Standing on stage, surrounded by a throng of talented musicians while performing with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is an “emotional” and “visceral” experience for timpanist Matt Goddard.

The 54-year-old has been playing with the orchestra for almost 24 years and says even after all this time, there is still an intangible quality to performing on stage, which is difficult to describe but is immensely fulfilling to experience.

“When we’re performing, I’m completely immersed in the music and making sure that my part in it is contributing to the whole, in the best way I possibly can,’’ Goddard explains.

“Every performance of a given piece is a little different, so it’s very much about being in the moment and listening, watching and responding to the music as it’s being made, while still knowing where it’s been and where it’s heading.

“Music can be very emotional and visceral. I really feel that when I’m performing.’’

It’s that feeling, along with the camaraderie between musicians, the varied workload and the enthusiasm of the audience that keeps the 47 permanent members of the TSO passionate about music, and about sharing that music with the wider community.

Some, like Goddard, are long serving, with many having a 10, 20, 30 or even 40-year involvement with the TSO. Which makes celebrating the orchestra’s milestone 75th anniversary this year even more special.

A bumper program of events has been launched in honour of the orchestra, which has grown from humble beginnings in 1948 to become the world-class musical powerhouse we know today.

A highlight of these celebrations will be the 75th Anniversary Gala Concert on Saturday, March 25, at Federation Concert Hall, conducted by TSO chief conductor and artistic director Eivind Aadland. The gala is set to commence with the blazing fanfares of Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, after which Czech pianist Lukas Vondracek will take to the stage as soloist in Tchaikovsky’s enthralling First Piano Concerto. The celebratory mood will continue after the interval with Rachmaninov’s colourful Symphonic Dances, rarely heard in Tasmania on account of the sizeable number of musicians required, with numbers bolstered by the addition of instrumentalists from the Australian National Academy of Music.

There will also be a string of celebratory events around the state in coming months, from live concerts and online streaming to regional community days, mini TSO events for children, and a new “6PM” offering, which is a series of “attractively priced and intriguingly programmed” hour-long performances at 6pm on a Friday evening – the perfect way to fill the downtime between work and dinner.

TSO chief executive Caroline Sharpen says the anniversary is a time to reflect on the history of the TSO – which has celebrated many highs over the years, but also a few lows – and also get excited about what is yet to come.

The orchestra came into existence on March 1, 1948, with the establishment of the Tasmanian Orchestra (Agreement) Act, an arrangement between the State of Tasmania, the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and the city councils of Hobart and Launceston. Kenneth Murison Bourn was appointed resident conductor, and a few months later the orchestra presented its inaugural concert at Hobart City Hall on May 25, with Joseph Post as guest conductor and Tasmanian-born pianist Eileen Joyce as soloist for Grieg’s Piano Concerto.

This kicked off a string of concerts in various parts of the state, including Burnie, Devonport, Launceston and Hobart, helping the orchestra to attract a strong following as the years went on.

The Odeon Theatre became the TSO’s home in 1973, and in 2000 the TSO took up residence at its current home, the Federation Concert Hall in Hobart.

Sharpen says like many orchestras created in the post-World War II era to boost community spirit, the TSO grew out of a need to provide musical content for radio and to help Tasmanians deal with, and recover from, the war.

And the orchestra has continued to help the community through tough times, including a Special Concert to aid the Governor of Tasmania’s Fire Relief Fund in February 1967 following the Black Tuesday fires that burnt through 652,000ha of land, destroying 1300 homes, leaving 7000 people homeless, with 64 people dead and 900 injured.

The TSO has supported other states, with the Queensland Flood Relief Concert at the Odeon in 1974, and provided musical performances to remember those who were lost at Port Arthur in 1996.

The TSO also presented Tasmania – A Musical Tribute in 2004, in memory of former Tasmanian premier Jim Bacon following his death.

When the TSO faced downsizing from 47 members to 36 following a federal review of orchestras in 2005, Tasmanians sprung to the defence of the state’s beloved orchestra, bombarding parliamentary offices in Canberra and Hobart with letters of objection, a move spearheaded by the Friends of the TSO group, which ultimately resulted in the orchestra retaining its full 47 members.

Most recently, during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, the orchestra launched an online series called TSO Daily Dose to brighten the days of Tasmanians – and people from around the world – during a challenging time when morale was low and traditional music venues were closed.

Sharpen says there is plenty of data to show that orchestras help increase people’s quality of life, and help make cities and states, including Tasmania, culturally rich places to live.

“We’ve had the most incredible humans living, working and making music in Tasmania, and enriching the lives of Tasmanians for 75 years,’’ she says.

Sharpen stepped into the chief executive role at the start of 2019, but has a long connection with the TSO.

She was just seven years old, and a music-loving student at Corpus Christi Catholic School, when a school excursion took her to the Odeon Theatre to see the TSO perform.

“Hearing a full, live orchestra playing something I knew how to play on the piano was an unforgettable moment that shaped my life,” Sharpen recalls.

“My hair was blown back completely because they played a reduction of the theme of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and I knew how to play that.

“When you are so young, seeing something of that scale and size in Tassie really makes an impression. I knew I had to have this as part of my life from that moment onwards.”

Trained in classical piano from the age of five, Sharpen’s first dream was to become a concert pianist. After graduating from the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music, she moved to Sydney to start her Masters.

But she quickly realised that only a very small number of musicians had the talent to be truly great, and she didn’t feel she was one of those exceptionally talented players. So she turned to arts management, spending the next decade at Musica Viva – Australia’s oldest independent professional performing arts organisation – and it was here she found her calling.

“I hit my straps,’’ Sharpen says of arts management.

“I’d worked in music organisations in Sydney, and relevantly in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and had a stint in America (in Washington DC) where I worked with the National Symphony Orchestra.’’

She came back to Australia, and was “running my own (cultural management consultancy) business and loving it”.

“The only job in Australia that could have distracted me from that was a job with the TSO,’’ Sharpen explains.

“And when (the TSO’s chief executive officer role) came up for first time in 17 years (following the retirement of former managing director Nicholas Heyward), I knew I had to throw my hat in the ring.’’

She was delighted to discover she was the successful applicant and would be working with the “famous and cherished orchestra” that had played an important role in her childhood.

She was also excited to be back in her home state, near the loved ones who supported her musical journey.

“I sort of had to pick myself up off the floor I was genuinely shocked and thrilled at the same time,’’ Sharpen recalls of landing the job.

“It has been amazing because all my family’s here, my Nan is turning 100 in three weeks’ time, so being back for all of that is very special too.’’

She had only been in the job for a year when the pandemic hit.

“Covid has been a complete disaster for our industry,’’ Sharpen says.

“But I think there were so many silver linings for us out of that, and so much of it is to do with the complete rupture of everything that we knew … we had to think on our feet and be brave and daring, and do it fast.’’

One of those brave and daring experiments was the #TSODailyDose.

“Every day, for 184 days, we put out a piece of music, and the intention was that it was to be a moment at 8 o’clock every morning that was a point of optimism and hope and something for people to look forward to – for us to try to be present and of service to Tasmanians when they needed us most,” Sharpen explains.

“On the day we finished Daily Dose we transitioned into a new product for us which was called Friday Night Live, and for the next 12 weeks we live-streamed a concert from Federation Concert Hall.’’

Both initiatives were incredibly successful and prompted the TSO to do things differently, producing more online content as well as presenting a wider range of events which can be showcased around the globe.

“Now every concert we do in the Federation Concert Hall series is live-streamed to audiences around Australia and the rest of the world and that’s been amazing because it means we can maintain our connection with people who can’t make it to a concert or with people who don’t live in Hobart,” Sharpen says.

Part of the TSO’s 10-year plan involves working hard on creating regional hubs, and live-streaming concerts to community halls while supplementing these shows with musicians in residence.

The TSO is also keen to continue collaborating with a range of artists. There have been a huge number of collaborations in the history of the TSO, including singers Monique Brumby, Kate Miller-Heidke, Lisa McCune, Katie Noonan, bands Eskimo Joe and Violent Femmes, musical comedy trio Tripod, acclaimed soprano Greta Bradman, and much-loved cartoonist Michael Leunig.

“We thrive on that, it keeps things fresh,’’ Sharpen says.

The passionate CEO is also excited that more collaborations with Indigenous artists are in the pipeline as part of TSO’s reconciliation action plan.

“We’re thrilled and proud to acknowledge and celebrate 75 years of music in Tasmania, but we also acknowledge that’s not even a blip in the 65,000 years music that has been part of cultural life on this island,’’ she says.

Another goal is to ensure that by 2030 every Tasmanian child experiences the orchestra by grade 3 – when they are eight years old – with plans to target the 35,000 Tasmanian children in 209 schools across the state who are aged between five and eight. The TSO also wants to better service elderly residents in aged care settings to enhance their quality of life.

Acknowledging that orchestras stem from a patriarchal tradition of male composers, conductors and musicians, Sharpen says there will also be a continuing focus on “being more representative of society in our music and our workforce” and showcasing the work of more women and people from diverse backgrounds.

She says the 75th anniversary is a great time to reflect on past successes and celebrate the TSO’s bright future.

“There’s so much global curiosity about this place so we have got a really wonderful opportunity to go forward and take what is Tasmanian to the rest of the world, and shine a light on the huge wealth of talent we have on the island,’’ Sharpen says.

“It’s also one of those points in time when you deserve to stop and look at what’s been achieved over that time and to honour the people that have made that possible.’’

Among those who have formed part of the long and successful history of the TSO is violinist Christine Lawson, who began playing with the orchestra more than 40 years ago.

“I first started playing casually (for the TSO under concertmaster Bill Hennessy) when I was a student (at the Conservatorium of Music) – that would have been over 40 years ago,’’ the 61-year-old explains.

“It was just casual but it was a wonderful leg in the door to get to know how professional orchestras work.’’

She auditioned for a full-time role with the TSO when she was 25 but didn’t expect to get it.

“At that time I was living in Burnie, and I kind of did the audition just for the experience,’’ explains Lawson, who took up piano at the age of seven and moved on to violin soon after.

“I didn’t expect to get the job.’’

But she did get the job, and soon found herself living in Hobart and playing for the TSO, which she loved. But she also wanted to have a family and felt the two roles didn’t work well together at that time. So she quit her coveted role to raise three children, continuing to play as a casual for the orchestra where she could.

Orchestra jobs are rare – there are only six symphony orchestras in Australia – so usually when musicians land their dream gig with an orchestra they are reluctant to give that up.

But Lawson, who remembers the “thrill and inspiration” of attending TSO concerts with her father in Launceston when she was a child, had luck on her side.

“An opportunity came up the year my youngest child started school and I thought ‘what the heck, it’s now or never’,’’ Lawson recalls.

“And amazingly enough, I managed to get another full-time job with the TSO, and that was 23 or 24 years ago.’’

She has played at both the Odeon and Federation Concert Hall during her time, has toured internationally, has worked with various concertmasters and conductors, and has seen a huge amount of change. She says each week is different, the hours are varied, and the job can be quite physically and mentally demanding at times. But she still loves it as much as ever.

“I consider it a wonderful privilege to be part of the orchestra,’’ Lawson says.

“Playing music is a wonderful thing to do, it’s a very fulfilling, satisfying thing to do. Occasionally you get pieces of music that you might find a chore, but most of it is just exhilarating.

“It’s just a wonderful thing to be part of a team – together we can create such an amazing impact. And the audience response is so important, to see the joy it brings other people.’’

Another long-serving musician is Matt Goddard, who played in rock bands and worked in a clerical bank job before deciding to study music professionally, landing a job with the TSO when he was 30.

The now 54-year-old, who is the orchestra’s principal timpanist, grew up in Tasmania before living and working interstate and had no plans to return to the state.

But securing a job with the TSO – which he remembers seeing live in concert as a child – quickly changed his mind.

“The orchestra has a huge attraction on many levels,’’ Goddard explains.

“Once I got settled in, it was pretty clear where I was going to stay. There are a lot of people in the orchestra who have been around for well into 30-something years, which is a long time in this day and age, to stay in a job. Even for me, 24 years is a long time for anyone to work anywhere … it’s almost a third of the orchestra’s existence. When you look at the numbers, it’s quite a special thing to be part of something for so much of its existence.’’

He loves that the TSO, with 47 full-time musicians, is smaller than many other symphony orchestras, which typically have 80-100 members.

“Even though we’re small, it’s sort of greater than the sum of the parts,’’ he says. “The orchestra is full of fantastic musicians and because of the size everyone has to contribute, it really feels like you’re part of a group where it’s ‘all in’.’’

He also appreciates the community support for the TSO.

“I have people come up to me in the supermarket who say they saw a (TSO) concert,’’ Goddard says.

“And a lot of people in the orchestra are directly teaching young students around the place. I feel like there’s much more of a direct connection between the musos in the orchestra and the general public. People sitting on stage can feel like they’re somewhat distant (from their audience) … but the connection in this community is really nice.’’

Goddard enjoys working with long-serving musicians as well as newer recruits. He has enjoyed working with chief conductor Eivind Aadland and says some of the more recent Beethoven symphony performances stand out in his mind as favourites for “having that extra-special something”.

“I love it all,’’ Goddard says of orchestra life.

“It’s a privilege to play this music really, and I’m so grateful for it all.’’

Aadland also says it is a “great privilege” to work with the TSO and he is excited about the “extraordinary year of great musical experiences” ahead as the orchestra celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Hailing from Norway, Aadland is one of the country’s most respected conductors, and arrived in Tasmania in late 2019, taking the reigns as chief conductor at the start of the 2020 season.

He now spends at least 10 weeks a year in Hobart, while continuing his concert work in Europe at other times, and is contracted to be at the helm of the TSO until the end of 2026.

“I have had a relationship with the TSO for nearly 20 years now – first as a guest, and now as chief conductor,’’ he says.

“I have always enjoyed coming to Hobart, first of all because the TSO is an excellent orchestra. To work closely with the orchestra as their chief conductor is a great privilege for me.”

Aadland started playing violin at the age of nine and spent his teens teaching and playing in orchestras before turning his attention to conducting.

He has worked extensively with European orchestras, including as chief conductor and artistic leader of Norway’s Trondheim Symphony Orchestra for seven seasons.

He was also principal guest conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and boasts a prolific discography.

When it comes to the TSO 75th anniversary celebrations Aadland says he’s “delighted to be conducting Sky Burial – which combines Faure’s Requiem with video projections by artist Mat Collishaw – and to be working with such great international soloists as Lukas Vondracek, Stefan Dohr and Ilya Gringolts”.

“We mark this milestone with concerts that celebrate our versatility and artistry, and I invite you to explore familiar as well as unfamiliar music in the year ahead,’’ he says.

Aadland has been described by TSO concertmaster Emma McGrath as having “a natural and warm rapport” with musicians. She also says his love of music is “palpable and inspiring”.

After more than 50 years of making music Aadland says he still gets chills when he hears a magical composition.

“When I listen to music I just hear something … I still I get goosebumps or I get tears in my eyes and I cannot explain why,” he says.

“It’s fantastic, to have a job like that, I think.’’

The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s 75th Anniversary Gala Concert will be held on Saturday March 25 at Federation Concert Hall, at 7.30pm. Tickets from $50 adults, $19 students, $15 children. The concert will also screen at Woolmers Estate, Longford, on April 16. For full details of the 2023 season program visit tso.com.au