Simone Young began her tenure as Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra with internationally acclaimed performances of Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony. Mahler also features in this inaugural concert of the 2026 season, a brilliant mix of celebration and substance.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Opening Night Gala, 2026. Photo © Jay Patel

The concert opens with Adam Manning’s percussive and evocative Rhythmic Acknowledgement of Country: an ideal orchestral expression of respect. Following that, in recognition of Chinese Lunar New Year, the orchestra presents the Australian premiere of the Piano Concerto En huang by Chinese/French composer Chen Qigang. Described by the composer as a set of variations on a melodic fragment from Beijing Opera, it is a fascinating study in cultural cross-fertilisation.

Chen’s background is significant here. After surviving Mao’s Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s and 1970s, he was one of the first musicians to head to Europe after the thaw, where he became the last student of Olivier Messiaen. This concerto begins and ends with solo piano quietly musing, with a long central section of rhythmic impetus and vast orchestral climaxes.