Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows Embark On First Ever International Fellows Tour

By invitation of the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcasting, Television, Press and Publication, the 2018 Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows will embark on the first international Fellows tour in the Orchestra's Fellowship history from 13-19 October to China as part of the annual 2018 Nanjing Art Festival in Nanjing.

Led by Artistic Director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellowship, Roger Benedict, the Fellows will perform two concerts featuring works from both cultures at the Nanjing Great Hall of the People. The program will include composer Miriama Young's Time and Tide: Echoes of Sydney Harbour. Through the generous assistance of Dr Janet Merewether in memory of her late mother and long-standing supporter of the SSO Fellowship, Tempe Merewether, the work was commissioned for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows and presents a sound portrait of Sydney Harbour. They will also perform the well-known Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower, rearranged for orchestral strings, alongside 10-year-old erhu soloist Yujia Cai.

Facilitated through City of Sydney Councillor Robert Kok and the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcasting, TV, Press and Publication, the tour highlights the opportunities for cultural exchange and continued collaboration with China through the Arts.

"Nanjing is one of the most cultural and historical cities in China, having great emphasis on the performing arts," said Councillor Kok.

"It is the first time the City of Sydney will work with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra on a culture mission and it surely is the highlight of our long-lasting collaboration with China. It is only fitting that Australia's premier orchestra represent the City of Sydney in a premier event.

"I am excited to bring opportunities with China and Asia to our Sydney local musicians, especially for our young talented SSO Fellow members who will benefit greatly from international performing opportunities. The SSO Fellows are great cultural ambassadors for the two cities' relationship as well as the Australia-China relations. This, I hope, will be one of many performances as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's fame grows in China!"

Chosen from over 200 applications across Australia and New Zealand, the 2018 Fellows represent 13 of the brightest young classical musicians that the region has to offer. Operating for over 17 years, the internationally-renowned Fellowship program provides young artists mentorship opportunities with members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra through technical and practical experience, and equips them with the tools to pursue professional careers.

Through the tour to Nanjing, the 2018 Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows will work with other young musicians as part of outreach workshops at the University of Nanjing, the Taicheng Study Room and the Nanjing Little Red Flower Art Troupe.

The performances and outreach workshops led by the 2018 Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows further cements the Orchestra's role in supporting the nation's long-standing cultural relationship with China.

In 2017, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra celebrated the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and China when it undertook its fifth tour to mainland China in September 2017, led by SSO Chief Conductor and Artistic Director David Robertson. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra first toured and performed in China in 2009 under then Principal Conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy.