Saturday 7th March 7:00pm
Program: Chris Moran – Equilibrium *World Premiere Zoltán Kodály – Dances of Galánta Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 4 Conductor: Sarah-Grace Williams Venue: Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, 1 Conservatorium Road, Sydney NSW 2000Acknowledgment Of Country
The Metropolitan Orchestra acknowledges the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the land.
We acknowledge this is a country in which the members and elders of the local Aboriginal communities have been custodians for many centuries, and on which these people have performed age-old ceremonies.
The Metropolitan Orchestra acknowledges and pays our respects to the Gadigal, Wangal and Dharug peoples of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of this land on which we perform, and we pay our respects to all Elders both past and present.
Supported by Inner West Council
| Chris Moran | Equilibrium |
Equilibrium is a vibrant orchestral work that balances familiar pop-inspired chord structures with the expansive colour palette of a full symphony orchestra. Drawing on a rich harmonic vocabulary, the piece blends contrasting elements-heroic brass fanfares, Latin American rhythmic energy, and sweeping cinematic lines-into a seamless musical journey.
At its core, Equilibrium is about contrast and balance: groove and grandeur, simplicity and sophistication, excitement and control. The music pulses with constant momentum, offering no dull moments-every instrument has its time to shine. The result is a sound world that feels both fresh and familiar, inviting listeners into a universe where pop meets power, and rhythm meets richness.
Expect bold melodies, unexpected harmonic turns, and an orchestral texture that keeps the audience engaged from the first note to the last.
© Chris Moran 2026
| Kodály, Zoltán (1882-1967) | Dances of Galanta (Galántai táncok) |
Hungarian composer and creator of the famed Kodály Method of music education, Zoltán Kodály spent seven years in Galanta, a small town in what is now Slovakia. In 1905 he began collecting folk songs and was influenced quite strongly by Galanta’s local gypsy band who had a collection of traditional folk tunes published in 1800.
The Budapest Philharmonic Society commissioned Kodály in 1933 to write an orchestral piece to mark the eightieth anniversary of the Society. The tunes that he had collected from the Galanta gypsy band’s collection formed the base of this work.
The clarinet plays a central role in this work, and the slow introduction ends with a clarinet cadenza. This leads into the first dance, the verbunko, which was music originally developed by the military for use at recruitment fairs. The second dance is announced by flutes and piccolo at a more lively tempo, culminating in a fully-scored reappearance of the verbunko melody. Solo oboe presents the next graceful dance, lightly supported by string harmonics and glockenspiel. The verbunko theme appears intermittently and a slower section sees the reappearance of the clarinet theme. The final section is based on the verbunko theme and the reckless abandon is only briefly interrupted before reaching a thrilling conclusion.
© Andrew Doyle 2026
| Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827) | Symphony No. 4 in B flat Major, Op. 60 |
I. Adagio – Allegro vivace
II. Adagio
III. Menuetto: Allegro vivace – Trio
IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Following a period of reduced compositional output during 1804-5, Beethoven began the spring of 1806 with several years of prolific creativity. Whilst spending time at the summer seat of Prince Lichnowsky, Beethoven was visited by Count Franz von Oppersdorff. After hearing Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony, the Count was so impressed that he commissioned Beethoven to compose a symphony for him. Beethoven had been working on a new symphony for almost 2 years, however work on this heavy and dramatic symphony which was to become his 5th Symphony was placed on hold, and Beethoven composed a symphony of a lighter mood at the end of 1806. March 1807 saw the debut of this symphony, Beethoven’s 4th , in a concert at the Palace of Prince Lobkowitz, alongside his 4th Piano Concerto, the Coriolan Overture and some arias from Fidelio.
Having ventured away from a slow introduction in his 3rd Symphony ‘Eroica’, Beethoven’s 4th Symphony sees the reintroduction of the use of a slow opening passage in a minor key. Lulled into a sense of serenity, a series of fortissimo chords announces the triumphant arrival of the Allegro vivace. The 2nd movement contains a beautiful and haunting clarinet solo, and in the words of Berlioz,” It seems to elude analysis. Its form is so pure and the expression of its melody so angelic and of such irresistible tenderness that the prodigious art by which this perfection is attained disappears completely. From the very first bars, we are overtaken by an emotion which, towards the close, becomes so overpowering in its intensity that only amongst the giants of poetic art can we find anything to compare with this sublime page of the giant of music.” Beethoven named the 3rd movement Menuetto, however the syncopations and harmonic shifts upset the typical dance feel of a Minuet, and are in contrast to the legato Trio. The final movement is an exciting conclusion, with a surprise virtuosic interjection by the bassoon before the rousing end of the symphony.
© Andrew Doyle 2026
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This Evening’s Musicians
Concert Master: ^Victoria Jacono-Gilmovich
First Violin: *Dominique Guerbois, Breeana Baxter, Caroline Kelly, Dominic Meagher, Kathryn Crossing, Elena Tabolkina, Anna Hansen-Smith, Amanda Scott, Justin Li, Greta Lee, Ela Stopa-Zbikowska
Second Violin: * Catrina Hughes, Jessica Love, Sarah Anthony, Alexis Bell, Victoria Giles, Clare Fulton, Claudia Seibold, Jennifer Mee, Sarah Qiu, Maria Isaac, Joshua Kok
Viola: *Robyn Botha, Monique Turner, Jonathan Karanikas, Haemi Lee, Jane Silcock, Kirsten James, Liz D’Olier, Denisa Smeu-Kirileanu
Cello: *John Benz, *Ezmi Pepper, Emily Cavey, Mitchell Quinn, Karen Cortez, George Yang, Lye Lin Ho
Bass: *Jeremy Fox, *Mark Szeto, Jessica Holmes, Nicole Murray-Prior, Jason Smith
Flute: *Adrienne Hanslow, Jacinta Mikus
Oboe: *Caitlin Heathcote, Madeleine Randall
Clarinet: *Andrew Doyle, ^Alisha Coward
Bassoon: *Peta Goh, Joshua Reynolds
French Horn: *Adrian Hallam, Robert Stonestreet, Rafael Salgado, Emily Hackney
Trumpet: *Raphael Harvey, Harvey De Koster
Timpani: *Murray Parker
Percussion: *Anita Cook, Helen Parker
#Concert Master * Principal ^Associate Principal
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