Photo Gallery: Symphony Under the Stars at Toowoomba Queens Park, Queensland Symphony Orchestra
See all the magic captured during the unforgettable Symphony Under the Stars concert at Queens Park in Toowoomba on the weekend, right here.
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The ears of Toowoomba residents were given an exclusive treat during the 75th Carnival of Flowers celebrations during a once in a lifetime Symphony Under the Stars concert at the weekend.
Stepping out of the concert hall, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra played their first outdoor concert at Queen’s Park and with all 80 of their talented musicians - the only time the full orchestra will play together while on their regional tour.
Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Regional Touring Program provides Queenslanders with access to world class performances and education, ensuring music’s transformative power unites and inspires communities for generations to come.
As part of their SideBySide program, eight talented Toowoomba high school students were selected to participate in the mentorship program, with four chosen to perform alongside the Orchestra during the encore at the concert Friday night, October 4.
Glennie School student and flautist Sarcha Webb has played the flute since year 4.
Now in year 11 she was one of the four lucky students chosen to play with the orchestra.
Before the event, Miss Webb said she was excited to participate in the mentorship where she and the other students met with their mentors on Thursday afternoon before their final rehearsal before the concert on Friday evening.
“I’m really excited because it’s a great opportunity to be able to extend on our skills,” she said.
“It’s very exciting (to have an orchestra) playing here, they’re normally playing down in Brisbane, and we don’t really have an orchestra program here so it’s really nice to have such a big and professional group as well to come and play for us.”
The QSO was led by chief conductor Umberto Clerici, a renowned and incredibly talented cellist, in what was his first visit to the Garden City.
Symphony Under the Stars opened with George Gershwin’s famous An American in Paris, a masterful blend of classical music and jazz, and a vibrant storytelling of 1920s Paris featured a guest musician, homegrown violinist Johnny Van Gend.
Maestro Clerici said the orchestra was thrilled to be visiting the region for the special event as it was the first time they played outdoors and the only time the full orchestra will play together.
“It’s going to be an extremely colourful event, for an outdoor concert I thought a saxophone would be an amazing addition, so I also chose other pieces that featured the saxophone,” he said before the event.
“Outdoor we democratise a little bit, music doesn’t become this barrier like a big concert hall where people are used to going, so I hope we will have families, people sitting, standing and just staying for a while.”
The unique regional experience is equally as important for QSO and Maestro Clerici, who believe in sharing the orchestra’s music with a wide range of audiences.
“I think it’s our duty to bring our music to a different audience who once or twice a year might come to Brisbane, it’s like having a dinner at home is different to having dinner at a restaurant,” he said.
“I believe for us it’s important to break the barrier of an orchestra from a city, so we still play a proper repertoire.
“This time here it is also very exotic because we also play blues in between Gershwin and there is also this far east Russian folkloristic music so there is a little bit of everything.”
The concernt featured another special guest, soloist saxophonist Nick Russoniello, who joined the orchestra for Claude Debussy’s Rhapsody for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra.
Mr Russoniello has played the saxophone for more than 32 years, with the Symphony Under the Stars concert the second time he will have played with Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
“This program is quite amazing because it really features the saxophone, so it’s all the best bits of orchestral saxophone music bundled into one show,” he said.
Toowoomba Region councillor James O’Shea was the MC at the event which was held at Queens Park Amphitheatre at 7pm on Friday, October 4.
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