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Ready, Set, Listen! is our series of 30-minute concerts specially created for students in K–2.  

The Nutcracker glows with memorable melodies, from the graceful Waltz of the Flowers to the thrilling Russian Dance.   

This beloved ballet is full of the joy of storytelling – perfect for curious young ears ready to discover the wonder of classical music.

Each performance centres around a piece of core classical repertoire arranged for a smaller ensemble, specially adapted for young ears and imaginations. These playful, engaging concerts  are packed with musical concepts, introducing students to the building blocks of music through storytelling, movement and interactive fun.

Program

TCHAIKOVSKY arr. Hansen

The Nutcracker (excerpts) 

Artists

Timothy Constable

Percussion

Christine Bishop Chair

Timothy Constable is an award-winning percussionist and composer, and has been a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra since 2014. A compelling, creative and sensitive performer, he has performed as concerto and chamber music soloist at most of the Australian classical music festivals, as well as in New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, UK, Ireland, Senegal, USA, China, Korea, Nepal and South-East Asia.

He was the artistic director of Synergy Percussion between 2009 and 2017, during which time the group undertook some of its most ambitious work, including the 40th anniversary season in 2014, and extensive collaboration with renowned ensemble Noreum Machi (South Korea), commissions of music by Steve Reich and Anthony Pateras, several recordings and the video project 40under40.

His commissions have include compositions for Omer Backley-Astrachan (Maholohet Festival, Israel) and Orava String Quartet (Australian Festival of Chamber Music), as well as Cinemusica (Australian Chamber Orchestra), Ordinary Time and Spirals (Southern Cross Soloists), and numerous works for Noreum Machi, Synergy Percussion and Taikoz. Contemporary dance score credits include Meryl Tankard, Shaun Parker, Legs on the Wall and Dance Makers Collective.

He is committed to both new and ancient music, with a large body of world and Australasian premieres to his name, including Steve Reich’s Mallet Quartet, György Ligeti’s Síppal, Dobbal, Nádihegedüvel (With Pipes, Drums and Fiddles), Anthony Pateras’ Beauty Will Be Amnesiac Or Will Not Be At All and Flesh and Ghost, and music by Simon Holt, Lisa Lim, Arvo Pärt and Gerard Brophy among others. In the realm of ancient music, he has studied with Senegalese master drummer Aly N’Dyiaye Rose and Korean Jangoo with Kim Yeong-Taek and Kim Chong-Hee.

Timothy Constable is a Freedman music fellow, an Elizabethan Theatre Trust scholar, a university medallist of Newcastle University, and a graduate of the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.

Timothy Constable

Timothy Constable

Emily Who

Presenter

Emily Who is an Aussie children's performer – singing songs that are perfect for preschoolers! She recently released her fourth album with a fifth coming out this year! 

She regularly performs live shows across Sydney including for Sydney Fringe Festival, the Spot on Kid Festival at Riverside Parramatta, and Vivid Sydney. She writes and presents annual children’s classical music concerts for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestras and Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra as well as many other ensembles across Australia.

In 2023 Emily received the award for Best Children’s Performer NSW - overall winner AND people’s choice. She was also nominated for Best Album at the Major Minor Music Award.

In 2024 she performed as part of the Artist Meets Early Years program at the Visioni Festival in Bologna, Italy, and toured to preschools across London.

Emily Who music is written and produced by: Emily McKnight, Robin Gist (ToneMaster Productions) and Peter Bailey.

Set and Props team: Lucy-Rose and Sarah Tyler

Merch manager: Susanna Sowden

Live Shows assistant: Edward McKnight

Emily Who

Emily Who