KU-RING-GAI PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (KPO) wowed as only they can with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Richard Strauss’s Thus Spake Zarathustra, two masterpieces of the classical repertoire.
Under the baton of Artistic Director Paul Terracini, the KPO was joined by violin soloist Teresa Yang, winner of the 40th KPO Secondary Schools Concerto competition 2024. The orchestra showcased every section in a magnificently powerful and emotional journey. Also on the program was a piece by young Australian composer, Paul Nicolaou’s Of Gates No Longer Known, created as a meditation upon conflict, drawing on his experience in Cyprus 1974.
Beethoven had written a number of pieces for Violin and orchestra, writing this Concerto for his colleague Franz Clement, a leading violinist of the day. It premiered in 1806 in Vienna. It was not a success until it was revived after his death. Ever since then it’s been one of the most important works of the Violin Concerto repertoire.
Beethoven’s Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra Op.61 :1.Allegro ma non Troppo : The movement starts with 5 beats on the Timpani and leads into a theme played by the oboes, clarinets and bassoon. The strings enter with a non-diatonic D# that leads to a V7 chord which is about 21 minutes long. 2. Larghetto is in G Major lasting 10 minutes. 3. Cadenzas
Strauss’s Thus Spake Zarathustra is a tone Poem inspired by his readings of Friedrich Nietzsche to turn away from the metaphysics of Schopenhauer and Wagner. Rather than use his music to preach redemption or apotheosis , Strauss brought it to bear on the everyday, the physical, the world of experience. Thus the famous sunrise that opens the work is nature. It has been popularised the film 2001: A Space Odyssey and is one if music’s most recognisable themes.
The audience swooned under the spell, grace and lyricism of solo violinist, the young virtuoso, Teresa Yang whose mastery and faultless execution was a feat that was worthy of the five encores. It was a sublime experience with the full KPO orchestra excelling far beyond.
Special awards were given to four members of the orchestra celebrating 25 years of service. KPO have been providing magic for 53 years.
This concert took place on Sunday 31 August at 3pm at the Concourse Concert Hall, Chatswood.
Photography by New Point of View photography
