Australian Chamber Choir | A Ceremony of Carols Sunday 11 December, 2022, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Middle Park Douglas Lawrence - musical director Melina van Leeuwen – harp soloist It is Christmas time and carols are everywhere! They seem as ever present as the...
Articles + Reviews By Alan Holley
CD Review: Lyrebird Brass | Tonnerre de Brass
Lyrebird Brass | Tonnerre de Brass Common Tone Records, 2022 A CD made in Melbourne of obscure, dare I say, even on the edge of unknown Belgium, Dutch and French composers may seem a little odd but the works recorded here show interest and the performances by the...
Coro Austral’s simple melody, harmony and rhythm shines
Coro Austral | O Magnum Mysterium 27 November, 2022, St Joseph’s Church, Rozelle Margot McLaughlin - director There is a great tradition of non-professional choirs in Sydney and it seems to me that over the last 30 years or so there has been a growth in the number of...
CD Review: Nick Russoniello | The Golden Age Project Album
Nick Russoniello + The Golden Age Quartet | The Golden Age Project Nick Russoniello - saxophones Rachael Beesley and Julia Russoniello - violins Stephan Duwe - viola Teije Hyklema - cello Ella Brinch - viola Paul Stender - cello Da Vinci Classics record label -...
Grazie Bach Akademie Australia! Just perfect
Bach Akademie Australia | Grazie in Grazia Sunday 13 November, 2022, Our Lady of Dolours, Chatswood Madeleine Easton – director Susannah Lawergren – Soprano Brianna Louwen – Soprano Hannah Fraser – Alto Stephanie Dillon – Alto Richard Butler – Tenor Koen Van Stade –...
MSO: Stunning solos and a world premiere for Eötvös
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra | Debussy's Nocturnes: Darkness and Light October 13, 2022, Hamer Hall, Melbourne Nodoka Okinawa - conductor Yinuo Mu - harp Upper voices of the MSO chorus Descending multiple sets of escalators to reach the stalls of the Hamer Hall, and...
Grunstein – a pianist who revels in colour and expression
Sarah Grunstein | A piano recital Thursday, September 22, 2022 | Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House PROGRAM Beethoven: Sonata in D minor, Op. 31. No. 2, Tempest Beethoven: Sonata in C# minor, Op. 27, No. 2, Moonlight Schumann: Fantasie in C major, Op. 17 A sold out...
CD Review: Stuart Greenbaum | A Trillion Miles of Darkness
David Griffiths (clarinet) Timothy Young (piano) Ken Murray (guitar) CD released by ABC Classics If you were reviewing a CD of Beethoven Piano Sonatas or a CD of Brahms chamber music all the attention would be on the performers and not the composer but when a CD is by...
Pidcock and van der Struik – sheer musical brilliance
St Stephens Friday Music September 9, 2022 Gregory van der Struik - trombone Christopher Pidcock – cello In a city with hundreds of topline professional musicians it is surprising that only a small number continue to pursue concerts where they perform solo works and...
Halcyon’s 13 new Australian compositions for voice and cello
Halcyon | After Dark Saturday Sept 10, Summer Hill Church Jenny Duck-Chong - mezzo-soprano James Larsen - cello In a concert of 13 new Australian compositions for voice and cello this review will necessarily be brief about some of the works. Some of the music was...