Queensland Symphony Orchestra Is Hosting a Big Free 75th Birthday Concert at QPAC

During its 75-year run, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra has played many things. All the classical greats fall into that category, obviously. Sometimes, it's busy playing beloved film scores live as the movies screen, or teaming up with musicians well outside the classical realm, or providing tunes for sweeping operas. That longevity and adaptability is something worth celebrating, so that's exactly what QSO is doing on one huge evening. Even better: to mark its 75th year, the orchestra is hosting one big — and free — birthday concert.

Taking place at QPAC's Concert Hall from 7.30pm on Friday, August 19, the gig will showcase the wide range of music that QSO has brought to life over the years — including everything from Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' finale to Australian composer Sean O'Boyle's 'Concerto for Didgeridoo'. Also set to echo through the venue: 'Rákóczy March' and 'La damnation de Faust' by Berlioz, plus Respighi's 'Pini di Roma', as well as the very fitting 'Fanfare for the Seventy-fifth Birthday of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra'.

The tunes will be played not only by Queensland's state orchestra, but with the help of guest artists; First Nations didgeridoo player Chris Williams will do the honours on 'Concerto for Didgeridoo', for instance. And, they'll be interwoven with interviews with musicians, all while historical imagery is projected throughout the Concert Hall. On conducting duties: Guy Noble and Johannes Fritzsch.

Unsurprisingly, tickets are expected to get snapped up quickly when they become available from 10am today, Tuesday, July 19, via the QSO website. Whether you're a fan of classical music, you've only experienced QSO's efforts when it has played concerts dedicated to movie scores or you've always wanted to attend one of its gigs but haven't gotten around to it, heading along for free is a rare treat.

And if you're wondering about the history of the QSO, it made its debut on March 26, 1947, with 45 members playing to a crowd of 2500 people at Brisbane City Hall. It now boasts 74 musicians, and is the state's largest performing arts organisation.

Queensland Symphony Orchestra's free 75th birthday concert will take place from 7.30pm on Friday, August 19 at QPAC's Concert Hall, with tickets available from 10am on Tuesday, July 19 via the QSO website.

Images: Peter Wallis.