Hugh Robertson

Sydney

Editorial Manager at Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Editorial Manager @sydsymph | Formerly @limelightartsau @ABCclassic @ABCjazz @AusRomClassOrch | Aussie Rules, cricket, beard enthusiast. He/him.

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Articles

Meet Eva Gevorgyan

1 week ago | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh RobertsonOnly just turned 21, Eva Gevorgyan has made a meteoric rise through the ranks of young virtuoso pianists, winning awards and recognition at dozens of piano competitions around the world and ‘[evoking] memories of notable Russian luminaries like Emil Gilels and Bella Davidovich’ (Gramophone). Ahead of her Australian debut recital and concerto performances, she reveals her musical inspirations and tells is more about the works she has chosen to perform.
Handing Back the Keys: Farewell to Terry Harper

3 weeks ago | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh RobertsonIn the middle of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall stage, Terry Harper stands alone at the piano, putting the instrument through its final tuning and checks. The cavernous auditorium is empty; his only audience the production staff scurrying around setting up for this morning’s concert. You have never heard this man play one single note, but he is one of the most important people in the modern history of music in Sydney.
Planning ahead: Thoughtful investment picks for the next generation

1 month ago | startsat60.com | Hugh Robertson

Sometimes (if you’re a nice person), it’s worth considering buying shares for your children, grandchildren, or if you are both lucky and optimistic, great grandchildren. Many years ago, we bought a collection of internet stocks for our kids, and it turned out to be a bonanza. Sadly, the stocks were sold to get into the housing market. It’s the typical Australian story. Why risk your money with shares when you can buy an overpriced house? I suppose it’s called peace of mind.
Who Was Richard Strauss?

1 month ago | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

Who Was Richard Strauss? 23 May, 2025 The German composer and conductor Richard Strauss (1864–1949) is beloved by audiences and musicians around the world for his richly-textured musical works. We asked Chief Conductor Simone Young and Principal Guest Conductor Sir Donald Runnicles, two of the world’s great Strauss conductors, for their insights into the man and his music ahead of two concerts that promise to be highlights of our 2025 Season.
“True Music Is a Revelation, It’s a Medicine”: Daniel Lozakovich…

2 months ago | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

“True Music Is a Revelation, It’s a Medicine”: Daniel Lozakovich Spreads the Good Word 07 April, 2025 Swedish violinist Daniel Lozakovich is a young man full of passion for life and music. Ahead of his Australian debut in May he talks about the transcendent power of art and the ‘otherworldly’ Sibelius Violin Concerto. By Hugh RobertsonDaniel Lozakovich is reaching for eternity.
Sir Stephen Hough: ‘Brahms stops us from being completely taken over…

2 months ago | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh RobertsonYou have all seen it, I’m sure, clogging your social media: torrents of soulless slop churned out by AI. Whether infringing the copyright of authors on an industrial scale or directly copying the art style of beloved filmmakers, our tech autocrats glibly assert that ‘this is progress’ as they squeeze all of the joy and humanity out of art. How do we combat this rising tide of computer-hallucinated garbage? If you ask Sir Stephen Hough, the answer could be Johannes Brahms.
On The Road with Matthias Goerne

Mar 24, 2025 | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh Robertson Maybe it’s due to his status as one of the greatest-ever singers of lied, or art song. But when I think of the great German baritone Matthias Goerne I imagine him in a large coat, collar turned against the wind, trudging through a desolate wintry landscape. A quintessentially Romantic figure, a Caspar David Friedrich painting come to life, or indeed the protagonist of Schubert’s Winterreise.
The Inevitability of Lise De La Salle

Mar 20, 2025 | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh RobertsonThere is something about Lise de la Salle that just seems very matter of fact – almost inevitable. Listening to the French pianist play, every note lands precisely where it should, clearly and without incident; it takes phenomenal talent, and a lot of hard work, to make this seem so easy. You can hear why British magazine Gramophone called her ‘a talent in a million.’ That casual certainty is there in her conversation, too, where she is strong in her beliefs but never forceful.
"It's Just So Astonishing in Its Impact": James Ehnes on Brahms’…

Feb 25, 2025 | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh RobertsonThere are some great works of art whose power has almost been diluted by ubiquity. Everyone can quote Casablanca or Citizen Kane; everyone can see the Mona Lisa or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel on their phones at any time; Shakespeare and Austen are so well-known you almost forget how great they are – but when you encounter these great works in person, their extraordinary quality is revealed to you yet again.
Happy Birthday Maurice Ravel

Feb 21, 2025 | sydneysymphony.com | Hugh Robertson

By Hugh RobertsonOn 7 March 2025 the music world celebrates the 150th birthday of composer, pianist and conductor Maurice Ravel. We are joining in the festivities in Sydney, performing some of his best-loved works from his largest work (Daphnis and Chloé) to an entire concert of his solo piano pieces, and lots more in between. But who is Maurice Ravel, and why is he considered one of the great composers?