On Friday 21 October, MSO Managing Director Sophie Galaise and the Vice Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region, Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Arya Paku Alam X, signed a new memorandum of understanding to extend their cross-cultural partnership, established in 2015, for another three years.
The ongoing partnership facilitates cross-cultural activity such as the recent visit by the MSO to the Special Region of Yogyarkarta, Indonesia, as well as annual Youth Music Camps, knowledge exchanges, cultural management workshops, internships and performances.
Five MSO musicians and members of MSO management travelled to Yogyakarta to sign the agreement and deliver this year’s Youth Music Camp and arts management workshops.
MSO musicians Miranda Brockman (cello), Sarah Curro (violin), Kirstin Kenny (violin), Gabrielle Halloran (viola) and Rohan Dasika (double bass) are leading a series of strings workshops at the Youth Music Camp, which will culminate in a side-by-side performance featuring students and the MSO.
This was the fifth visit since the partnership was created and, due to the pandemic, the first in person since 2019.
Sophie Galaise said both partners were thrilled to reunite in person in Yogyakarta.
“Due to COVID, it’s been a few years since we’ve been able to travel and conduct face to face programs, so we were thrilled to be back in Yogyakarta to build on the achievements of the partnership’s seven-year history,” said Galaise.
“The MSO was the first Western orchestra to perform outdoors at the UNESCO World Heritage Prambanan Temple Site and the first professional orchestra to perform Beethoven’s Symphony No.2 in the region. This partnership between the Orchestra and the Special Region of Yogyakarta has been enriching for all parties.”
“Throughout 2020 and 2021, I had the honour of assisting His Highness Prince Notonegoro and his team in the creation of the Yogyakarta Royal Orchestra, which had its debut in June 2021. We enjoyed very much watching the YRO in rehearsal and exchanging with their musicians and management this week.”
"I highly appreciate and hope that the collaboration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will be able to develop orchestral music in Yogyakarta Special Region, both in terms of human resources and management. The most important thing is that before fulfilling the need for facilities and infrastructure for the development of this music in Yogyakarta, we need to develop public appreciation for orchestral music,” said Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X.
During the recent visit, Galaise and four MSO management staff joined the musicians to deliver an arts management workshop for students from across Indonesia. Psychologists, HR professionals and finance students have come together with music teachers, musicians and composers to learn about all facets of running an arts organisation. Areas of knowledge shared range from high-level organisational strategy to operational and administrative roles, marketing, ticketing and media production.