Roger Woodward Celebrates KPO's 50th Anniversary at The Concourse Concert Hall

In its 50th Anniversary year, the KPO joins with ROGER WOODWARD AC, who returns to Sydney for a single performance - in his childhood suburb of Chatswood - to celebrate the orchestra's 50th anniversary AND raise funds for the Sisters of Charity Foundation.

The glittering occasion on Sunday 11 December 3pm at the Concourse Concert Hall will acknowledge Roger's huge contribution as an Australian pianist on the world stage and features his electrifying performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.3.

The concert will include Dmitri Shostakovich's Festive Overture and Chamber Symphony Op. 110a as well as a work by Sydney composer Naomi Dodd, Deep Calls to Deep, specially commissioned by the KPO.

Australian National Treasure, Roger grew up in Chatswood, attending the local public school. He was a student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning the ABC Young Performer's Award playing this very same work. The award provided Roger with study and performance opportunities with orchestras in Australia and abroad thus launching what was to become a stellar international career.

"The Concourse has always been close to my family," says Roger. "When it was the Chatswood Town Hall it was the place where my brother and sisters went for our Chatswood Primary School speech day and concerts with the Ku-ring-gai Male Voice Choir - in which my Dad sang in the tenors. My first large public concert was there when I was 10 although I accompanied the School choir there as well. In the next block, further down, was our family church where I fell in love with the organ works and cantatas of J.S.Bach and where I eventually became organist. My brother and I also knew every sweets shop and milk bar both sides of Victoria Avenue at that time we also began our first piano lessons in nearby Saywell Street with Winifred Pope... altogether a very happy and productive time in our lives. "

The spectacular program will be conducted by the KPO's artistic director, Paul Terracini.

The KPO will donate profits from this concert to the Sisters of Charity Foundation, supporting scholarships for young people from foster care to undertake tertiary studies. Supporting young people is close to Roger's heart. He is donating his performance and covering his own travel expenses to support the Sisters of Charity Foundation in their work.

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