nominated
Hunger – MSO's ArtPlay ensemble Outstanding Contribution to Australian Music in Education Won
2009 Noumen (Robert Dahm) – MSO, Reinbert de Leeuw Orchestral Work of the Year Nominated [43][44]
2012 Gardener of Time (Barry Conyngham) – MSO Work of the Year – Orchestral Nominated [45][46]
2014 The Last Days of Socrates (Brett Dean, Graeme Ellis) – MSO and Chorus, Peter Coleman-Wright, Simone Young Work of the Year – Orchestral Nominated [47][48]
Performance of the Year Won
2022 The Rest Is Silence (Anne Cawrse) – MSO, Michael Pisani, Nicholas Carter Work of the Year: Large Ensemble Nominated [49][50]
Love Is a Temporary Madness, The Symphonic Suite (Vanessa Perica) – MSO, Vanessa Perica Orchestra, Benjamin Northey Performance of the Year: Jazz / Improvised Music Nominated
WATA (Paul Grabowsky, Daniel Wilfred, David Wilfred) – MSO, Australian Art Orchestra, Paul Grabowsky, Daniel Wilfred, David Wilfred, Benjamin Northey Performance of the Year: Notated Composition Won

ARIA Music Awards

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The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1991 Percy Grainger: Orchestral Works (with Geoffrey Simon) Best Classical Album Nominated [51]
1994 Violin Concertos (with Dene Olding & Hiroyuki Iwaki) Nominated
1995 Simple Gifts (with Yvonne Kenny & Vladimir Kamirski) Won
1999 The Eternal Rhythm (with Vernon Handley) Nominated
2001 Music from the Motion Picture – The Dish Best Original Soundtrack Won [52]
2013 Catch Me If You Can (with Amy Dickson) Best Classical Album Nominated [53]
Missa Solis: Requiem for Eli (with Nigel Westlake) Nominated
2014 Ades Polaris / Stanhope Piccolo Concerto (with Andrew Macleod, Benjamin Northey & Markus Stenz) Nominated [54]
2015 Paper Planes – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (with Nigel Westlake) Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album Nominated [52]
2017 Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 (with Jayson Gillham & Benjamin Northey) Best Classical Album Nominated [51]
2022 Ross Edwards: Frog and Star Cycle / Symphonies 2 & 3
(with Amy Dickson, Colin Currie, Lothar Koenigs, Yvonne Kenny, David Zinman, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, & Markus Stenz) 		Nominated [55][56]
The Enchanted Loom: Orchestral Works by Carl Vine (with Sir Andrew Davis) Won
2023 Blueback – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack By Nigel Westlake (with Benjamin Northey) Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album Nominated [57]

Helpmann Awards

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  • 2003 Nominated twice for Best Classical Concert Presentation
  • 2004 Nominated for Best Performance in a Classical Concert – MSO Chief Conductor Marcus Stenz
  • 2007 Winner of Best Performance in a Classical Concert Presentation
  • 2008 Winner of Best Performances in a Classical Concert
  • 2011 Nominated twice for Best Symphony Orchestra Concert
  • 2015 Nominated twice for Best Symphony Orchestra Concert

References

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  1. ^ "The MSO announces new Chairman". Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. ^ "MSO concert master Bertha Jorgensen reminisces about working with conductor Otto Klemperer". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023.
  3. ^ Wireless Weekly magazine, 29 July 1927 edition
  4. ^ Jones, John (July 2019). "Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – a history" (PDF). Senza Sord.
  5. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "History of ABC Orchestras and Bands" (PDF). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Melbourne Symphony Orchestra". Archived from the original on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  7. ^ Raymond Ericson (12 November 1970). "Australians Give First Concert Here: The Melbourne Symphony Led by van Otterloo". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  8. ^ "MSO to perform at BBC Proms and Edinburgh Festival in European Tour – Melbourne Symphony Orchestra". Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Chief Conductor Sir Andrew Davis to lead the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra until 2019" (Press release). Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. 27 July 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  10. ^ Angus McPherson (10 April 2018). "Sir Andrew Davis to step down from Melbourne Symphony Orchestra". Limelight. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  11. ^ Dwyer, Michael (15 January 2016). "Sophie Galaise appointed managing director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  12. ^ "MusicalAmerica - MA Top 30 Professional of the Year: Sophie Galaise". www.musicalamerica.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Melbourne Asia Game Changer Awards 2022". Asia Society. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  14. ^ 2020 Annual Report (PDF) (Report). 2020.
  15. ^ Dowse, Nicola (4 June 2021). "The MSO has a music streaming service in case you want to add some culture to your lockdown". Time Out Melbourne. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  16. ^ "MSO.LIVE". MSO.LIVE. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  17. ^ Clive Paget (12 June 2021). "MSO announces Jaime Martín as Chief Conductor". Limelight. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
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  20. ^ "Australia and the UK Announce Landmark Bilateral Orchestral Exchange". Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. 29 November 2022. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  21. ^ Radbourne, Lucas (30 November 2022). "MSO and London Symphony Orchestra announce major partnership". Beat Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs, Don Juan, Also sprach Zarathustra". www.prestoclassical.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
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  25. ^ a b Wind, Emily (14 August 2024). "Melbourne Symphony Orchestra cancels pianist's performance after dedication to journalists killed in Gaza". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  26. ^ Wind, Emily (15 August 2024). "Melbourne Symphony Orchestra says cancelling pianist performance over Gaza statement an 'error'". The Guardian.
  27. ^ Squires, Mandy; Baldwin, Grace (16 August 2024). "MSO in disharmony: Vote to boot leaders for cancelling pianist leads to external review". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  28. ^ a b c Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
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  30. ^ "Nominees Announced for the Australian Independent Music Awards 2023". Music Feeds. 31 May 2023. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  31. ^ "King Stingray and Genesis Owusu Win Big at 2023 AIR Awards". Music Feeds. 4 August 2023. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  32. ^ a b "APRA AMCOS: History". APRA AMCOS, Australian Music Centre (AMC). Archived from the original on 25 October 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  33. ^ "2003 Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
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  36. ^ "2005 Finalists – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 6 August 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
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  41. ^ "2008 Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  42. ^ "2008 Finalists – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  43. ^ "Winners – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  44. ^ "2009 Finalists – Classical Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  45. ^ "Winners – Art Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australian Music Centre (AMC). Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  46. ^ "2012 Finalists – Art Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australian Music Centre (AMC). Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  47. ^ Art Music Awards:
  48. ^ "2014 Art Music Awards". Australian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) | Australian Music Centre (AMC). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  49. ^ "2022 Art Music Awards – Winners and Finalists". APRA AMCOS. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  50. ^ "2022 Art Music Awards – Finalists". APRA AMCOS. 2022. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  51. ^ a b ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  52. ^ a b ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  53. ^ "ARIA Awards 2013 Nominees Revealed, Fine Arts Award Winners Announced – Music Feeds". Music Feeds. 15 October 2013. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  54. ^ "Chet Faker and his beard are set to rule ARIAs". The Age. 7 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  55. ^ Lars Brandle (12 October 2022). "Rüfüs Du Sol Leads 2022 ARIA Awards Nominees (Full List)". The Music Network. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  56. ^ Newstead, Al (24 November 2022). "ARIA Awards 2022 Winners Wrap: Baker Boy Leads First Nations Sweep". Triple J (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  57. ^ "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
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