Sydney Youth Orchestras Play Dvorák And Shostakovich

The Sydney Youth Orchestras present The Finale featuring the SYO Philharmonic conducted by Brian Buggy OAM and the Sydney Youth Orchestra conducted by Matthew Coorey.

The two orchestras will showcase two magnificent works from the orchestral canon, Dvorák’s Carnival Overture op.92
and the Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 by Shostakovich.

Dvorák’s Carnival Overture, was said by him to depict “a lonely, contemplative wanderer reaching at twilight a city where a festival is in full swing”.

Angular and severe, the opening of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony suggests the harshness of life in Soviet Russia, but triumph prevails in the mighty final movement. Against a backdrop of pervasive political terror and personal attack, Shostakovich had to find a way to write his Symphony No. 5, scheduled to premiere in 1937. Fearing arrest, torture and even death, he wrote his score which appeared to adhere to Stalin’s directives while subtly weaving a deeper layer through his musical truth. From the symphony’s opening battle between the lower and the upper strings and its soaring melodies, to the sounds of hopeless oppression and finally to triumph, Shostakovich brilliantly captures the conflicting moods of a time, place and people.

The SYO’s Chief Conductor Alexander Briger accepted the exceptional invitation to conduct 6 performances of the Israel Philharmonic. Therefore this concert by the SYO will be conducted by London-based Australian conductor Matthew Coorey. Matthew is a brass alumnus of SYO who has gone on to develop a stellar career across Europe as a conductor.

Tickets: Adult $50, Pensioner $40, Family (admit 4) $100, 30& under $15, Student $15.

Bookings: Online at syo.com.au or phone 02 9251 2422