The new program shows new Chief Conductor Umberto Clerici embarking on the first chapter of his vision to embed the orchestra more into the fabric of Queensland society.

It includes a range of grand masterpieces and intimate chamber moments, world premieres, and experimental music experiences, anchored by some of Queensland’s biggest music names in William Barton, Ray Chen and Piers Lane.

New QSO CEO Yarmila Alfonzetti cannot contain her excitement, saying Clerici’s choices reflect some of the greatest music in the world, such as Don Quixote, The Planets, Beethoven’s heroic Symphony No.9, and what will be one of the most spectacular productions of 2023, Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

“We are custodians of what you would call the great wonders of the world, and some of these great wonders are symphonies,” Alfonzetti said.

“Beethoven 9 is one of them. It is a legacy that all orchestras leave. We’re just custodians of this great piece of music, and William Barton in that concert will be performing Earth Cry, Peter Sculthorpe’s great Australian work; an iconic Australian work.”

QSO ceo Yarmila Alfonzetti

Coming from her time leading the State Opera of South Australia and revolutionising its programming with more local content, Alfonzetti is excited to bring that experience to the QSO at such a pivotal time.

“We’re touring to Cairns, Rockhampton, Mount Isa, we go to Gladstone, and we are gathering the stories of these places, and we’re actually going to become quite circumspect and particular about what we do,” she said.

“Before we perform anywhere, we’re going to make sure that it meets the standards and the recommendations of local country First Nations Elders.

“We are not about riding in, QSO comes in with our great music from the Western art system. We’re not about that at all.

“We’re about long-term relationships. Working with local people, building something that we can repeat.

“This is where, dare I say, all arts companies need to go, so that we move away from the tokenistic one-off, employment situations of First Nations’ artists.

“These people deserve our time, our respect, and our money. We actually have to start putting our money where our mouth is, so we are looking to engage a few artists on a multi-year contract, which means that they will become part of the fabric of the QSO.

“It’s quite exciting for us, because it means we can grow and change with them.”

QSO’s new chief conductor Umberto Clarici. (image supplied)

Chief Conductor Clerici hopes his program and the QSO performances under his baton give Queensland audiences a glimpse of the divine.

“I think our duty as artists is to channel the topic of the society or the life where we live,” Clerici said.

“I think honestly that the composer goes in a higher dimension. If you are religious, it’s God. If you are not, it’s another dimension. It’s a different metaphysical dimension to take the music to us, to our world.

“We are in the moment of war in Europe, which is far from here, but feelings abound. So I think art has the beauty to talk about this and to try to elevate through beauty and through expression and to try to make us think that there are different ways of solving problems or living a better life.

“We are talking about – at least in my programs – about humanity. So how we as humans interact and we exist because we are part of a community.

“Particularly after Covid – even if Queensland had less problems than the other parts of the world – it’s the time to actually be ambitious. To do the Ring (Wagner’s Ring Cycle) – it’s such a huge project but it’s important.

“It’s important that Brisbane becomes more relevant, not only in Brisbane, not only in Queensland, but how we are seen from outside. Brisbane is growing, we have the Olympics. It’s important to be relevant also for the outside eyes, not just for in Queensland.”

And to mark the beginning of this new chapter, long time concertmaster and renowned violinist Warwick Adeney will perform with the orchestra for the final time after 22 years at the QSO at the orchestra’s first concert for 2023 in February – featuring Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

“If I’d been thinking about this seriously five years ago, I probably would’ve thought it’s not a good time to leave,” Adeney said.

“But I think at the moment we’ve got a new co-concert master, we’ve got a new chief conductor and also recently we’ve just got Yarmila as CEO – all excellent people and the future looks very good.

“I sort of feel, well, if I’m going to go and do something else productive in my life, now is a good time while I’m still young enough to consider that and leave the orchestra in a good shape.”

Adeney said he is looking forward to teaching more and playing music more broadly in the community.

“Yesterday I had a reading session of chamber music at my house with some friends from the orchestra. That was lovely. I’d be pleased if things took off a bit in that direction for me,” he said.

“Really I want to teach. We homeschooled all our children and now that our kids are a little bit older, I don’t do that so much anymore and I’ve kind of missed that involvement with kids.

“But then in terms of my own playing, I’m just interested to see what might emerge as possibilities for myself because I feel like I’m playing well and I’d be happy to offer myself for different things that come up.

“It’s just been a glorious time in the orchestra and I’m really very, very grateful. So when I started out, I did wonder how long orchestral life like that was going to continue. How long would governments fund things like the classical music orchestra, the symphony orchestras of each state?

“And it’s just continued all through my long career. So I’m really, really grateful. It’s been a great life.”