People

Connor’s work is a constant attempt to bring together sprawling artistic interests, and in doing so, create connections across audiences and communities.

Characterised by striking tensions, and bold rhythms, harmonies and orchestration, its florid passages and extended double-stopping figures demand a virtuosic soloist.

When we launched rest in 2021, we set out to create a space where we could explore and celebrate the role music plays in our human experience. This quarterly magazine is a companion to CSO concerts, but we hope it finds its way onto kitchen tables, bookshelves and back verandahs.

“Music feels to me like a language that you understand with more nuance over time.” Meet Emma Sholl, leading Australian flautist and CSO Artist in Focus for 2022.

“I have a particular love for brass chamber music and the opportunity to feature the CSO brass quintet for the first time in a Chamber Classics concert will surely be a career highlight.”

“Richard Meale’s ‘Coruscations’ is a cult favourite among Australian pianists. I’ve lost count of how many effusive conversations I’ve had with fellow Meale enthusiasts about this scintillating and elusive tour de force.”

“The Sibelius Violin Concerto is always a favourite. It’s an evocative journey through the icy Finnish landscape, with the lone voice of the violin weaving in and out of the brooding orchestral timbres below.”

Through the Heartstrings program, the CSO gives concert tickets to the Hands Across Canberra charity network that we distribute to families who would never generally access such beautiful artistic events.

“When I was first approached to curate this selection, I found it difficult to find a cohesive theme for my picks. That was until I thought, rather than picking works that really impact me when I listen to them, how about I choose works that I’ve performed during my career so far, that have left a lasting impression? And so, this list took shape.”

“I have always been drawn to the intimate and vulnerable nature of chamber works, so this collection is an ode to the introverts out there. These smaller-scale works and soaring lines offer glimpses into sound capsules of different worlds – I hope you’ll find moments of incredibly moving depth and stillness.”