Dialogues Through Time

On Sunday 26 October at 2pm, the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra presents Dialogues Through Time in the historic Great Hall, University of Sydney, under the baton of Luke Spicer. The concert opens with the world premiere of Mildew’s Theme by Sydney-based composer Joseph Newton, an evocative new work blending wit, colour, and imagination, offering audiences the thrill of experiencing a fresh voice in Australian music for the first time.

Next, award-winning pianist Nicholas Kennedy steps into the spotlight for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. Composed in 1805–06 and premiered by Beethoven himself, this concerto was described by critics of the time as “the most admirable, singular, artistic and complex” of his works. Its quiet, poetic opening, the piano alone before the orchestra responds in a distant key, was revolutionary, and its lyrical Andante has long been linked with the myth of Orpheus taming the Furies. Today, the concerto is recognised as one of Beethoven’s greatest achievements: at once intimate and grand, daring and profoundly human.

To conclude, SUSO presents Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2. Drawing on Ukrainian folk melodies and infused with sweeping romanticism, this symphony is itself a dialogue between folk tradition and orchestral invention. From the plaintive horn opening, through the march-like Andantino, fleet scherzo, and the finale’s intricate variations on “The Crane,” the work celebrates both the vitality of its source material and Tchaikovsky’s compositional brilliance, providing a perfect close to an afternoon of musical conversations across time.

📍 Great Hall, University of Sydney, Science Rd, Camperdown NSW 2050

Whether you are a seasoned concertgoer or experiencing the symphony for the first time, Dialogues Through Time promises to inspire, uplift, and delight.

Supported by @usu.usyd