The Sydney Symphony Orchestra perform the music of Joe Hisaishi hosted by Art of the Score and conducted by Nicholas Buc at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, 24 September, 2025. Image supplied: Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Featured image- evocative concert programme design by Katya Dibb.
Conversational, comic, from a current perspective and crowd interactive, an Art Of Score commentated show bristles before its mixed audience. So was the cast this week At the concert The Music of Joe Hisaishi, showcasing the versatility of our Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and co-produced by Concert Lab.
A vox pop survey of the assembled by Art of The Score frontmen Professor Dan Golding and Andrew Pogson revealed a mixed crowd in attendance of orchestral concert regulars and a horde of newbies. This event attracted all ages and levels of musical appreciation, to celebrate the soundtrack music genius of Joe Hisaishi.
The rich, accessible intros to each part of the famous film score composer’s life and ongoing oeuvre made this a rich musicological experience for the fans of Studio Ghibli soundtracks and more from the legendary Japanese creative and collaborator.
Andrew Pogson, Dan Golding and conductor for this event Nicholas Buc work as well together on stage as in their Art Of the Score podcast mode.
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra perform the music of Joe Hisaishi hosted by Art of the Score and conducted by Nicholas Buc at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, 24 September, 2025. Image: supplied by Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Art Of The Score’s unravelling of Joe Hisaishi’s ascent to his current signature movie soundtrack colourings from minimalist and concert work beginnings is expert and slick here.
Audience members in crowd-interaction spots to created a minimalist clapping canon, relished in the contours of music for advertising and sank into the composer’s translucent, open-ended chord sequences.
Demonstration of Hisaishi’s unmistakeable hues became paramount in a beautiful Ghibli-esque transformation of one of our most loved Aussie tunes. Such reveals and demonstrations accompanied by smoke machine and lighting made for a beautiful and rewarding romp through this key modern musical figure’s output.
Above: Pianist Aura Go thrilled in both music as a complete soloist, or played alongside the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Image: supplied by Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Special guest pianist Aura Go, with a sequence of fine solo and chamber music projects behind her performed in formidable counterpoint with the podcasters as well as SSO in bringing the soundscapes from three collaborations with film directors to lovely life.
Go’s rendering of the evocative Hisaishi piano expression tugged at our heartstring as her superbly balanced pianism and voice leading leapt gently off this 3D screen at us.
As well as charming, impressive commentary and musicological discussion of her own, Go’s playing of music from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind as a piano solo was spellbinding pianism, true edge-of-the-cinema/Concert Hall seat stuff. As were the fine gesturing and solo moments from SSO concertmaster for this event Alexandra Osborne. Cellist and SSO Associate Principal Simon Cobcroft chiselled out a touching, layered and beautifully graded rollercoaster of phrases in the live version of music from Hisaishi’s collaboration with director Takita on the 2008 movie Departures for us.
At this event, Ghibli fans relished the chance to hear their favourites live. Also, any movie music connoisseurs rejoiced in the power of a huge orchestra to enhance the screen narrative, and learning about music’s power to extend imagery regardless of story, culture and familiarity was the order of this Art Of The Score treat(ise). The 2000 plus audience was great to see midweek at the Opera House, and this concert was a feather in the cap of all experts involved.
Above: The huge forces of Sydney Symphony Orchestra engaged for this concert work well in concert item and demonstration mode with conducor-podcaster Nicholas Buc pianist Aura Go and members of Art Of The Score Andrew Pogson and Dan Golding. Image: supplied by Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
The buzz of discovery, revisiting familiar films that have shaped a generation or two and being entertained plus easily educated was infectious, appreciated and given a newly-drawn soundtrack of their own, as many visited the SSO or the Sydney Opera House for the first time at this worthwhile musical and tourist event.
This popular concept and roasting of the much awarded film composer continues magically at the Sydney Concert Hall until Saturday, with three more chances to join in the wonderfully animated, lyrical scenes on offer. We look forward to the 2026 release of SSO and Art of The Score’s sequel to this event- ‘John Williams: Episode II’, which promises to attack us with equally excellent sheen.
