Symphony Services International
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music services |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Music library, Artist development, Program notes, Contract management, Tour coordination, Goodear Acoustic Shield, Orchestral editions |
Symphony Services International, previously known as Symphony Australia, was founded in 1997 to provide centralized support for six Australian state symphony orchestras: Adelaide, Melbourne, Queensland, Sydney, Tasmania, and Western Australia. Before this, these orchestras operated under the Concerts Division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
History
Initially incorporated as Symphony Services Australia Limited, Symphony Services International offers consolidated assistance to its affiliated orchestras. This includes managing the Symphony Services Music Library, facilitating Artist Development initiatives, editing program notes, and handling contracts, visas, travel arrangements, and accommodation for international performers. Some of these offerings are also accessible to other orchestras and individuals on a fee-for-service basis.
The organisation was formed following the privatization of Australia's six state orchestras after the ABC Concerts Division was decentralized. It actively supports programs such as the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards and runs a Conductor Development Program. Its classical sheet music collection ranks among the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, containing over 460,000 items alongside more than 3,500 program notes.
The member orchestras are:
- Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
- Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
- Queensland Symphony Orchestra
- Sydney Symphony Orchestra
- Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
- West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Since August 2010, associate memberships have been available by invitation through Symphony Services International. In collaboration with the ABC, performances by member orchestras are either broadcast live or recorded for later transmission on ABC Classic FM.
Core services provided to orchestras include:
- Comprehensive music library
- Goodear Acoustic Shield
- Tour coordination
- More than 3,500 program notes
- Surtitles provision
- ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards
- Conductor training programs
- Composer commissioning and nurturing
Goodear Acoustic Shield
Symphony Services International manufactures the Goodear Acoustic Shield to safeguard musicians’ hearing in line with occupational health and safety regulations. Installed behind players, it absorbs sound emanating from the rear, lowering noise exposure to safe decibel thresholds. Unlike typical acrylic shields used by many orchestras, this design avoids reflecting sound back towards its source.
Goodear Editions
Beginning in 2010, Symphony Services International has produced professional orchestral editions of rare and out-of-copyright compositions. Their inaugural release was Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier Suite. By 2016, Goodear Editions had published over 65 orchestral scores, including works like Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suite no. 2, Puccini's Nessun Dorma, assorted pieces by Vivaldi, and Strauss' Metamorphosen. In early 2016, these editions became accessible through the Goodear online Store as both digital downloads and printed copies.