ASHER Fisch may have taken over the position as WA Symphony Orchestra principal conductor in 2014, but this Saturday will be his first WASO Symphony in the City.
The Israeli-born conductor and pianist, who is based near Munich with wife Stefanie and young daughter Liva, is in Perth for a month and was glad there were no scheduling conflicts this year.
Now in its ninth year, Symphony in the City will be WASO’s biggest event of the year; the free outdoor concert begins at Langley Park at 7.30pm, with pre-concert activities from 5pm.
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“The rest of the world is heavily into summer festivals, picnicking and mixing concerts with broadcasts,” Fisch said.
“This is the new trend and I like to go with it.
“I’ve probably put a few things in the program which haven’t been there before. There’s a big chorus number from a Wagner opera which I think is super-exciting and I don’t think it’s ever been performed in Perth.”
The program will feature highlights from WASO’s 2016 season, including Gustav Holst’s Mars from The Planets, Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem and John Williams’ music from Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Fisch said there were “tonnes” of achievements he was proud of since beginning his tenure at WASO, from the Beethoven and Brahms cycles to the strengthening of the company’s subscription base.
“We’re playing more concerts and going to China next year,” he said.
“We managed to bring a wonderful roster of 15 soloists this year who were all so happy with the experience they want to come back.”
He said the 2016 season would see the orchestra present challenging pieces from the main repertoire and spread them throughout the year.
“I think it’s a more balanced year and there’s no focal point but it’s exciting from beginning to end,” Fisch said.
“The first concert is very big, then we’re doing Mahler’s Symphony No.2 Resurrection and finishing with Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 and there’s a lot in-between.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Symphony in the City
Where: Langley Park, Perth
When: 7.30pm, Saturday, December 12
Entry: free