Sublime Schumann

This will be an Afternoon of Orchestral Masterpieces

The program features three extraordinary works from the Romantic era, each showcasing the power and beauty of music to tell stories and stir emotions.

The concert opens with Weber’s Oberon Overture, a lively and imaginative prelude that brings the magic and adventure of his final opera to life.

Next, Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor takes centre stage, blending lyrical melodies with virtuosic interplay between the piano and orchestra. This timeless piece captures both intimacy and grandeur.

The concert concludes with Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4, the Romantic. Known for its sweeping themes and dramatic contrasts, this symphony paints vivid scenes of nature, heroism, and reflection.

We hope you can come and enjoy this afternoon of unforgettable music!

Soloist: Glenn Riddle, Piano

Glenn Riddle studied piano at the University of Melbourne with Ronald Farren-Price before undertaking post-graduate studies at the Royal College of Music, London with Peter Wallfisch and the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna with Paul Badura-Skoda. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Keyboard at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, a Research Associate at the University of Waikato, NZ and Visiting Professor at the Nanjing University of Arts in China.

One of Australia’s leading piano pedagogues, his students have been prize-winners in international competitions throughout Europe, Asia and the USA. They have also been major prizewinners in every significant competition in Australia, most recently winning both first and second prizes in the Lev Vlassenko Competition in Brisbane. His students have performed concertos with the Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Victoria, and internationally with the Russian State Academic Symphony Orchestra, the Salzburg Chamber Soloists, the Helsinki Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Ningbo Symphony Orchestra, Beijing, the Morocco Philharmonic, Thailand Philharmonic, Hanoi Philharmonic and Jakarta Concert Orchestras.

Glenn has worked extensively throughout Asia, USA, Australia and New Zealand presenting recitals, pedagogy workshops, masterclasses, examining and adjudicating. He has also been a member of international competition juries in the United States, Greece, Indonesia, New Zealand and Thailand.

Glenn is an AMEB Federal Examiner, and a member of the AMEB International Examining Panel, He has also edited or co-edited 12 volumes of piano music for the AMEB. Glenn is Senior Music Critic for the leading online cultural magazine Classic Melbourne, a member of the National Committee of the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference, and a Board Director of the Victorian Music Teachers Association. He is also Vice-President and Artistic Advisor to the Camberwell Music Society a volunteer-based community organization that runs a subscription series of concerts for local residents.

Glenn has recorded 15 CDs for labels such as ABC Classics, Move Records, Tall Poppies and Hal Leonard, and is also featured on the internationally acclaimed DVD Classical Destinations III performing the works of Percy Grainger on the composer’s own piano held at the Grainger Museum. His latest CD features the chamber music for piano and strings by Australian composer Christine McCombe. Glenn continues to perform as both chamber musician, concerto soloist and in recital.

Conductor: Willem van der Vis