Community – Collaboration – Carmen
1 November 26 — 2:00 pm
8 November 26 — 2:00 pm
Hannah Comrie-Weston
Dawn Chorus
Hannah Comrie-Weston
Hannah is an emerging Gippsland-based pianist-composer with a love of musical storytelling. She studied composition at Monash University, ethnomusicology at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts, and now works locally as a music tutor, freelance composer and pianist. Hannah creates music for live theatre and film and is passionate about collaborating with artists from other disciplines to bring stories to life. Her instinct for emotional evocation shines through in her diverse portfolio of art music, as can be heard in her debut EP Pieces of Light (available on Bandcamp). In addition to creating her own music, Hannah works as a composition assistant, editor, repetiteur, music tutor and pit musician for musical theatre productions.
Dawn Chorus invites the listener into a moment: night relinquishes its hold on the surface of the earth- the stars fade. Still, quiet greyness creeps in and the first birds awake one by one, warming their voices in anticipation of the glory of sunrise.
Katarina Yalizis – Soloist
Katarina Yalizis has been a dedicated member of the Gippsland Symphony Orchestra for the past 10 years. She has been playing the violin for 17 years and the viola for 6, cultivating a love for the unique qualities of each instrument.
Katarina recently completed a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Bachelor of Secondary Education (Honours) at Monash University. Throughout her studies, she undertook tuition with Erica Kennedy (violin, Orchestra Victoria) and Merewyn Bramble (viola, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra). She also performed with the Monash Academy Orchestra and the Monash Philharmonic Orchestra.
Throughout her musical career, Katarina has performed alongside musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, and the Flinders Quartet. Her experience spans a wide variety of musical settings, from orchestral and chamber music to musical theatre productions and collaborations with bands across diverse genres.
Katarina is also dedicated to the development of music education in Gippsland and has been teaching music throughout the region for the past six years. She has taught in a variety of schools, helping to establish and develop string programs, and is passionate about fostering the next generation of musicians. Katarina also currently conducts the Gippsland Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Katarina is honoured to be presenting her first viola concerto with the Gippsland Symphony Orchestra, the Casadesus Viola Concerto in the Style of Handel.
Viola Concerto in the Style of Handel (1924)
Henri Casadesus was a distinguished French violist, composer, editor, and music publisher whose career was devoted to championing both the viola and the music of earlier centuries. Born in Paris in 1879 into a renowned musical family, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire and established himself as one of France’s leading viola performers. At a time when the viola was still largely regarded as an orchestral instrument rather than a solo voice, Casadesus worked tirelessly to expand its repertoire and demonstrate its expressive capabilities.
His fascination with early music led him to become one of the founders of the Société des Instruments Anciens, an ensemble dedicated to reviving Baroque and Classical music on historical instruments. During the early twentieth century, scholarly interest in forgotten composers and rediscovered manuscripts was growing rapidly, and Casadesus embraced this enthusiasm in an unusual way. Rather than simply performing old music, he composed entirely new works that faithfully imitated the style of eighteenth-century masters, presenting several of them as rediscovered compositions by composers such as George Frideric Handel, Johann Christian Bach, and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. While these works were later acknowledged as Casadesus’s own creations, they remain remarkable demonstrations of his understanding of historical style.
The Viola Concerto in the Style of Handel, published in 1924, is the best known of these compositions and has become one of the most frequently performed concertos in the viola repertoire. Originally attributed to Handel, the work was long accepted as authentic before musicological research established that it was entirely Casadesus’s own composition. Rather than diminishing its value, this revelation has only increased appreciation for the skill with which Casadesus captured the elegance, balance, and vitality of Handel’s musical language while creating a work uniquely suited to the viola.
The concerto is cast in three movements:
I. Allegro moderato
The opening movement presents noble and dignified themes characteristic of the Baroque concerto. The orchestra introduces material that is soon taken up by the solo viola, whose warm and mellow tone provides a distinctive contrast to the brilliance often associated with the violin. The movement alternates between graceful lyricism and lively dialogue, allowing the soloist to display both expressive phrasing and technical agility.
II. Andante ma non troppo
The slow movement forms the emotional heart of the concerto. Here the viola sings with warmth and introspection, unfolding long lyrical lines over a transparent orchestral accompaniment. The music possesses an understated elegance and gentle nobility that evoke the expressive world of Handel while showcasing the rich sonority that makes the viola unique among string instruments.
III. Allegro molto
The finale is energetic, spirited, and full of charm. Rhythmic vitality, playful exchanges between soloist and orchestra, and passages of brilliant virtuosity bring the concerto to an exhilarating conclusion. Although firmly rooted in Baroque dance rhythms and formal clarity, the movement also reflects Casadesus’s twentieth-century understanding of the viola’s technical possibilities.
The orchestration is modest—solo viola with two flutes, two bassoons, and strings—making the work particularly well suited to chamber, student, and community orchestras. Its accessible yet rewarding solo part has made it a staple of conservatoire study and recital programs, while its graceful melodies and transparent textures continue to delight audiences.
Today, the Viola Concerto in the Style of Handel is appreciated not as a forgery but as a heartfelt tribute: a work that celebrates the enduring influence of Handel while establishing itself as one of the twentieth century’s most cherished compositions for the viola.
Beth Frank – Soloist
Beth began learning flute at the age of seven with Heather Mason at Albert Street Primary School, where she joined the FIASCO Orchestra and placed second in the 1998 Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod. That same year, she commenced AMEB examinations, achieving A grades through to Grade 8. She continued her studies with Tamara Warden and through the Lowanna College Music Department. During this period, she was also a member of the Latrobe Valley Youth Band, touring internationally to Japan and China as part of sister city cultural exchange programs. She later explored songwriting through the Kool Skools recording project, receiving nominations including Best Ballad and Best Singer/Songwriter.
In 2009, Beth commenced a Bachelor of Music at the University of Melbourne, where she studied flute with Alan Hardy, and went on to complete a Graduate Diploma of Education at Monash University in 2012. She returned to the Latrobe Valley to teach Music at Lowanna College for 12 years before relocating to Wonthaggi, where she also taught at Bass Coast College.An experienced orchestral and theatre musician, Beth has performed in pit orchestras for productions including Cats, Shrek the Musical, Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast, Wicked, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Sound of Music with Class Act Productions, Latrobe Theatre Company, Warragul Theatre Company, and Chairo Christian School. She has been a member of the Gippsland Symphony Orchestra since its inception and serves as the Vice President. In 2016 Beth was honoured to perform the Doppler flute duet with her former teacher, Tamara Warden with the GSO. In 2019, she also performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as part of the Symphony in a Day program playing flute in Beethoven’s epic 9th Symphony.
Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major, K. 313 (1778)
Few composers have left a legacy as enduring or universally admired as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Born in Salzburg in 1756, he displayed extraordinary musical gifts from early childhood, touring Europe as a prodigy under the guidance of his father, Leopold Mozart. By the age of five he was composing, and throughout his short life he produced more than 600 works encompassing opera, symphony, chamber music, sacred music, and concerto. His music embodies the ideals of the Classical era—clarity, balance, elegance, and formal perfection—while possessing an emotional depth and humanity that continue to resonate with audiences more than two centuries after his death.
The Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major, K. 313 was composed in 1778 during Mozart’s stay in Mannheim, then home to one of Europe’s finest orchestras. The Mannheim orchestra was celebrated for its technical brilliance, dynamic precision, and innovative orchestral effects, all of which made a profound impression on the young composer. During his time there, Mozart became acquainted with many distinguished musicians, including the renowned flautist Johann Baptist Wendling, whose artistry undoubtedly influenced his understanding of the instrument.
The concerto was commissioned by Ferdinand Dejean, a wealthy Dutch physician, amateur flautist, and enthusiastic patron of music, who requested several works for flute. The circumstances surrounding the commission have become part of Mozart legend because of letters in which he complained that he found himself “quite powerless” when obliged to write for an instrument he “could not bear.” These remarks have often been interpreted as evidence that Mozart disliked the flute. Modern scholarship, however, suggests a more nuanced explanation: Mozart was under considerable financial pressure, found the commission demanding, and simply disliked composing on command. Whatever his personal frustrations, the music itself tells a different story. The two flute concertos and chamber works he wrote for Dejean demonstrate an intimate understanding of the instrument’s lyrical and virtuosic possibilities and have become cornerstones of the flute repertoire.
Scored for solo flute, two oboes, two horns, and strings, the concerto is a masterpiece of Classical elegance and refinement. Rather than treating the flute merely as a vehicle for technical display, Mozart creates a genuine partnership between soloist and orchestra. Throughout the work, the flute alternates between brilliant virtuosity and vocal-like lyricism, engaging in an elegant musical conversation that exemplifies the Classical concerto at its finest.
I. Allegro maestoso
The opening movement begins with an expansive orchestral introduction that establishes a noble and confident character. The principal themes possess ceremonial grandeur while remaining light and graceful, reflecting Mozart’s remarkable ability to combine dignity with effortless melodic invention. When the solo flute enters, it does not simply repeat the orchestral material but transforms and embellishes it with delicate ornamentation, agile passagework, and expressive nuance.
Throughout the movement, the soloist displays remarkable technical brilliance through rapid scales, wide leaps, and flowing figurations, yet these virtuosic passages are always integrated into the musical architecture rather than existing for their own sake. Mozart’s transparent orchestration ensures that the flute remains clearly audible, allowing its distinctive timbre to shine while maintaining a finely balanced dialogue with the orchestra. The movement traditionally culminates in a cadenza, providing the performer with an opportunity for personal interpretation before the orchestra returns for a triumphant conclusion.
II. Adagio non troppo
The second movement forms the emotional heart of the concerto. Here Mozart creates an atmosphere of serenity and quiet introspection, writing music of extraordinary beauty and simplicity. Over a delicate orchestral accompaniment, the flute unfolds long, singing melodies that seem almost operatic in character, reflecting Mozart’s unparalleled gift for vocal expression.
The movement demands exceptional control from the soloist, not through dazzling technical display but through sustained phrasing, tonal purity, and expressive subtlety. Gentle harmonic shifts and elegant ornamentation enrich the music without disturbing its tranquil character. The result is one of Mozart’s most lyrical inspirations, allowing the flute to reveal its capacity for warmth, tenderness, and profound emotional expression.
III. Rondo: Tempo di Menuetto
The concerto concludes with a delightful rondo that combines sophistication with wit and charm. Its principal theme possesses the elegance of a courtly dance, returning throughout the movement between contrasting episodes that explore different moods and textures. Mozart continually refreshes the familiar refrain through inventive orchestration, playful dialogue between soloist and orchestra, and subtle harmonic surprises.
The episodes provide opportunities for both dazzling virtuosity and lyrical reflection, while a brief excursion into the minor key momentarily introduces a darker colour before the music’s cheerful spirit quickly reasserts itself. The final cadenza leads naturally to a brilliant conclusion that perfectly balances technical brilliance with Classical restraint.
The Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major remains one of the supreme achievements of the flute repertoire because it embodies everything that makes Mozart’s music timeless: elegance without superficiality, virtuosity without excess, and emotional depth expressed with effortless clarity. More than a showcase for the solo instrument, it is a work of remarkable humanity and refinement, demonstrating Mozart’s extraordinary ability to transform simplicity into enduring beauty. Nearly 250 years after its composition, it continues to captivate performers and audiences alike as one of the great masterpieces of the Classical concerto.
Alisha Redmond is an Australian composer, pianist, and educator based in Seaview on Bunurong Country, Victoria. With a background in classical piano, her compositional style blends lyrical sensitivity with contemporary textures. Redmond’s music has been performed and broadcast in Australia and internationally, including features on ABC Classic and BBC Radio 3, and most recently at the Nishiaizu International Artist Village of Fukushima Japan. Her work regularly engages with emerging and established musicians in regional communities through commissions, collaborations, and residencies. Redmond is a seasoned educator of 15+ years who currently teaches Piano, Drama, and Composition both privately and at St. Paul’s Anglican Grammar School of Warragul.
Grand Ridge was inspired by the sweeping vistas and lush landscapes of the iconic Grand Ridge Road in Gippsland, Victoria, as it winds through the region’s many communities. For the composer, a resident of Seaview where the road begins, the work is a deeply personal tribute to home—a musical reflection intended to preserve cherished memories and share the beauty and magic of this remarkable landscape with others. Originally written as an art song for soprano and piano, Grand Ridge has been reimagined and expanded into a version for symphony orchestra (2026), bringing its evocative melodies and sense of place to a broader musical canvas.
This work is an extended arrangement of the art song Grand Ridge, composed in 2021, with the following text written by Grazia Marin and Alisha Redmond:
Mounds of hills, undulate along, draped in green.
Folding arms, soft. Cradling, cradling the homestead.
I raise my eyes. Bed-quilt of fields, thick outline drawn by trees.
What is beyond?
Twisting, turning winding road cuts a jagged scar in the ground.
Right to the edge branches lean in, grab the sunlight, searching, greedy.
See rosellas, startled, flashing by. Streaks of blue and red. Feathers shimmering.
Rising high, catching the sight of distant blue haze.
Higher, ever higher, ascending.
Higher, ever higher, ascending.
Explosion of space comes into view.
On top of the world, covered in mist.
Home.
Home.
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 32
Among the most significant rediscoveries of nineteenth-century music, Louise Farrenc has emerged as one of France’s most accomplished and original symphonic voices. A virtuoso pianist, composer, teacher, and scholar, Farrenc built an exceptional career in a musical world that offered limited professional opportunities to women. Born Jeanne-Louise Dumont in Paris in 1804, she demonstrated remarkable musical aptitude from an early age, studying piano with leading virtuosi including Johann Nepomuk Hummel and Ignaz Moscheles, before undertaking composition studies with the influential theorist Anton Reicha. Because women were not permitted to enrol in composition classes at the Paris Conservatoire, Farrenc studied privately, later overcoming institutional barriers to establish herself as one of the most respected musicians in France.
In 1821 she married the flautist, publisher, and scholar Aristide Farrenc, whose support was instrumental in her career. Together they built a successful music publishing house and toured as performers. Farrenc’s reputation as a pianist led to her historic appointment as Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatoire, where she served for over 30 years and became the only woman of the nineteenth century to hold such a position. After sustained advocacy, she also achieved equal pay with her male colleagues—an extraordinary milestone for the period.
Although highly regarded during her lifetime, Farrenc’s music gradually fell into obscurity after her death. In recent decades, however, her works have been revived and reassessed, revealing a composer of exceptional craftsmanship, formal clarity, and expressive depth. Her three symphonies, written between 1841 and 1847, now stand among the most important French orchestral works of the Romantic era.
Composed in 1841, the Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 32 was Farrenc’s first large-scale orchestral statement and a bold artistic declaration at a time when French musical life was dominated by opera. Drawing inspiration from Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and the Classical tradition, Farrenc forged a distinctive symphonic voice that balances structural discipline with Romantic intensity and lyricism. The work was premiered in Brussels in 1843 to considerable acclaim, later reaching Paris, where it eventually gained recognition after initial scepticism from some critics. Notably, the influential conductor and critic François-Joseph Fétis became an advocate after hearing the work performed, acknowledging Farrenc’s place among the leading composers of her time.
Scored for double woodwinds, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings, the symphony demonstrates Farrenc’s remarkable command of orchestral colour within a relatively classical framework. While its instrumentation may appear restrained compared to later Romantic works, Farrenc uses her forces with imagination, clarity, and expressive power.
I. Andante sostenuto – Allegro
The symphony opens in an atmosphere of mystery and tension. Low strings introduce a brooding Andante sostenuto, from which fragments of thematic material gradually emerge. This introduction builds anticipation before launching into the energetic Allegro, where the principal theme is restless and driven by rhythmic urgency. A contrasting second subject in the relative major introduces warmth and lyricism, first presented by the woodwinds. Farrenc’s mastery of sonata form is evident in her inventive development, where themes undergo dramatic transformation through shifting harmonies, orchestral dialogue, and increasing intensity. The movement ultimately drives toward a powerful and decisive conclusion.
II. Adagio cantabile
The second movement offers a profound contrast, moving into lyrical serenity. In A-flat major, broad and expressive melodic lines unfold over a gently undulating accompaniment. The writing recalls the pastoral lyricism of Beethoven, yet retains Farrenc’s distinctive voice—elegant, poised, and emotionally direct. Subtle harmonic shifts and refined orchestral colouring sustain the music’s expressive depth, creating a movement of quiet nobility and expansive beauty.
III. Menuetto and Trio
The third movement reflects Farrenc’s engagement with Classical models, particularly Haydn and early Beethoven. Though composed in the Romantic era, it adopts the graceful structure of a minuet while infusing it with rhythmic vitality and wit. Unexpected accents, playful syncopations, and subtle rhythmic displacements give the music a lively character. The Trio provides contrast with a more lyrical and pastoral atmosphere, featuring prominent contributions from the wind and horn sections.
IV. Allegro assai
The finale bursts forth with energy and determination. Written in a vigorous compound metre, it combines rhythmic drive with bold harmonic exploration. Farrenc develops her material with assurance, creating a movement of continuous forward motion through dynamic orchestral exchanges and thematic transformation. Moments of dramatic intensity recall the symphony’s opening, now reframed within a triumphant and resolute conclusion. The work ends with a powerful affirmation of orchestral brilliance and structural mastery.
More than 180 years after its composition, Farrenc’s Symphony No. 1 stands as a testament to her artistic vision and technical command. It unites Classical clarity with Romantic expressiveness, securing its place among the most compelling symphonic works of nineteenth-century France. As her music continues to be rediscovered, Farrenc is increasingly recognised not only as a pioneering woman composer, but as a major symphonic voice whose work deserves a permanent place in the orchestral repertoire.
Gippsland Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledge the support of Joseph Barake and all at 3BBR, The Wedge,
West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul Anglican Church, St Joseph's Catholic Church, Berninneit Cultural Centre, The Forge Theatre, Yarram Regent Theatre, Warragul Gazette, South Gippsland Sentinel Times, Gippsland Times, ABC Gippsland.
Gippsland Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Gippsland on which we live, rehearse and perform. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.