Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Grainger Studio. 10 Apr 2026
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Sanctuary Series is fast becoming one of the city’s most sought-after musical experiences, and it’s not hard to see why. The recent Nordic Lights program sold out, confirming that audiences are eager for something beyond the traditional concert format.
This is not simply a performance; it is a carefully curated experience. From the outset, the usual rituals of concert-going are gently set aside. There is no applause (it’s not allowed), the lighting remains low throughout, and many audience members choose to lie on yoga mats rather than sit in conventional seats. The effect is immediate: expectations shift, and a quiet sense of anticipation takes hold.
Even before the first note sounds, the atmosphere is protected with unusual care. Latecomers are not admitted, ensuring that the immersive quality of the event remains undisturbed. When the doors close and the lights dim, a collective stillness settles over the room.
The conductor, Sam Weller, enters almost imperceptibly—no announcement, no acknowledgment—yet the orchestra is already attuned to his presence. As the lights soften further and he raises his baton, the music begins, and with it, a subtle but powerful transformation: the noise of the outside world recedes, replaced by a shared, inward focus.
In this setting, even the smallest human sounds—a quiet cough, a shift of breath—feel natural rather than intrusive. Instead of distraction, there is a heightened awareness of being part of a collective, listening body.
The program itself is beautifully conceived. Works such as Crystalline by contemporary Australian composer Olivia Davies, Rakastava (The Lovers) by Jean Sibelius, Illumine by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Serenade for Strings by Edward Elgar, On the Nature of Daylight by Max Richter, and Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber span more than a century of music. Yet they are united by a shared aesthetic: a focus on strings, luminous textures, and slow, unfolding lines that seem to suspend time itself.
Rather than showcasing virtuosity or dramatic contrast, these works invite the listener inward. Their long, sustained phrases and gradual harmonic shifts create a sense of spaciousness and calm. The distinctions between pieces blur, and the program unfolds as a single, continuous meditation.
The result is striking. The hour-long performance feels both expansive and fleeting—as though time has stretched and then quietly slipped away. In that stillness, the mind is free to wander, conjuring images, memories, and emotions with unusual clarity.
Weller proves an ideal guide for this sonic journey. His conducting is understated and economical, avoiding any sense of theatricality. From a yoga mat, one glimpses only the occasional gentle gesture—subtle cues that foster a deep sense of unity among the players. The real artistry, clearly, has been forged in rehearsal, where a shared sensitivity and trust have been carefully cultivated.
By the end, there is no need for applause. The silence that follows feels not like an absence, but like a continuation of the experience—a space in which the music lingers.
For those willing to step outside the conventions of the concert hall, the Sanctuary Series offers something uncommon: not just music to hear, but an atmosphere to inhabit. It is, quite simply, an invitation to be still, and in that stillness, to listen more deeply than usual.
Kym Clayton
When: 10 Apr
Where: Grainger Studios
Bookings: Closed
