Speeches
Sunday, 28 July 2024
Friends of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Luncheon
I am pleased to join you for today’s Serenade Luncheon, to thank the Friends of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for your loyal support during the year.
As patrons of the Friends, it is a pleasure for Rod and me to support your organisation’s activities and goals.
Music, and in particular classical music, is one of life’s great joys.
Dramatic pieces can evoke our emotions in unique and powerful ways, while calmer works can help us relax and focus.
Enjoying classical music in the company of others, such as attending an orchestra performance, heightens these experiences.
I have clear memories of many concerts I have attended over the years, both here in Adelaide at the Town Hall with my grandmother, Myrtle Cashmore, as well on postings in Hong Kong, Taipei, New York, London and Beijing.
In Adelaide we are proud to be a UNESCO city of music, and as Governor I have the privilege of supporting various orchestras – the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Adelaide Youth Orchestra, as well as the Australian Chamber Orchestra – in any way I can, from hosting receptions to attending performances.
For 85 years, the ASO has brought the beauty of classical music to South Australians and South Australians have repaid that with respect, loyalty and love.
The orchestra plays a major role in Adelaide’s cultural and economic vibrancy, enriching our community’s cultural calendar with a diverse program of world-class performances, including, memorably, Floods of Fire at Adelaide Festival this year.
As Governor I have the opportunity to not only engage with our state’s arts sector, but with the many individuals and organisations whose support is crucial to maintaining its strength and vibrancy.
It is my pleasure to spend time with the Friends of South Australia’s great institutions, and to express my appreciation for all that they do.
I thank the Friends of the ASO for its financial support of the orchestra, which includes sponsorship of the Musical Chairs program, support for the Annual Giving program, subsidies for musical instruments and equipment, as well as study grants for orchestra members to undertake further study in Australia or overseas.
I am pleased that participation in the Friends gives you, as members, the opportunity to enrich your musical interests, gain a greater understanding of various aspects of the Orchestra, as well as widen your own social networks.
I also thank the ASO musicians who generously give their time to perform at Friends events, such as this luncheon.
Thank you all for your dedication to the orchestra and for supporting a strong culture of classical music in our community.
With your continued assistance, South Australians, wherever they are from will be able to enjoy the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for many years to come.