The Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, under the masterful direction of Chief

Conductor Dr Nicholas Milton AM, invites audiences to experience an extraordinary

program in Maestro, a concert of breathtaking orchestral colour and virtuosity on

Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 October 2025.

At the heart of the program is Gustav Mahler’s monumental Symphony No.1, a

work of epic scale and emotional power that remains one of the most thrilling and

beloved symphonies in the repertoire. From its hushed opening to its blazing finale,

Mahler’s First is an awe-inspiring journey that showcases the full brilliance of the

orchestra.

Opening the concert, acclaimed Australian cellist Julian Smiles joins the Willoughby

Symphony Orchestra for Pēteris Vasks’ luminous Cello Concerto No.2, Presence.

Inspired by the idea of “the soul ascending into the cosmos