Orchestra librarian Alastair McKean is to return to his hometown Wangaratta when the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra stages two concerts at the performing arts centre next month.
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“People in the country deserve to have access to the best art there is – as much as people in the city do,” he told The Border Mail.
“I think that’s incredibly important actually.”
Growing up in Wang, McKean saw the MSO perform annually at the old town hall, which instilled a deep love for classical music – a genre he hoped would not be dismissed as highbrow.
“I think that’s unfortunate, the whole thing about highbrow, it really shouldn’t be,” he said.
“You sit down and you listen to great music, I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically highbrow about that.”
The evening program on October 13 from 7.30pm will feature Mendelssohn’s overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante and Haydn’s London symphony.
It will be conducted by Brett Kelly, who will lead the MSO through its classical repertoire.
MSO associate concertmaster Sophie Rowell and violist Christopher Cartlidge will appear as soloists.
Meanwhile for school children, MSO will present a live performance of Peter and the Wolf the following day from 10.30am.
McKean, who looks after the orchestra’s scores and parts, will do the narration.
“In which my amazing ham acting skills, honed over many years of productions at Wangaratta High School, will finally be put to the test,” he said.
This classical tale from Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev is the perfect introduction to an orchestra for kindergarten to grade 4 students.
Children will meet Peter, the animals of the story and musicians of MSO.
“It’s nice to be coming back to Wang, and I’m very much hoping a group from Yarrunga Primary School, my alma mater, will be turning up,” McKean said.
MSO managing director Sophie Galaise said it was committed to taking symphonic music to the North East.
“Regional tours provide great access to local residents, including school children, so they may all enjoy all of the magnificence of a full symphonic orchestra, live and up close,” she said.
“We can’t wait to share our music with Wangaratta.”
For school bookings call (03) 5722 8107 and for general tickets dial (03) 5722 8105.
