Our musical community celebrates the 200th anniversary of the death of Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of all time, whose music remains a priceless gift to humanity and speaks to us with lasting freshness, vitality and life-affirming energy. In response to the idea of the heroic composer, the DSO contributes two great overtures, three Piano Concerti and the Violin Concerto. Your orchestra will host some of Australia’s most important musical talent in a pioneering initiative that will define the cultural potential of our city and its orchestra for years to come.

The concerto form, itself a vehicle for heroic virtuosity, reveals Beethoven’s dramatic genius. The piano concerti are a particularly intimate record: Beethoven’s pianism was legendary, his improvisations held audiences spellbound, and the very fingerprints of the composer are present in every bar.

The Violin Concerto’s nobility, poise and classical proportions grow from the primal materials of the D major scale and simple arpeggios, transformed into an epic narrative and spiritual journey. This is music of profound humanity and beauty, speaking of life’s joys and sorrows with enduring eloquence.