Cello Dreams: A Sunday Soundtrack for a Shifting World

By Joanna Letic, Culture Review Coordinator, 4ZZZ

 

Winter in Brisbane is a funny thing. It’s not quite frosty, but it still manages to break up the year like a deep breath between seasons. And on June 29th, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra gave us a moment to exhale with Cello Dreams — a concert that felt like a warm blanket and a quiet nudge to pay attention.

 

Held at QPAC’s Concert Hall as part of the Music on Sundays series, the show opened with Beethoven’s Egmont Overture. It’s bold, dramatic, and kind of feels like the musical version of yelling into the void — in a good way. With the climate shifting and the economy slowing down, that defiant energy hit home. It reminded us that resistance doesn’t always look like protest signs — sometimes it sounds like strings and brass.

 

Then came Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1, played by Benett Tsai, who made the cello sound like it had something urgent to say. No fluff, just raw emotion and technical brilliance. In a time when arts funding is getting tighter and people are planting their own veggie patches to save a few bucks, Tsai’s performance felt like a quiet rebellion. Like saying, “Beauty still matters,” even if your tomatoes are getting eaten by possums.

 

The final piece, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams), was a melancholic swirl of snowflakes and solitude. It’s the kind of music that makes you think of Russian winters — cabbage, potatoes, and long nights by the fire. But here in Brissie, winter’s more about hoping your basil survives and wondering if the cold snap will finally scare off the mozzies. Still, the orchestra captured that bittersweet vibe perfectly: a mix of nostalgia, unease, and quiet magic.

 

What grounded the whole experience was the Acknowledgement of Country at the start. It wasn’t just a formality — it felt real. In a world where we’re all scrambling for answers, recognising First Nations knowledge and care for Country is more than respectful — it’s essential.

 

As Culture Review Coordinator for 4ZZZ, I’m always chasing those moments where art meets real life. Cello Dreams did that. It wasn’t just a concert — it was a reminder that even when things feel uncertain, music can still offer clarity, comfort, and a bit of magic.

 

So if you’re feeling the pinch of rising prices or watching the weather like a hawk over your veggie patch, maybe what you need isn’t another news headline — maybe it’s a cello solo that makes you feel something. Cello Dreams gave us that. And honestly? We could all use a few more dreams right now — even if they come with a side of cabbage and a possum-proof fence.