The Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra is a regular and very popular visitor to Daylesford and will return for a concert in the Daylesford Town Hall on June 19.
The Zelman orchestra is the only full Symphony Orchestra to regularly visit our Shire.
Alberto Zelman (Jnr) dominated the musical life of Melbourne for more than 20 years until his early death at age 52 in 1927.
He was a prodigious musical talent. Some called him a genius. He was arguably Australia’s foremost violinist in his day, as well as a highly talented orchestra and coral conductor, pianist and violin teacher.
Alberto, the son of an eminent Italian musician (Alberto Zelman Snr.), was born in Carlton and made his first public performance as a violinist at the age of 6. During his relatively short but illustrious career he founded the Orchestral League, the Melbourne String Quartet and the British Music Quartet and was President of the Music Society of Melbourne.
His greatest achievement however was founding and conducting the original Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. There is a tablet in Melbourne’s St Paul’s Cathedral celebrating Alberto’s achievement.
Zelman’s family has a close association with the Daylesford/Hepburn area. Two of Alberto’s three brothers married sisters from the prominent Borsa family of Hepburn Springs. Victor Zelman married Clara Borsa. Victor was a prominent landscape artist and musician and had his studio in Seventh Street, Hepburn Springs.
Ernest Zelman married Blanch Borsa. Ernest was a professional flautist, however after returning from WW1, he turned to farming and later he and Blanch ran the Bellinzona guest house in Hepburn Springs.
After Alberto’s death in 1927, the original Melbourne Symphony Orchestra continued to perform until 1932 when it became all professional. The amateur players formed their own orchestra in 1933 and named it in memory of Alberto Zelman (Jnr).
89 years later the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra is still going strong, usually holding four concerts a year in Melbourne and at least once concert at a Victorian regional centre.
The Zelman will again be performing in the Daylesford Town Hall on Sunday, 19 June commencing at 2.00pm.
The guest soloists, Kalina Krusteva (Cello) and Roy Theaker (Violin) are world renowned artists with Kalina described as “a cellist of the highest standard who will play an important part in musical life”. She has toured internationally and was Principal Cello of the Orquestra do Algarve in Portugal, the London Schubert Players and the Russian Chamber Orchestra of London, and Co-Principal of the Orquestra of Valery Gergiev’s “World Orchestra for Peace” at Royal Albert Hall.
Roy Theaker has a diverse and well-travelled career. As a violin soloist he has performed from Suntory Hall, Tokyo to the South Bank, London via the Holy Citadel, Amman and the European Parliament, Brussels. Regularly heard in Melbourne’s Theatres he was the solo violin on “Book of Mormon”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “Sound of Music”, “Wizard of Oz”, “Evita” and “Muriels Wedding”.
Tickets at $30.00 and children under 16 free with a paying adult. Online bookings at www.trybooking.com/BXZMI. Phone 0408 629 930
Box office sales from 1.00pm at the Daylesford Town Hall
Email: info @u3ahepburnshire.com
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