“We want to make chamber music a slice of our brief. It’s a new direction for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Playing this kind of music is refreshing”, says dapper trombonist Dale Truscott, the ideas-peddling director of the Chamber Players Series.

Truscott stresses that QSO musicians love what they do. Contributing to the full orchestra is exciting. There’s a buzz in contributing to such a powerful massed voice.

Yet, the players also yearn for chamber music, a genre originally tailored for performance in domestic, contained spaces. This genre is the orchestral repertoire’s intimate but just as taxing cousin. In contrast to works by Mahler, Bruckner and Tchaikovsky composed for an 88-piece orchestra; chamber music is designed for groups of only three, four, five, six or seven. It’s these smaller units that are one of the main attractions for Principal Clarinetist Irit Silver one of the instrumentalists in the first concert in March.

“All our contributions can be clearly heard”, she says. “Performing chamber music is one of the best things. It brings out a different skill set. The players have creative control and own the interpretation. It’s good fun to rehearse with your mates. It’s especially rewarding for the strings whose job is mostly about camouflage, blending in. I do have solos in big symphonic works but string players usually don’t. For them, taking a leading voice is great”.

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra already makes a huge contribution to Queensland’s culture in presenting 100 live performances a year. The brief is extensive, some say impossibly broad; from regional touring, playing for the Queensland Ballet, Opera Australia and Opera Queensland to the delivery of a raft of appealing educational programs.

Yet, Truscott is convinced that the QSO can accommodate another series in an already jam-packed season. He sites the shining examples of The Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic.

“The Berlin Philharmonic is one of the best in the world, their range of activities is huge. The players make the time to run chamber concerts because these feed into the success of the Berlin Phil’s symphonic events.

Will the series impact on the Maestro Series at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre?

“Yes, because it sharpens listening and demands strong communication”, says Truscott. It will improve virtuosity because the parts are often challenging”.

Chamber music is increasingly popular in Brisbane with ensembles like Southern Cross Soloists, The Lunaire Ensemble and Topology all generating well attended concerts. There’s also the annual touring program of Musica Viva’s chamber events. Even so, Silver is adamant the city can accommodate another.

“People love the orchestra. Opportunities to listen to us up close and personal are popular. There are several recently appointed QSO players and their students, friends, family and supporters will want to come along. More than half the tickets have sold already”.

Truscott is keen to put the spotlight on QSO “superstars”.

“We have players like the much-feted Principal Oboist Diana Doherty from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. I want these concerts to boost the profile of our equivalent stars like the trumpeter Sarah Wilson, Malcolm Stewart the new principal horn and cellist Simon Cobcroft”.

Truscott says the location of the QSO’s Studio in Southbank’s ABC building adds value to these Sunday afternoon concerts. QSO’s new premises are within easy walking distance of The Queensland Museum, The Gallery of Modern Art, The State Library, a host of South bank eateries and the popular outdoor market.

“The seating in the QSO Studio is in the round. If the audience sits in the first four rows it will sound as if they are sitting in the middle of the ensemble. Wherever people sit, they will never be far from the performers which makes these concerts special”, says Truscott.

And, these concerts are about adventurous programming.

“We play Brahms every week. We want to grow the horizons of our audience’s taste and give our players the chance to explore broader repertoire. In the first concert, we are playing two amazing wind quintets by Elliott Carter and Richard Mills”.

“We are mostly choosing rarely heard music for programs. Like these Quintets, a lot of contemporary music is really good to listen to. A chance for audiences to hear it is well overdue”.

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Further information: http://www.qso.com.au/wind-and-brass

Tickets: qtix on 136 246. 3pm, Sunday 10 March at QSO Studio South Bank

QSO Wind and Brass

Lutoslawski Mini Overture
Mills Sonata for Brass Quintet
Hindemith Clarinet Quintet
Carter Wind Quintet
Harbison Wind Quintet

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