The Hobart Chamber Orchestra will premiere Matthew Dewey’s first symphony in concert at the Hobart Town on the 17th of May. The piece is in three movements and was inspired by Tom Holloway’s play ‘Beyond the Neck’ which explores the lives of four characters who had all been affected in profoundly different ways by the Port Arthur massacre of 1996. The premiere will be conducted by the former concert master of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (and new head of strings at the University of Tasmania) Professor Edwin Paling.
About the Hobart Chamber Orchestra
The Hobart Chamber Orchestra (HCO) is fundamentally a string ensemble of 24 players, although the orchestra sometimes augments to include winds, brass and percussion depending on the repertoire. The HCO was founded in 1987 by Australian Violinist Phillip Taylor and has since been an important ensemble in Tasmania performing both music from the baroque and classical periods right through to newly commissioned works.
About Edwin Paling
Edwin Paling was born in Nottingham, England, and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he was a pupil of Sidney Griller. After leaving the Royal Academy, Edwin began his professional life as a violinist, playing with the Orchestra of the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden (London), Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Midland Light Orchestra, before joining the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) in 1973. In 1976, Edwin became Concertmaster of the RSNO. He resigned from this position in 2007, after thirty one years as Leader, to become Head of Strings at the Conservatorium of Music of the University of Tasmania.
During Edwin’s busy professional career in the United Kingdom, he worked regularly as Guest-Concertmaster with many of the major orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia, BBC Philharmonic and the Northern Sinfonia. In addition to his orchestral activities, Edwin appeared as soloist with the RSNO, and other orchestras, on many occasions, covering a repertoire of concertos and concert pieces extending from Bach to Britten. In addition he has also enjoyed a busy solo recital and chamber music career playing with many different Chamber Music Ensembles throughout the United Kingdom.
Edwin’s other passion has always been teaching. He was also a member of staff at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for twenty five years, where he was responsible for violin teaching, chamber music coaching, orchestral repertoire classes, and orchestral coaching.
Further Reading on Edwin Paling
‘Quiet man bows out and bares his soul’ – from The Herald [RSNO: Ein Heldenleben, Fri 27, Usher Hall, Edinburgh; Sat 28, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall].
