Leaving on a high note: conductor assembles three local groups for spectacular shows

An esteemed conductor will bring three prominent musical groups together for the first time, in the countdown to his retirement.

Adrian King will assemble the Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra, the Noosa Chorale and the Sunshine Coast Choral Society – for two spectacular performances of Carl Orff’s much-loved masterpiece Carmina Burana.

Mr King, who has been a conductor and musical director with all three groups for the past 15 years, will retire at the end of 2022.

The concert program in September will start with George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, written during his time in the City of Light.

The famous musical tutor, Nadia Boulanger, along with several other prospective Parisian tutors such as Maurice Ravel, rejected his applications to be their student, afraid that rigorous classical study would ruin his jazz-influenced style.

Following that will be Gershwin’s masterpiece – the jazz-infused piano concerto Rhapsody in Blue, featuring soloist Theo Pike.

After an interval, the audience will be transported from Gershwin’s 1930s’ jazz club to Carl Orff’s village in the Bavarian alps in the Middle Ages.

Taken from poems written in the 11^th to 13^th century, Carmina Burana will tell stories of life in the village.

Powerful and uplifting, it will include the iconic movement O Fortuna, with choirs and orchestras at full fortissimo. Soprano Judit Molnar, tenor Ron Morris and baritone Daniel Smerdon will also lead the choirs and orchestra through the tales of love and loss.

Carmina & Rhapsody

Where: Venue 114, Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina and St. Andrew’s Anglican College, 40 Peregian Springs Drive, Peregian Springs.

When: September 10, 2pm (Bokarina) and September 17, 2pm (Peregian Springs).

Entry: Tickets are $40 general admission, $35 concession, $10 for under-18s, including a programme, and can be purchased via Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra.

The program: Gershwin (arranged by Whitney) An American in Paris Suite, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue, Interval, Orff Carmina Burana.

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