Private Concert Performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Recognition of His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey’s Patronage and Contribution to Queensland

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you all very much for being here, and thank you to our wonderful Chair for those generous sentiments, and to the QSO for the enormous compliment of this occasion, for Kaye and for me.

The QSO is an absolute jewel beyond compare. 

Warwick Adeney reminded me of this recently in one respect when he told me how he had studied assiduously in preparation for the Ring Cycle.

Even for that virtuoso, nothing is easy, and you are all virtuosos.

So what this wonderful orchestra apparently effortlessly accomplishes, is the stuff of great and dedicated musicianship.

The performance tonight has, I think, been fantastic!

It is an enormous privilege to have so many members of the Orchestra here, with their own panache enhanced by the presence of our brilliant maestro, Mr Dane Lam.

It is very important that I as Patron also recognise the QSO supporters here tonight, with gratitude for their presence.

Your long-standing support, ladies and gentlemen, provides a magnificent accent to our Orchestra.

Kaye and I marvel that our 7 years at Fernberg accounts for as much as about 10% of our respective lives, and indeed, we are of comparable age to the QSO itself!  

But while Kaye’s and my tempo now slows, the QSO’s shall not!

Thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts, for your distinguished contributions. You mean such a lot to the people of our State.