And, when one is the artistic director of a jewel like the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, it's really only a matter of holding that jewel up to the light to show off a new facet. Or, as is the case with the 2017 season, launched last week, several facets.

"We're revealing different aspects of the possibilities of what an orchestra can mean for society," Milton says.

For starters, there's the usual Llewellyn Series – one of the orchestra's most popular – but this year with a twist. There are four programs with a diverse repertoire, and the added pathos of the first instalment, on March 29, leading with a work by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, a composer who died in late July, after the program was decided and the season launch program printed.

"He's a most important Finnish composer, and this performance here in our first concert will probably be the first major performance in Australia since [his] death," Milton says.

The work – Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra), ties in nicely with another work in the program, Beethoven's Symphony No.6 in F major, "Pastoral". The program will feature one of Australia's foremost musicians, Daniel de Borah, on piano. The three subsequent programs, feature conductor Stanley Dodds and the newly appointed principal cellist at the Sydney Symphony Umberto Clerici, in May; Hector McDonald, "one of the two greatest horn players this country has ever produced", who grew up in Canberra and has had a long career with the Vienna Symphony, and is returning to his hometown especially for this concert in August; and wunderkind violinist Harry Bennetts in the Llewellyn Series finale in November.

But unlike in previous seasons, each soloist will, in the days leading up to each concert, perform an intimate recital in the Larry Sitsky Recital Room, with an individually selected one-hour program of works.

"It's a chance to get up close and personal with the soloist, as a way of intensifying the experience," says Milton.

"[It's in] an intimate place for us to have a completely different experience, and that ties in with the whole season revealing more possibilities with the orchestra, revealing new aspects."

Another new feature in next year's season will be the obvious pairing of art and music, this time in the form of three concerts of cutting-edge Australian works performed at the National Portrait Gallery. The program has been curated by Australian composer and head of the Sydney Conservatorium Matthew Hindson – one of the greatest composers this country has produced, according to Milton.

"His music is obviously brilliant and thrilling and exciting, and he's really in a perfect position to know what's going on in Australian composition, all over the country," he says.

"He has fingers on the pulse of Australian music and to have someone like him negotiate this series – he's already in the process of putting together the program." Tickets to these performances will also include private, out-of-hours viewing of whichever shows are on at the gallery at the time.

"There'll be young composers featured in this Australian series that are getting massive exposure at the National Portrait Gallery," Milton says.

In the Saturday Series, the popular Shell Prom Picnic Concert this year features Canberra-based guitar quartet Guitar Trek, marking its 30th anniversary, and conducted by ABC broadcaster Graham Abbott.

"There's really only one work composed for four guitars and orchestra, and one rarely gets the chance to hear that work," says Milton.

His particular pride and joy is the opera gala, in July, which will feature international opera stars from the Saarbrucken State Opera House, which Milton leads when he's not in Canberra.

"Australia and Germany enjoy long-standing cultural links … Both countries are vibrant cultural centres, with Australia displaying a modern sensibility along with our unique Indigenous heritage, and Germany acknowledged as one of the world's leading locations for innovation and excellence in cultural pursuits," he says.

As such, this collaboration has been a timely and efficient way to ferment ties between the two countries.

Changing the pace will be October's Matinee Magic, with a deliciously low-down Vegas theme, starring Rhonda Burchmore and Andy Seymour – as in, bright lights, limos and sparkly dresses, all evoking the ring-a-ding-ding of Ol' Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Bring it on, CSO!

Canberra's glitziest night-life is, of course, far more sophisticated and high-brow than Vegas. Think Hotel Hotel and Monster Bar, which will be the setting for this year's Strings in the Salon, the seasonal afternoon performances by CSO musicians through summer and spring. The food and wine will, of course, be matched to the music. Take that, Sinatra.

In fact, take that world; Milton describes the CSO's success in the past five years as something of a "snowball", as audiences have become more engaged and the programs become ever more eclectic.

"The potential for further growth is limitless, because we're serving a big community and there's really no end to our vision," he says.

"It's a golden era in its existence."

See cso.org.au for more information.