The University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra presents a dynamic afternoon of orchestral colour and rhythmic vitality as part of the UQ School of Music’s UQ Arts program.
Conducted by internationally renowned clarinettist, composer and conductor Paul Dean, this program explores music shaped by public life moving from the elegance of the Classical salon to the pulse of dance halls, city streets and village squares.
At the heart of the concert is one of the School’s most prestigious honours: the annual Concerto Prize. Awarded to the top student performer following a highly competitive audition process, the prize offers the rare opportunity to appear as soloist with full symphony orchestra.
In 2026, Annabelle Freeman takes centre stage in Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Radiant, lyrical and profoundly expressive, this masterwork demands both technical brilliance and poetic refinement. The orchestra then steps fully into the spotlight with repertoire that travels across continents and cultures. El Salón México by Aaron Copland evokes the vibrant dance halls of Mexico in a kaleidoscopic celebration of folk melody and rhythmic energy. Urban electricity surges through Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, capturing the tension, passion and explosive movement of New York’s streets in music of irresistible drive.
The program concludes in Spain with selections from Suites No. 1 and 2 of The Three-Cornered Hat by Manuel de Falla with music infused with flamenco fire, earthy humour and dazzling orchestral colour.
Rituals of the Street celebrates the rhythms that gather communities, the dances that define cultures, and the exceptional artistry of UQ’s leading young performers.
Sunday 31 May, 2pm
Tickets: Free to attend
Location: GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building (49), UQ St Lucia
Duration: 2 hours (with interval)
Refreshments: Pre-concert refreshments (bar snacks) will be available for purchase from 1:15pm (EFTPOS only), and during the concert interval.
Paul Dean
Clarinettist Paul Dean is widely regarded as one of Australia's foremost musicians in his multiple capacities as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, composer and Artistic Director. He is currently the Kinnane Professor of Music at The University of Queensland, co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Q with the cellist, Trish Dean. He was a founding member and Artistic Director of Southern Cross Soloists and the Bangalow Music Festival, before his appointment as Artistic Director of the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne. As a composer Paul has won the coveted Paul Lowin Prize in 2022 for his Symphony No 1 ‘Black Summer’ and an APRA 2023 Award for his Double Bass Concerto. He has been engaged as Composer in Residence for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and has been commissioned to write works for major artists and orchestras including the Australian World Orchestra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, Queensland Youth Symphony, and for major international artists including Jack Liebeck, Michael Collins and Torlief Thedeen.
Amanda Wong
Amanda is a spirited flautist in her final year studying under the guidance of Patrick Nolan at The University of Queensland (UQ). In 2024, she made her soloist debut with the Indooroopilly Chamber Orchestra. In recent years, Amanda has played in principal and guest principal positions with the UQ Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Youth Orchestras, Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra’s Young Mannheim Symphonists National Academy, and Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra. She is a current member of the Queensland Youth Symphony and had the privilege of embarking on their 2023 international tour to Austria, Germany and Singapore, performing in prestigious venues such as the Musikverein and Mozarteum Concert Hall.
In addition to flute performance, Amanda is also pursuing an Arts degree with an extended major in Writing. Her short story, Origins was published in the Jacaranda Journal Edition 11.1. Amanda looks forward to exploring the artistic possibilities of the flute in her final year at UQ.
Belinda Wong
Belinda is a vibrant flautist in her final year studying under the tutelage of Patrick Nolan at The University of Queensland (UQ). She is currently undertaking a dual degree in the Bachelor of Music (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology and Criminology.
Last year, Belinda made her concerto debut with Queensland Youth Orchestra 2 (QYO2). She has toured with Opera Queensland and Queensland Symphony Orchestra to perform in the Festival of Outback Opera in Winton and Longreach. In 2023, she won the 4MBS Musica Viva Sid Page Memorial Prize in Chamber Music playing as first flute with the Jacaranda Flute Collective.
Belinda currently holds the position of principal flute in the UQ Symphony and QYO2. Belinda is excited to perform Franz Doppler’s Concerto for Two Flutes alongside her twin Amanda and colleagues from the UQ Symphony Orchestra.
Presented by The University of Queensland’s School of Music
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