Sunday 17 November, 3:00pm
Sculthorpe: Kakadu
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
Conductor: Paul Terracini
Soloist:
Simon Tedeschi
: Piano
On 17 November 2024, at the Concourse, Chatswood, the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Sculthorpe’s Kakadu. Conducted by KPO’s Artistic Director, Paul Terracini, the concert features star soloist Simon Tedeschi at the piano. This performance of three popular masterpieces is not to be missed.
Peter Sculthorpe’s Kakadu, one his most well-known works, was composed in 1988. It draws inspiration from the Kakadu National Park, and the composer’s lifelong interest in Aboriginal music.
Rhapsody in Blue was written by George Gershwin in 1924. This landmark work, which combines classical and jazz influences, was commissioned by bandleader, Paul Whiteman. In the first performance at Aeolian Hall, New York, Gershwin was the soloist. At the piano in this performance is one of Australia’s favourite Gershwin interpreters, Simon Tedeschi.
The symphonic suite, Scheherazade, was composed by Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov in 1888 and finds its inspiration in the paintings, ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, by Leon Bakst. Concerning his intentions, Rimsky Korsakov wrote: ”All I desire is for the hearer, if they like the piece, should carry away the impression that is beyond a doubt an oriental narrative of numerous fairy tale wonders of Arabian nights”.
The work, in four movements, is a prime example of late 19th century romanticism in music. Characterised by soaring melodies, rich harmonies, and brilliant orchestration, it amply fulfils the hopes of the composer.
This concert featuring three iconic works from the orchestral repertoire is not to be missed.
Paul Terracini
Dr Paul Terracini was born in Sydney and has enjoyed a career in Australia and internationally as an instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and conductor. He has held permanent positions as Principal Trumpet in the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra; Lecturer in Trumpet, Brass Ensemble and Big Band at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music; and Solo Trumpet in the Danish Chamber Players, Denmark.
As an instrumentalist, he performed as soloist in Australia, Europe, USA, and Asia. Within Australia, his solo performances included concertos with the Melbourne, Queensland, West Australian, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras.
Paul Terracini has appeared as an opera conductor at the German Rossini Festival in Bad Wilbad, for the Danish Bel Canto Society in Copenhagen, and the Storstroms Symphony Orchestra, also in Denmark. Since assuming the role of artistic director of the Penrith Symphony Orchestra in 2010, he has, apart from programming and conducting the symphonic repertoire, pioneered the performance of chamber opera in western Sydney. For many years he has been invited as a guest conductor/composer to music schools and universities in Europe, USA, China, and Australia. He appears regularly as conductor for the Conservatorium High School, in Sydney. As a choral conductor, he has recorded for ABC Classics with Ars Nova Copenhagen, and the Sydney based choir, Cantillation.
As a composer and arranger, his music has been heard throughout the world in a variety of genres, performed by, amongst others, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass, the Danish Chamber Players, the Australian Brass Quintet, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Brass, and at festivals and conferences on every continent. His music for the two part ABC television series, Hymns of the Forefathers, in which he developed many of the traditional English hymns into symphonic poems, received international acclaim and was released on CD and DVD by ABC Classics. His title music for the television series, Classical Destinations, which was produced for three seasons, was featured on the ‘Number 1 Classical Album of the Year,’ released by Decca.
His CD, Paul Terracini: Music for Brass, was released on the Tall Poppies label in May 2015. On this recording, he conducted his own music with Sydney Brass, featuring members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Paul Terracini also holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, having earlier completed a Bachelor of Theology and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours). His book, John Stoward Moyes and the Social Gospel, was published in 2015.
Simon Tedeschi
Simon Tedeschi is one of Australia’s most renowned classical pianists, and a critically acclaimed author. Recipient of the Young Performer of the Year Award, the Creativity Foundation’s Legacy Award (USA), the New York Young Jewish Pianist Award and a Centenary of Federation Medal, he has performed for audiences, royalty and world leaders worldwide, from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall. Acclaimed by respected critics and peers as “true greatness” (SMH), Simon performed his first Mozart piano concerto in the Sydney Opera House aged nine, later studying and performing in the USA. Since returning in 2009, he regularly performs as soloist with all the major Australian symphony orchestras, and tours nationally for festivals, venues and presenters including Musica Viva Australia. Uncommonly for a classical pianist, Tedeschi also crosses into jazz, and has co-written and toured internationally the Sydney Opera House’ Meeting Mozart children’s show (produced by CDP), and a number of shows combining words and music, for Monkey Baa Theatre, and with Australian theatre icon, John Bell AO OBE.
A regular guest on ABC TV, for ABC Classic and Radio National, Simon also features in renowned director Scott Hicks’ new film, The Musical Mind, released in November 2023 (marking 25 years since his Oscar-winning film, Shine), alongside musical luminaries Daniel Johns, Ben Folds, and David Helfgott.
In 2024, Tedeschi’s major concert engagements include with Sydney Symphony Orchestra – in a new show created by Simon and Roger Benedict, ‘When George met Arnold’, exploring the music and late friendship of George Gershwin and Arnold Schoenberg; performances with John Bell at the Sunshine Coast Chamber Music Festival and Noosa Alive! Festival; regional touring for Musica Viva Australia, and a handful of jazz programs including a new tribute to Dave Brubeck for UKARIA with leading jazz musicians.
Simon’s latest album, ‘Debussy – Ravel’ with violist and conductor Roger Benedict, received a 2023 ARIA award nomination for ‘Best Classical Album’, adding to his numerous recordings for ABC Classics/Universal Music such as The Gershwin Collection, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, R. Strauss’ Enoch Arden, and concerti by Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Grieg.
Alongside his performing career, Tedeschi is fast gaining renown as a writer of note, winning the prestigious Calibre Essay Prize for 2022 and Tedeschi’s critically acclaimed literary debut, Fugitive (for Upswell Publishing) shortlisted in the 2023 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, and 2023 Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection. Speaking engagements include for Sydney Writers’ Festival and more.
"In his performance with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tedeschi's love as well as expertise of Gershwin shone through. In all my years of listening to music, of classical music, jazz, musical theatre, and many other musical genres, I don't think there is a single performance that I've enjoyed more. The collaboration between pianist, orchestra and conductor, all at the top of their games, and all utterly loving being together in this moment, came together as magic." - Sydney Scoop March 2023 (live review, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue, Sydney Symphony Orchestra/cond. Andrea Molino)