“NEW Spaces” is to be the title of the farewell season for 14-year-long chief conductor and artistic director of Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Milton. The announcement was made tonight (July 30) by CSO chair, Sir Angus Houston at the National Museum of Australia.

The program, which will feature symphonic masterworks from Saint-Saens to Mahler, and a “Best of British” tribute from Canberra-raised opera star Lorina Gore, will, Milton said, celebrate “our unique orchestral landscape, [expressing] the passion, virtuosity and daring of our orchestra”.

The 2020 artist in focus will be principal cellist for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Umberto Clerici, who will appear as a soloist, conductor and mentor to the CSO’s incoming Kingsland Resident Artists. Other soloists will include violinist Natalie Chee, clarinettist Alan Vivian and pianist Konstantin Shamray.

Curated by Matthew Hindson, the CSO’s Australian Series will continue at the National Portrait Gallery and will include compositions by established and emerging composers including Stuart Greenbaum, Cyrus Meurant, Ellen Macens, Harry Straulig, Anne Boyd and a new work from the winner of the Sue W Chamber Music Composition Prize for emerging female composers.

2020 will also mark the 70th anniversary of the CSO, during which Milton will conduct four concerts and the Llewellyn Series will feature symphonic works including Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony and Mahler’s Fifth Symphony.

As well, the Rediscovering Music program, which helps people who have experienced hearing loss to re-engage with music, will continue and the orchestra’s Symphony in the Park will be “Rumours” – the Australian Fleetwood Mac experience.