Sydney Symphony Orchestra Honours Outgoing Concertmaster, Dene Olding

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra will honour the significant contribution of Concertmaster Dene Olding by naming him Concertmaster Emeritus after his final concerts with the Orchestra in October.

Mr Olding recently announced his decision to step down after 23 years as Concertmaster of the SSO and will take his final bow with the orchestra in Beethoven's Symphony No.9 on 29 October at the Sydney Opera House.

The violinist said the time had come to step down as Concertmaster because, in a long association with the orchestra as soloist and Concertmaster spanning 36 years, he had achieved everything he had hoped for and more and now needed to focus on his family and other professional commitments.

"Of course it's with mixed feelings that I've made this decision," said Mr Olding, who turns 60 this year. "Orchestral playing has been a hugely rewarding part of my life and the SSO has occupied a central position in that. I'm really proud of what the orchestra has achieved during my tenure, its current reputation as an orchestra of world-standing and I will really miss working with my esteemed colleagues and friends. Sydney is most fortunate to have an orchestra of this calibre resident here. In fact, it is a necessity for the city as I feel that any major metropolis without a fine orchestra is artistically dead."

"It is a tremendous source of satisfaction to me that I have been able to be involved with and contributed to the growth of the SSO in this exciting period of its history."

"To be awarded the title Concertmaster Emeritus is a great honour and I will happily wear that badge as I continue to be an enthusiastic advocate for the SSO - I'm still very active in the music community concertizing in Australia and overseas and I will endeavour to promote the orchestra and Australian music in general in numerous ways."

"I now see the orchestra in the most capable hands with my fellow Concertmaster Andrew Haveron and Chief Conductor David Robertson, and I am sure that the orchestra will reach ever greater artistic heights under their leadership".

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