In 2025, it’s a ‘New World’ of music for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Helming his 12th year, Asher Fisch has curated what he describes as “one of [WASO’s] most diverse programs to date” – a broad sweep of music ranging across symphonic performances and chamber Baroque to a series full of new music from local and international composers.

WASO Associate Principal Oboe Liz Chee. Photo © Stef King Photography

There are seven world premiere works set for 2025, all from Australian composers – James Ledger, Paul Stanhope, Andrew Schultz, Melody Eötvös, Sahil Sidhu (winner of the 2024 Composition Project) and Olivia Davies, who finishes her term as Composer-in-Residence this year.

There are also conductor debuts from Edward Gardner, Satu Vänska and Sam Weller.

Venues become a major consideration for WASO in 2025. After 50 years of presentation and performance, the Perth Concert Hall shuts its doors at the end of 2024 for renovations, which requires WASO to take music to venues around the...