The Gippsland Symphony Orchestra is set to present its final performance of the year, "Symphonic Masters" featuring saxophonist Niels Bijl as a soloist at the West Gippsland Arts Centre on Sunday November 10.
The performance will include selections from Sergei Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" suites one and two, Claude Debussy's "Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra" and Johannes Brahms' "Symphony No. 4".
Rehearsing for around six weeks ahead of the performance, GSO musical director David Williams said the "Symphonic Masters" program had been a rewarding challenge.
"It's probably one of the most challenging performances that I've thrown at the orchestra," he said. "The audience can expect 45 of their community members, passionately performing these classic works."
Based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name, Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet is a ballet composed between 1935 and 1936.
"The Romeo and Juliet ballet suite is one of my all-time favourite pieces of music," David said. "I have a secret passion for dance and Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet is one of the classics."
Having played the Montague and Capulet movement as a double bass player, David said he was captured by the sound, the suites always sticking in his mind.
"Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet has always been on my bucket list of things to conduct," he said. "I've picked movements from suite number one and two to make a Gippsland Symphony Orchestra Romeo and Juliet suite."
Claude Debussy's "Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra" will feature Yarragon based saxophonist Niels Bijl as a soloist.
Having never played a piece by Debussy or anything in the French impressionist style, David said he picked "Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra" for the GSO performance because of the challenge it would provide.
"One of the reasons why I picked it was because it was a challenge," he said. "The orchestra have never played it before, I've not conducted it before, so for me it's been a real learning curve. The journey isn't just for the players, it's also for myself."
With years of experience playing in chamber music ensembles and symphony orchestras, Niels said performing as a soloist is something new for him.
"Performing as a soloist has actually never been on my radar as a professional performer," Niels said. "I'm always about collaboration."
Niels said he was looking forward to performing the "Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra" because the piece focuses on the sound of the whole orchestra, not just the saxophone.
"What normally pushes me away from being a soloist with a symphony orchestra is that it's no fun," he said.
"Normally when you're a soloist, the orchestra puts the piece together in two rehearsals, then as a soloist you swan in...putting your part on top of the piece. Whereas for this piece (with GSO), I've been coming to rehearsals for several weeks. I might be standing at the front, but my part is completely embedded in the entire structure of the piece. To be part of all that, is super special."
The final piece in the "Symphonic Masters" program is Johannes Brahms' "Symphony No. 4".
"Brahms' Symphony number four is one of the most demanding but more playable (pieces) of his series," David said.
Composed between 1884 and 1885, the highly regarded symphony explores emotional depth, structural coherence, and symphonic innovation, making it a cornerstone of Romantic symphonic repertoire.
David encouraged people to attend the performance to support their fellow community members and enjoy an exceptional performance on their local stage.
"The whole idea of the GSO is to present classical music in Gippsland," he said. "The sole purpose is to play mainstream symphonic works that we wouldn't here in Gippsland otherwise."
"(People) should come to support the members of their community, doing something for their community. But they should (also) come to experience a performance of exceptional classical music with an internationally acclaimed soloist who is a Gippslander."
Niels said audiences will leave the theatre feeling elevated.
"Live performance of this quality is soul food," he said. "No matter how you feel when you walk in, you will feel 1000 times better when you leave."
The GSO will perform the ""Symphonic Masters" program at the West Gippsland Arts Centre on Sunday November 10 at 2pm.
Tickets are available to purchase online at sales.wgac.com.au