For audiences opening the Under the Canopy program, Alexandra Partridge will be a familiar face. Although currently on maternity leave following the birth of her daughter earlier this year, the much-loved MCO cellist appears on the cover of the program, a reflection of the important place she holds within the ensemble and its community.
Ahead of Under the Canopy, Aly sat down with us to reflect on music, parenthood, belonging and what it means to remain connected to the orchestra during a different season of life.
Although Aly did not grow up in a family of musicians, music was a constant presence at home. Her father, she says, was “an absolute encyclopaedia of classical music knowledge”.
“I could hum a vague melody line and he’d be able to tell you exactly which piece it was, which movement, what year it was written, its opus number, key, everything,” she recalls. “Then he’d launch into an anecdote about one of the ten recordings he owns of it by different ensembles.”
Her father helped nurture her love of classical music. Her mother supported the daily realities of learning an instrument: lessons, travel, camps and the encouragement needed to keep practising.
“She drove me to all my lessons which were over an hour away, took me to band camps all around New Zealand, and kept encouraging me to practise after school,” Aly says. “The biggest feat for a 14-year-old girl who probably would have preferred to go to the movies with friends. Thanks Mum.”
After studying with some wonderful teachers in New Zealand, Aly moved to Melbourne to study with Howard Penny at the Australian National Academy of Music. Apart from a memorable year in Japan as a member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Orchestra, Melbourne quickly became home.
Her first experience with MCO came while studying at ANAM, when William Hennessy invited her to play with the orchestra. It was an introduction not only to the musical standards of the ensemble, but also to the culture that sits behind it.
“It was such a huge learning experience and gave me a taste of the standard, commitment and professionalism required at that level,” she says.
What stayed with her was not only the artistic standard, but the warmth around it. “There is of course a top level of musical excellence, but also genuine warmth and collaboration,” Aly says. “It’s been such a joy to return more regularly over recent years, and working with Sophie Rowell is always a huge buzz. She really brings so much energy, generosity and vision to everything she does.”
Those qualities have become even more meaningful this year. While Aly is currently away from the stage, she remains closely connected to the orchestra, its musicians and the wider MCO family.
“It’s incredibly special,” she says of being featured on the cover of the program. “Navigating parenthood and stepping back from performing temporarily hasn’t diminished how connected I feel to the MCO family and to my instrument, Bernie. To still be included and recognised in this way feels very meaningful.”
For Aly, that recognition reflects something deeper about the organisation itself.
“It speaks to the culture within the organisation that musicians are people first, with lives and families beyond the stage.”
Parenthood has also reshaped the way she thinks about music and creative life. Her daughter is approaching five months old, and the adjustment has brought new perspectives on time, focus and priorities.
“It’s definitely taught me that time flies by in a blink,” Aly says. “Now that I don’t have as many hours of luxurious time to practise, I have to be much more efficient in the way I approach and learn new music. I was already a pretty decent multitasker, but parenthood has taken it to a new level.”
When she reflects on her time with MCO, certain performances stand out. Lior’s To Be Human, performed in 2023, remains especially vivid.
“He’s such a beautiful songwriter, and the work he created with Ade Vincent was incredibly moving,” she says. “It was one of those pieces that stays with you and I hope to play again one day.”
Another highlight was performing with Li-Wei Qin in Musette.
“His Haydn was so gorgeous, and it was my first time hearing Jean Françaix’s Variations de Concert, an incredible showpiece that he performed flawlessly. I loved every concert.”
Yet it is not only the performances she remembers most fondly. Like many MCO musicians, Aly values the relationships and experiences that surround the music itself.
“There are of course all the other moments,” she says. “The laughter in rehearsals, time spent on the road touring with your friends, and having a wine with lovely audience members and supporters after concerts. They’re the moments that remind me why I love making music in this more intimate setting.”
Aly is looking forward to returning to the stage later this year, beginning with her next MCO appearance in September. She is realistic about the practical challenges, particularly with a husband who is also a full-time musician, but her enthusiasm is clear.
“I’m actually really looking forward to getting back into technical shape and onto the stage,” she says. “I miss that unique sense of connection with colleagues, many of whom I’m lucky enough to call friends, and of course with audiences too.”
It is a simple observation, but it captures something important about MCO. The organisation is built not only on artistic excellence, but on relationships that endure through different stages of life. Musicians step away, return, grow and change. The connection remains.
By Dr Samuel Cairnduff