Australia Ensemble UNSW | Dream Tracks Kensington, UNSW, April 10 2021 It was great to be part of the audience for the first concert at the Sir John Clancy Auditorium for over a year and it was fitting that it…
Barry Conyngham’s fascinating, original and engaging new CD
Gardener of Time is a CD recorded at the concert given to celebrate the 75th birthday of Barry Conyngham, the well known Contemporary Australian composer. Barry has a huge list of academic achievements, the most recent being his decade as…
Review: Selby Serves up an Afternoon Feast
Selby & Friends | Exotic Strudel March 14, 2021, Turramurra Turramurra on a wet Sunday afternoon needed some brightness and it certainly received it from Selby & Friends whose latest offering was titled “Exotic Strudel” indicating the origin of the…
Review: KPO’s energy and enthusiasm for Mozart, and more
Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra | Mozart and More March 13, The Concourse, Chatswood PROGRAM Naomi Dodd: Deep Calls To Deep Mozart: Piano Concerto No 23 in A, K488 Stravinsky: Concerto in E flat “Dumbarton Oaks” Mozart: Symphony No 36 “Linz” Covid doesn’t have many…
Review: Timothy Young – Artistic Virtuosity and Devilish Waltzes
Kawai Piano Series 1 | Timothy Young Plays Lizst Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, February 24, 2021 It was a pleasant surprise to hear a recital with an audience, albeit a socially distanced one. Timothy Young is head of the Australian…
Review: ‘Les Illuminations’ of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra
Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra | Illuminate City Recital Hall, 19 February, 2021 Could it really be happening – I was sitting in front of a stage about to hear real live music. Of course absence makes the heart grow…
Review: Hoang Pham’s sensitive recital
Hoang Pham – Sonata Tragica on Melbourne Digital Concert Hall 10/2/2021 Program Liszt – La Leggierezza Liszt – Liebestraum Pham – Nocturne in A Flat Chopin – Nocturne in D Flat, Op 27 No 2 Pham – Lòng Mẹ Pham – Sonata Tragica Liszt – Mephisto Waltz…
CD Review: Lachlan Skipworth’s second album a revelation…
The name Lachlan Skipworth may be as unfamiliar to you as it was to me but it won’t remain so for long. Hailing from Western Australia, where he studied the clarinet, he has immersed himself in advanced musical study and…
Review: Australian Miniseries an oasis in the desert of Covid
Australian Miniseries The Canberra Symphony Orchestra has had the bright idea of publishing a series of 15 vignettes featuring short works for solo instruments, specially composed by different contemporary Australian artists. The “Australian Miniseries” is co-curated by Professor Matthew Hindson…
Selby & Friends telling tales
On first hearing Mozart’s Piano Trio No.5 in C major, K.548 one would be surprised at its date of composition -1788- the same year as his majestic final three symphonies. He would play the late trio at the homes of…
Willoughby Symphony Choir and friends’ massive undertaking of “Ode to Joy” was an impressive success!
It is really refreshing to attend an event featuring an amateur orchestra and choir performing with proceeds going to Indigenous education, and doubly so when the work chosen is none less than Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, a massive undertaking even for full…
Sophie Rowell & Kristian Chong’s immaculate Sydney Mozart Society performance was thoroughly enjoyable
A packed hall at Chatswood Concourse welcomed violinist Sophie Rowell and pianist Kristian Chong, who are no strangers to the Sydney Mozart Society. Sophie won the ABC Young Performers Award in 2000 which gave her the opportunity to play as…
The brilliance of the Sydney Soloists sextet was on full display in their program for the Sydney Mozart Society
Every programme given by the Sydney Mozart Society is carefully thought out in collaboration with the artists. Whether intentional or not, Friday night’s concert was notable for featuring music which to most listeners was to some extent unfamiliar. The performing…
Willoughby Symphony’s “Enigma” a night to remember
There can scarcely be a piece of music about which more has been written and postulated than Elgar’s Enigma Variations, which gave the title to Sunday afternoon’s concert by the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra. Like so many famous works, it came…
Selby & Friends provided a vivid evening of Beethoven for the Sydney Mozart Society
The latest Sydney Mozart Society concert was cleverly timed to coincide with the opening of Vivid Chatswood but, fortunately, although the visual aspect was welcoming, we were insulated from the sound effects. On this occasion, Kathryn Selby continued her well-established…
Goldner String Quartet’s mastery was on full display throughout Sydney Mozart Society’s imaginative programme
Why is it that the sound of the Goldner String Quartet is so distinctive? Certainly there is their perfect timing and intonation but there is more than that. I feel sure that I could pick their playing from ten recordings…
Sydney Youth Orchestra’s performance gave enjoyment in spades
Sydney Youth Orchestras comprises no less than fourteen orchestras embracing ages from 6 to 25 years, with students progressing with experience and being directed to areas to suit their individual talents. They have provided this essential function in New South…
Ku-ring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra’s intriguing and innovative programme works a treat!
What a transformation there has been in the Ku-ring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra. Gone are the creaky strings and hesitant woodwind entries resulting in an efficient and accurate unit. Perhaps its new principal home in the expanse of Chatswood Concourse has helped…