The SSO’s chief conductor chats to Limelight’s Editor Clive Paget about the thrills and spills of the year ahead.

One of the pleasures of having had a Guest Editor on a magazine like Limelight is the chance to build a deeper relationship with a musician and gain insights into what makes them tick. Having the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s David Robertson on board for this year’s June issue was a unique opportunity to collaborate with one of the sharpest and most exploratory musical minds on the planet – and it was an equal joy to discover quite how generous he is with his time, how broad his interests really are, and what a thoughtful and self-effacing man he genuinely is. All of which were demonstrated once again as he and I caught up for a chat about the thinking behind the SSO’s 2016 programme and the pleasures in store for Sydneysiders in what promises to be a fascinating and eclectic season.

The extraordinary Bryce Canyon

We start by ‘nerding out’ on an intriguing Messaien project (one of my personal favourite composers and clearly a Roberston speciality). I’ve never heard...