ICO 2025 Season – Sundays @ 1pm

Sunday 14 September 1.00pm – Indooroopilly State High School

Welcome to the third ICO Sundays @ 1pm concert for 2025. This year we celebrate the connections we make through our music, sharing our enjoyment of chamber music with you, our audience.

Today we delight in the bright with the Mother Goose Suite and piccolo concerto, and we enjoy the imagination of Saint Saëns’ symphony.

Program

Maurice Ravel – Ma Mère L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite)

Antonio Vivaldi – Piccolo Concerto in C Major

INTERVAL

Camille Saint-Saëns – Symphony in A Major

Greta Hunter – Conductor

Greta Hunter is a Brisbane based conductor and flute specialist. She holds a Bachelor of Music (BMus(hons)) from the University of Queensland, majoring in flute performance, and currently studies Orchestral Conducting with the Cardiff International Academy of Conducting and Mark Shapiro (The Julliard School). 

Greta holds the position of conductor with the Indooroopilly Chamber Orchestra (ICO), where she connects players to great orchestral works most often from the 18th – 20th centuries. With ICO, Greta creates valuable opportunities for outstanding young musicians to rehearse and perform concertos and solo works with a full orchestra. She is equally at home with choral music and is currently the musical director of Songshine Choir. Greta also works with school and community youth ensembles as well as being regularly invited to guest conduct other instrumental and vocal ensembles around Brisbane.

Greta is a flute specialist tutor at St Peter’s Lutheran College (Indooroopilly) and Westside Christian College. She is passionate about developing technique and musicianship and incorporates a multidisciplinary approach to her teaching, where she utilises and combines flute pedagogy with vocal pedagogy. Greta incorporates this approach to develop technique and musicianship for flutists and choristers alike and has seen significant positive benefits across both disciplines.

Greta is driven by the underlying philosophy that everyone deserves to experience meaningful music making. Through her work as both a conductor and flute specialist tutor, Greta guides people to explore the possibilities of expression through music and ultimately to engage with music in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Corina Palafox

Program Notes

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Ma Mère L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite), 1908-1911, Arr. Ray Thompson.

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Ma Mère L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite), 1908-1911, Arr. Ray Thompson.

Ravel, a French composer of the impressionist era, was known for his exceptional craftsmanship and innovative approach to composition. The Mother Goose Suite takes inspiration from the beloved stories of Charles Perrault (1697) and includes five movements, each representing a different fairy tale. Ravel’s masterful musical storytelling and his delicate handling of orchestral colours transport the listener to a realm of imagination and wonder.

The suite opens with “Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty,” a graceful and lyrical movement that captures the charm and innocence of the tale. The music unfolds with a gentle and mesmerising melody, accompanied by shimmering strains and delicate woodwind solos. Ravel’s exquisite use of harmony and subtle shifts in dynamics create a dreamlike atmosphere, evoking the slumbering beauty of the princess.

The second movement, “Tom Thumb,” is a lively and playful piece that captures the mischievous spirit of the story. The music dances with animated rhythms and sprightly melodies, reminiscent of the adventures of the tiny protagonist.

In “Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas,” Ravel draws upon Eastern musical influences to portray a magical world of exotic beauty. The movement is characterised by its rich orchestral colours, evoking the sounds of distant lands and the opulence of the pagoda. The delicate melodies and intricate textures create an atmosphere of enchantment, transporting the listener to a realm of mystery and splendour.

The fourth movement, “Conversations of Beauty and the Beast,” explores the poignant and transformative nature of love. Ravel’s sensitive and expressive writing captures the tender interactions between the two characters. The music alternates between moments of lyrical beauty and moments of dissonance, reflecting the contrast between the beauty and the beast.

The suite concludes with the exuberant and joyful “The Fairy Garden.” The music transports the listener to a magical realm where all the fairy tales converge. Ravel’s lush instrumentation creates a sense of grandeur and celebration. The movement is a musical kaleidoscope of melodies and rhythms, bringing the suite to a magnificent and triumphant close.

Ravel’s suite has been transcribed for wind ensemble by Ray Thompson.

Program Notes: Canton Symphony Orchestra – https://cantonsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ravel-Mother-Goose-Suite.pdf

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Piccolo Concerto in C Major

Vivaldi is renowned as one of the most prolific and influential composers of the Baroque era. His Concerto for Piccolo is a remarkable showcase of his virtuosity and inventive compositional style. The concerto, written around the early 18th century, highlights Vivaldi’s ability to create music that pushes the boundaries of technical skill while captivating the listener with its expressive melodies and brilliant orchestration.

The Concerto for Piccolo is a striking example of Vivaldi’s ability to exploit the unique qualities of a particular instrument. The piccolo, a small transverse flute with a higher range than its larger counterparts, is featured prominently throughout the composition. Vivaldi expertly crafts music that showcases the piccolo’s agility, brilliance, and ethereal quality, demonstrating his deep understanding of the instrument’s capabilities.

The concerto consists of three movements, each characterised by its distinctive mood and musical elements. The opening movement, Allegro, bursts forth with energy and excitement. Vivaldi introduces the solo piccolo with a flourish, setting the stage for a spirited musical conversation between the soloist and the accompanying orchestra. The piccolo’s nimble runs and dazzling trills demonstrate Vivaldi’s virtuosic writing, while the ensemble provides a solid and supportive foundation, creating a dynamic interplay between the soloist and the orchestra.

The second movement, Adagio, offers a contrasting atmosphere of tranquility and lyricism. Vivaldi slows the pace and allows the piccolo to take centre stage, weaving a tender and emotive melody. The expressive qualities of the instrument shine through as the soloist’s delicate phrasing and lyrical lines tug at the heartstrings. The orchestral accompaniment, often featuring sustained strings and gentle harmonies, provides a serene backdrop for the piccolo’s poignant melodies, creating a sense of introspection and emotional depth.

The final movement, a lively Allegro, returns to the vibrant and energetic character of the opening. Vivaldi unleashes the full technical prowess of the piccolo, engaging the soloist in a display of dazzling virtuosity. The rapid-fire scales, intricate ornamentation, and lightning-fast passages demonstrate the instrument’s agility and the soloist’s command over it. The orchestra matches the soloist’s energy with rhythmic drive and lively accompaniment, creating a thrilling and exhilarating conclusion to the concerto.

Program Notes:-

Canton Symphony Orchestra –

https://cantonsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Vivaldi-Concerto-for-Piccolo.pdf

Youtube link:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpiOB1iRisc

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)

Symphony in A Major, 1850.

Born in Paris in 1835, Camille Saint-Saëns was an organist, pianist, and composer of music in the classical French tradition. He was born with a remarkable talent. At the age of three, he could already read and write and had begun piano lessons. He began composing at age 5. He made his piano debut at age 10, playing Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven for Paris audiences.

Saint-Saëns wrote Symphony in A major while fifteen years old and still in school. Musical scholars believe it was probably a classroom exercise. Still, it has a noteworthy Romantic spirit to it, borrowing as it does from Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, even Mozart. Saint-Saëns didn’t see much merit to it though, and consequently it probably never got a public performance in the composer’s lifetime, or at least not one we know of. It was only finally published in 1974.

Program Notes:- Classical Candor:- https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2021/09/saint-saens-symphonies-nos-1-2-sacd.html

Indooroopilly Chamber Orchestra

Flute

Kymberley Jones

Vivian Zhang

Isabella Liang

Clarinet

Annalie Roux

Amira Geurgis-Brown

Bassoon

Carolyn Brodie

Rory Brown

Horn

Paul Brisbane

Elliena Escott

Timpani and Percussion

Janine Kesting