Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO) marks its 75th anniversary next year. Its highly anticipated 2025 season features seven world premieres; major works by Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Holst; and compositions honouring traditional language and stories from First Nations artists including Nardi Simpson and Christopher Sainsbury.
“The CSO 2025 season theme, Stories, explores the narrative power of music across multiple cultures and eras,” Jessica Cottis, CSO artistic director and chief conductor, said. “It promises to captivate audiences, carrying us through time, place and imagination with a rich tapestry of myths, legends, folk songs and sacred lore that has inspired both the classical greats and contemporary composers.”
Among the world premieres are a commission from Canberra-based Christopher Sainsbury that will commemorate a lost song from the Dharug language; works by Peggy Polias inspired by the mythology of Ancient Greece and the ancient ruins of Pompeii; and a piece from Canberra composer and pianist Sally Whitwell, exploring ghostly stories from the Capital Region.
“As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we are thrilled to present a season that honours the past while embracing the future,” Ms Cottis said. “Our 2025 Stories season is a testament to the enduring power of music to connect and inspire.”
Ms Cottis will conduct two flagship Llewellyn Series concerts, including Night and Now, featuring Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony, and Gustav Holst’s The Planets.
The Planets is the season’s largest-scale work. Each of its seven movements is dedicated to a single planet and its unique astrological character. More than 70 performers will bring the orchestral suite to life.
Guest conductors Erin Helyard and Carlo Antonioli will also appear on the podium.
The roll-call of internationally acclaimed guest artists includes composers Elena Kats-Chernin and Peggy Polias; violinist Sophie Rowell; and flautist Sally Walker.
Soprano Sara Macliver, mezzo-soprano Ashlyn Tymms, tenor Louis Hurley, and bass-baritone Christopher Richardson will join the CSO chorus for a major performance of Mozart’s Requiem.
A blockbuster special event, Art of the Score: The Music of John Williams, will feature theme songs from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and more, while Ravel’s Ma mère l’Oye (My Mother Goose) explores the colourful world of children’s folklore though characters such as Sleeping Beauty and Tom Thumb.
The full 2025 season includes:
- Four Llewellyn Series concerts featuring large-scale orchestral works.
- Two Australian Series concerts showcasing new Australian music.
- Four Chamber Classics concerts highlighting chamber music.
- One Special Event
For the first time, the CSO’s innovative Explore the Orchestra program is included in the season lineup.
Explore the Orchestra enables children aged up to nine years to enjoy a live concert and to try out musical instruments.
“It’s our goal every year to present a musical program that offers something for everyone, at a price point that suits all budgets, and Jessica has more than delivered again with this exceptional repertoire,” CSO CEO Rachel Thomas said.
“The 2025 season underscores our commitment to cultural enrichment and innovation, and we hope the Canberra community will join us in celebrating 75 years of musical storytelling next year,” Ms Thomas said.
CSO subscribers can access benefits including discounted pricing, free ticket swaps, and bringing a friend at the subscriber price. To become a CSO subscriber, you simply need to book two or more concerts in the 2025 season. Visit cso.org.au for more information.
