Symphony of support for young Afghan musicians

The University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra are presenting a fundraising concert to raise money for young Afghan musicians who are in the grips of their country’s humanitarian crisis.

“We are performing Gorecki’s Symphony No 3: ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’ in aid of the Afghan National Institute of Music (ANIM),” said Dr Elizabeth Layton, Head of Classical Performance, Elder Conservatorium of Music.

“Music is a common language; it speaks to us across cultures, religions, class and gender.”

ANIM is committed to ensuring the musical rights of Afghan children, promoting musical diversity in Afghanistan, transcending cultural ethnic, religious, and gender barriers, and transforming the lives of Afghan children.

“ANIM is the first and only school of music in the country, where talented Afghan children regardless of their gender, social circumstances and ethnic background are trained in a co-educational environment in Afghan traditional and Western classical music, while obtaining high quality academic general education,” said Dr Layton.

“This collaboration between students at the Elder Conservatorium and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is a wonderful opportunity for musicians in Adelaide to come together and support the people of Afghanistan.”

The concert, which will be performed in St Peter’s Cathedral, will be conducted by Anthony Hunt with special guest Adelaide soprano Jessica Dean.

“Music is a common language; it speaks to us across cultures, religions, class and gender.”Dr Elizabeth Layton

“Written in 1976 ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’, dedicated to Górecki’s wife, is the longest and most profound of his works bound by the maternal metaphor,” said Vincent Ciccarello, Managing Director, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

“The symphony comprises three songs, its symmetrical design arising from carefully chosen texts: the central “child to mother” is surrounded by outer movements with “mother to child” texts.”

For more information and tickets or to make a donation go to: https://www.aso.com.au/events/a-symphony-for-afghanistan/

WHAT:     A Symphony for Afghanistan
WHERE:   St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide
WHEN:     7.30 pm Friday 15 October 2021
COST:      Tickets start at $50