All parts for this concert have been emailed out to sections of the orchestra.
If you need / would like to get a copy of the part you can contact David or go to ISMLP
All parts for this concert have been emailed out to sections of the orchestra.
If you need / would like to get a copy of the part you can contact David or go to ISMLP
Judy Hall OAM - 2016
April 10
Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor
Conductor - David Williams OAM
David graduated from Melbourne University Institute of Education with a Bachelor of Education in Music Pedagogy and later completed a Master of Arts in Performance on double bass from Monash University where he studied with Steve Reeves, Mariyan Brysha, Geoff Kluke and Neil Jowsey. He freelanced in many jazz bands that accompanied artist including Dame Kiri Te Kanewa and Peter Allan as well as playing with the State Orchestra of Victoria and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in their Symphony in a Day program.
David played and recorded extensively with the Cotton Club Orchestra and for recordings by contemporary Australian composer Felix Werder, television and radio jingles, and the feature film “Romper Stomper” and Gippsland Country artist Steve Messer. David has toured throughout Europe including concerts in England, Italy, Germany, Singapore, Belgium, and Austria and studied conducting with Peter Clinch, Barry Bignall, John Hopkins AM, OBE and Graham Abbott. He studied singing in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand with Ann Marie Speed, Stephanie Marko, Helen Tiller, and Jo Estill. David has been musical director for over 80 shows included Oliver! Fiddler on the Roof, Wizard of Oz, Mikado, My Fair Lady, Singing in The Rain, Oklahoma! Cats, Carmen, Seussical, Shrek, Little Shop of Horrors, Wicked, Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods and Les Misérables.
He conducted the Latrobe City Youth Band on two tours of China and Japan.
David co-founded Class Act Productions with friends and between 2015 to 2019 Class Act were involved with Manhattan Concert Productions were our young performers had the opportunity to perform in a Broadway show. David was also a member of the MSO Regional Teachers Forum, Orchestra Victoria mOVe schools’ program steering committee, Latrobe Regional Arts Forum, Latrobe City Sister Cities Committee and has recently retired about 29 years as a Leading Teacher/Learning Specialist at Lowanna College in Newborough.
David was awarded an OAM in the 2012 Australia Day Honours for his services to Music Education and the Performing Arts.
GIPPSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Concert Master
Jayne Nielson
Violin I
Ann Roffe, Liz Ellis, Alison Dunn, Ted Pople, Kieran Brown
Violin II
Adelle McArdle, Lisa Blackman, Tony Hackett, Gill Oscar, Ian McKerracher, Caroline Scott, Antonette Mowbray
Viola
Suzanne Ercoles, Katarina Yalizis,
Stephanie Buckland Harms
Cello
Gillian Murray, Louise Hesketh, John Ferwerda, Laura Gibb, Pam Sheehan, Rachel Arthur, Malcolm MacCaffery
Double Bass
Heather McColl, Mandie Lee
Flute
Beth Frank, Sarah Weekes, Liz Wallace
Oboe
Jill Lawrence, Les Dunn
Clarinet
Greg Frank, Lynette Newman, David Steele
Bassoon
Andrea Fail, Liz Radcliffe
French Horn
Kees Dogger, Anthony Gardiner, Lisa Harndan
Trumpet
John Schmidli, Tina Thompson
Timpani
John Claxton
Harpsichord
Malcolm MacCaffery
CRASHENDO
Violins
Hilary Rigg, Jake Douthat, Nate Douthat, Molly Douthat, Chloe Frank, Jon Hall, Maureen Hickling, Kate Hart
Viola
Aylah Durie
Cello
Angus Durie
Woodwind
Hannah McKeown, Rebecca McKeown, Joseph McKeown
Trumpet
Joseph McKeown, Cooper Hart
French Horn
Belinda Norman
Percussion
Rebecca Durie, Melanie Guthrie
Crashendo
King Williams March
Written by Jeremiah Clark in 1689 commemorating King William lll and his rise to power. The piece follows a simple yet fun melody.
Lost Tomb of The Incas
Written by Michael Story for Junior orchestra, this piece transports you to the world of the ancient Inca people.
Crashendo and Gippsland Symphony Orchestra
Finlandia
Few composers are so closely identified with their natural environment as Sibelius is with Finland. His soaring melodies and lush orchestration vividly evoke the wilderness and grandeur of the North. The same year as his first symphony, Sibelius composed Finlandia for a fund-raising pageant in 1899, a time when Finnish nationalism was running high.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, K. 16 Composed 1764
Mozart’s first symphony holds a special place in music history—not because it is a towering masterpiece like his later works, but because it offers us a glimpse of genius at its very beginning. At the age when most children are just beginning their schooling, the eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was already composing his first symphony. Written in London in 1764 during the grand European tour, where the young Wolfgang and his sister Nannerl performed before King George III and Queen Charlotte, at the time, London was one of Europe’s great musical capitals.
Its concert life was dominated by the symphonies of Johann Christian Bach, the youngest son of J. S. Bach, who became both friend and mentor to Mozart. J. C. Bach’s influence is immediately apparent in the youthful symphony’s elegance and clarity.
Mozart wrote the symphony at the family’s lodgings in Chelsea, reportedly while his father Leopold was ill and confined to bed. In the quiet of that moment, Wolfgang took to composition as a way of passing the time. What emerged was the first of over forty symphonies that would span his life.
Despite its modest scale, the symphony has three movements instead of the more usual four, the hallmarks of Mozart’s style: clarity of form, charm of melody, and a natural sense of dramatic contrast are already evident.
Allegro molto:
The opening movement begins with bold, energetic chords, a gesture reminiscent of J. C. Bach. The themes are short and symmetrical, and Mozart demonstrates a remarkable grasp of form—introducing, developing, and restating material with confidence.
The movement sparkles with rhythmic vitality, showing an instinctive sense of drama.
Andante:
The slow movement, in the minor mode, comes as a surprise. Its serious, even sombre character contrasts with the brightness of the outer movements. Some scholars suggest this reflects the influence of older symphonic traditions, particularly the expressive Sturm und Drang style that would soon become fashionable. Even here, Mozart seems to explore the emotional range of the symphony beyond mere light entertainment.
Presto:
The finale is quick, playful, and full of youthful exuberance. Its bustling rhythms and lively string writing carry the work to a cheerful conclusion. While the material is simple, it is effective, and one can sense the young composer delighting in the sheer energy of music-making.
While the Symphony No. 1 is rarely performed compared with Mozart’s mature symphonies, it remains a fascinating artifact: the voice of a child already fluent in the language of Classical music. Within just a few years, Mozart would be composing symphonies of far greater depth and sophistication, but even here, in this earliest essay, the outlines of genius are clear.
Originally written for 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings, and continuo this performance includes addition instruments and has been reorchestrated by conductor David Williams OAM.
Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 (“Double Violin Concerto”)
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Double Violin Concerto is often hailed as one of the crown jewels of the Baroque concerto repertoire. It dates from Bach’s productive Köthen years (1717–1723), when his duties at the Calvinist court emphasized instrumental rather than liturgical music. In Köthen, Bach absorbed the Italian concerto models of Vivaldi, Corelli, and Torelli, yet his approach is never derivative: he enriched the form with a contrapuntal density and expressive depth unmatched by his contemporaries. While the concerto grosso was still in fashion, Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins adopts the more modern solo concerto style, but with a twist: instead of one protagonist, there are two. The two violins do not merely alternate or compete; they converse, imitate, argue, and reconcile. Their relationship is one of equals—sometimes mirroring each other in tight canon, sometimes diverging into independent flights, and sometimes fusing into a single expressive voice. The Double Violin Concerto has remained one of Bach’s most popular works, not only for violinists but also for audiences worldwide. Its blend of intellectual rigor and sheer lyrical beauty exemplifies the best of Bach’s art—music that is at once crafted with precision and infused with deep human expressiveness.
Movement I: Vivace
The opening Vivace bursts to life with a taut Ritornello theme: vigorous rhythms, sharply profiled figures, and a clear tonal architecture in D minor. Unlike Vivaldi’s bright Venetian concertos, Bach’s music here has an austere power, closer to rhetoric than spectacle. The soloists enter not with bravura flourishes but with imitative interplay. Their dialogue creates a web of counterpoint above the orchestral foundation, blurring the lines between solo and ensemble. What listeners can notice is the way Bach balances the predictable concerto structure (tutti Ritornello framing solo episodes) with constant variation: the same motifs reappear in new guises, transformed by imitation, inversion, and rhythmic displacement. The result is music that feels both architecturally solid and vibrantly alive—an example of Bach’s ability to make strict counterpoint sound spontaneous.
Movement II: Largo ma non tanto
The slow movement is one of the most sublime duets in Bach’s instrumental output. The orchestra lays down a gentle, walking bass in steady quavers, over which the two violins weave an elaborate aria-like duet. The texture is essentially a trio sonata: bass line plus two independent upper voices in close dialogue. What distinguishes this movement is the remarkable emotional weight conveyed through simplicity. The two violins begin almost as mirror images, gradually diverging into freer, ornamented arabesques. Their lines cross and entwine, sometimes shadowing each other closely, sometimes separating into complementary gestures. Listeners may hear this as a deeply personal exchange—an intimate conversation spoken in tones of both tenderness and gravity. It is no wonder that this movement has often been compared to a sacred aria without words: inward, expressive, and timeless.
Movement III: Allegro
The finale is cast as a gigue-like fugue, full of bustling rhythmic vitality. Its subject, announced first in the orchestra, is short and energetic. The two violins pick it up in rapid alternation, chasing one another through tight imitation and syncopated interplay. The orchestral Ritornelli provide moments of grounding, but the essence of the movement lies in the soloists’ exhilarating exchanges. Here Bach fuses two traditions: the concerto’s alternation of tutti and solo with the fugue’s relentless contrapuntal drive. As the finale unfolds, Bach creates momentum by layering entries, intensifying rhythmic interplay, and spinning out endless variations of the fugue subject.
The Double Violin Concerto has remained one of Bach’s most popular works, not only for violinists but also for audiences worldwide. Its blend of intellectual rigor and sheer lyrical beauty exemplifies the best of Bach’s art—music that is at once crafted with precision and infused with deep human expressiveness.
SOLOISTS
EDWARD POPLE B.Mus., LRSM, Cert High Scholastic Achievement Indiana University
Edward Pople graduated from the Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand with a
Bachelor of Music Degree. He was awarded a New Zealand Broadcasting Bursary to study violin at Indiana University with Joseph Gingold, former concert master of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and Professor of violin Indiana University.
While in the United States he also studied Violin with Ivan Galamian and Sally Thomas from the Julliard School of Music. In addition to working in several orchestras in the USA, New Zealand and Australia, Edward performed extensively as a soloist in the Asian Pacific region.
Edward's interest in teaching lead him to become extensively involved with the training of young musicians both in New Zealand, Australia, and SE Asia and was for a period Musical Director for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Trainees (Schola Musica), convener of the National Youth Orchestra of New Zealand and Musical Director of the Junior Strings of Melbourne, Australia.
During his time in Australia, Edward developed his professional interests as an administrator in the Performing Arts while maintaining a high profile as a performing artist and music educationalist. He tutored for the Melbourne Youth Music Council and assisted as a member of the course review committee at the Victorian College of Arts School of Music, and Melba Conservatorium. Edward has also been a member of the Australian Music Examinations Board syllabus development committee and examiners' committee. Edward's administrative experience included many years as Secretary, School of Music, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne and General Manager, Australian Music Examination Board (Vic) Ltd Victoria
More recently Edward conducted extensive master classes and workshops throughout SE Asia, gave several performances and maintain teaching practice in Melbourne. He has also been engaged to adjudicate in Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and New Zealand.
Enquires: ted@poplepeople.net
KIERAN BROWN
Kieran started playing the violin at age 11, inspired by a slow Celtic tune, and have been playing ever since, participating in the John Noble ITET program, which helps talented young musicians in regional Victoria develop by providing professional mentoring and string quartet training.
Kieran has also been involved with Crashendo, a non for-profit organisation that seeks to use music to help young people develop socially and mentally, through the process of group ensemble playing.
He teach string lessons in Eagle Point, as well as training young students at Lucknow Primary School and is currently pursuing an Associate Diploma in Music, Australia.
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) Symphony No. 103 in E-flat major, “Drumroll” (1795)
Haydn’s Symphony No. 103 was composed during his second visit to London in 1794–95 and is the penultimate of the twelve celebrated “London Symphonies” (Nos. 93–104). It takes its popular nickname, the “Drumroll”, from the mysterious timpani solo that opens the work. A dramatic gesture, unprecedented for the time creating an expectation of suspense and gravitas, that must have startled London audiences of the time leading into a slow introduction in C minor. It is one of Haydn’s darkest and most solemn openings, the theme based on the Dies Irae or Day of the Dead, a theme that is used extensively throughout classical music from Haydn through to Berlioz and into Musical Theatre. The opening is a testament to his ability to expand the expressive range of the symphony. The roll seems to summon the music into being, setting the stage for one of Haydn’s most inventive and expansive symphonic journeys. The “Drumroll” Symphony, premiered on 2 March 1795 under the composer’s direction, was met with enormous enthusiasm, described in The Morning Chronicle as being received “with the most rapturous applause.” At 63 years of age, Haydn was at the height of his fame and in great demand across Europe. In London he was feted as a celebrity, performing before packed houses at the King’s Theatre and the Hanover Square Rooms.
The opening movement begins with a brooding slow introduction, where the drumroll leads to a winding, chant-like melody in the lower strings resembling a Gregorian incantation. This sombre mood soon gives way to a vigorous Allegro con spirito bursts forth with restless energy. Haydn builds the movement on short motifs rather than extended melodies, weaving them together with contrapuntal brilliance. Audiences are kept in suspense by sudden silences, unexpected key shifts, and Haydn’s trademark surprises, yet the result is a perfectly balanced sonata form, brimming with vitality.
Andante second movement is a double variation, alternating between two contrasting themes: a noble melody in C minor and a gentle, pastoral tune in C major. Haydn develops both with great ingenuity, shifting the scoring between winds and strings and expanding the harmonic colours. The movement is remarkable for its emotional breadth, moving from tenderness to turbulence, almost like a miniature drama.
Menuetto (third movement) reflects Haydn’s gift for rustic dance. It has the weight and breadth of a peasant Ländler, underpinned by strong rhythms and orchestral colour. The Trio section provides contrast with a smoother, more lyrical character, before the robust Minuet returns.
Finale: Allegro con spirito begins with a simple folk-like tune, reportedly of Croatian origin, reflecting Haydn’s lifelong habit of incorporating popular and rustic elements into his symphonies. From this modest theme he constructs a dazzling movement, full of energy, contrapuntal skill, and rhythmic vitality. The finale builds in intensity and grandeur until the full orchestra brings the symphony to a triumphant close.
Premiered in London in March 1795, the “Drumroll” Symphony No. 103 is a work of bold contrasts: solemnity and humour, folk simplicity and contrapuntal sophistication, intimacy and grandeur. It shows Haydn as both a master craftsman and a musical innovator, still pushing the symphonic form into new expressive territories late in his career. More than two centuries after its London premiere, the “Drumroll” remains one of Haydn’s most celebrated and frequently performed symphonies.
