Australian Youth Orchestra Autumn Season Concert

Step into a musical time machine as our flagship orchestra transports you to an era of great societal upheaval and political uncertainty. And no, it is not 2020.

Conductor Alexandre Bloch with soloist Satu Vänskä

• RAVEL La Valse
• SZYMANOWSKI Violin Concerto No.2
• DEBUSSY arr. Tognetti La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin
• PROKOFIEV Symphony No.5

Over a century ago, composers were responding to major historical events that would change society forever. World Wars I and II compelled composers to create music that told the stories of those times. Ravel and Debussy, musical trailblazers, used innovative harmonies and lively orchestrations to break free from traditional music rules.  Between the wars, Szymanowski mixed in Polish folk tunes into his Violin Concerto, capturing in amber his emotional tribute to his country.  Prokofiev’s Symphony No.5 is like a victory dance, full of energy and spirit. 

This concert is a journey through the sounds of these amazing composers, each with their own style, pushing the boundaries of what music can be and capturing the essence of the most turbulent of times – before our own.