Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration: Keeping Memory Alive - The Power of Music

Please join us for our 2025 Betty & Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration: Keeping Memory Alive - The Power of Music.

This year our Oration will be presented by Simon Tedeschi followed by a special performance of ‘Sarenka’ by Elena Kats-Chernin.

The MSO (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) held the world premiere of Elena Kats-Chernin's Sarenka Concerto on October 27 2023, at Hamer Hall in Melbourne. The concerto, a commission from the Weis Family, features solo violin and solo cello and explores the story of Sara Weis, also known as Sarenka.

Simon Tedeschi is one of Australia’s leading classical pianists, acclaimed for his performances across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. He has played for world leaders including President George W. Bush and the Dalai Lama, and won major awards such as Symphony Australia’s Young Performer of the Year, the Calibre Prize for essay writing, and the Centenary of Federation Medal.

A published author, his debut book Fugitive (2023) was shortlisted for prestigious literary awards. He has written for outlets like the Sydney Morning Herald, Seizure Magazine, and SBS Feast.

Tedeschi debuted at the Sydney Opera House at age nine and has performed at Carnegie Hall and with major orchestras in the US and Australia. He collaborates widely in chamber music and jazz, including with Andrew Haveron, Sally Walker, and Kevin Hunt, and holds a Master’s in Writing and Literature from Deakin University.

Please register in advance and secure your place.

Please note this event may be recorded for our institutional archive, and photos may be used for marketing purposes.