Welcome

The Maroondah Symphony Orchestra is a community orchestra founded in 1964 and based in Ringwood, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. We present four programs of classical music each year, usually at the George Wood Performing Arts Centre, in Ringwood.

New players are welcome, particularly orchestral percussion, tuba and string players. Players of other instruments are welcome to go on our waiting list. Please see the new players page for details.

Rehearsals are on Tuesday nights in Ringwood. Please see the Members page for details, including a complete 2023 rehearsal schedule.

Sunday 26 November 2023, 2:30 pm

Maroondah Symphony Orchestra

Incurable Romantics

This concert provides a ‘classical music feast’. It opens with A Christmas Fanfare by our own orchestra trombonist, Willow Woodman. You will then be enthralled with Tchaikovsky’s famous Piano Concerto No 1, performed by exciting young pianist, Haoqing Leo Liu. Dvorák’s Symphony No 7 will complete this wonderful afternoon of music.

Soloist: Leo Liu, Piano

Haoqing Leo Liu, 16 years old, began his music education in Wuhan, China and continued in Melbourne in 2018.

Since then, Leo has been the recipient of several awards including first prizes in the 2022 Steinway Youth Piano Competition Australia, PolMusicA Polish Music Competition and the Musical Society of Victoria MSV 18 Years, Nehama Patkin Memorial Award. Leo received the Laureate in the Bernstein National Piano Competition, 2022 Bach Competition on Piano and 2023 Bach Competition on Harpsichord, at Melbourne Recital Centre, the Margaret Schofield Memorial Prize Celebrating Chopin 2023 for a Performance of the Music of Chopin (16 to 32 years). He has won awards at state eisteddfods and online international competitions, most recently receiving a Gold Award at World Piano Teachers Association (WPTA) 5th Finland International Piano Competition 2023, which endorsed him to participate in the Singapore International Piano Competition in December.

In 2022, Leo was a scholarship recipient of the Melbourne Conservatorium Young Artist Academy (MCYAA), where he performed the Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67, and Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491 as a finalist with orchestra. Additionally, Leo completed his Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) The Licentiate in Music, Australia, (LMusA) Piano Performance Diploma Award with distinction.

Earlier this year, Leo performed Live to Air on 3MBS, for their Melbourne in Concert program and The Talent Program, at the Showcase of the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition in Sydney, and Lunchtime Concert at the St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne.

Leo studies piano with Mr Glenn Riddle and harpsichord with Mr David Macfarlane at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Melbourne.

Conductor: Gyula Cseszkó

Willow Woodman A Christmas Fanfare
Pyotr Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor (Op. 23)
Antonín Dvorák Symphony No. 7 in D minor (Op. 70)

The Knox School, 220 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South 3152

Adult $30, Concession $25, (plus booking fee if applicable); School-age children free but must book a seat