Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra proudly presents Symphonic Selections, an inspiring afternoon of orchestral delights under the baton of conductor Owen Clarke.
This carefully curated program opens with Mozart’s dramatic Overture to Don Giovanni, followed by Richard Strauss’ richly expressive Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, featuring acclaimed Northern Rivers musician and educator Neil O’Donnell. The concert concludes with Beethoven’s exhilarating Symphony No. 7 in A, a work celebrated for its rhythmic vitality and soaring energy.
Neil O’Donnell is a French horn player and music educator based in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. A graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, he studied horn with Paul Stiles, Casey Rippon and Andrew Bain, and has performed with ensembles including The Metropolitan Orchestra, Sydney Chamber Opera, Central Coast Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Tamesa (London), Caldera Chamber Orchestra and the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra.
Alongside an active performing career, Neil has spent more than sixteen years teaching music across New South Wales and the United Kingdom. He currently leads music programs at Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School and is recognised throughout the region for his commitment to developing young musicians and supporting community music-making.
Strauss’ First Horn Concerto has been a significant work throughout Neil’s musical journey. First studied during his university years and performed for examination recital assessments, this performance marks a long-awaited opportunity to bring the concerto to the public.
“Every time I return to the piece, I discover something new,” Neil says. “It’s a work that has grown with me. As my musicianship has developed, so has my understanding of its character, passion and heroism.”
Now, after many years of anticipation, he is delighted to share one of the horn repertoire’s most beloved masterpieces with Northern Rivers audiences.