The new Magnificals Chamber Orchestra played up a storm

The Magnificals Chamber Orchestra | A Musical Soirée

October 3, 2025, St Stephens Uniting Church, Sydney, NSW

On a lovely spring evening an audience of friends and followers gathered at St Stephens Uniting Church in Macquarie St,  Sydney to hear the magnificent Magnificals Chamber Orchestra perform a musical soirée. The program included many works with piano, featuring a piano concerto for 4 hands and a World Premiere piano concerto, written and performed by Andrei Hadap.

The concept of the Magnificals grew out of pianist Anna Damayanti’s desire to return to performing when her children had grown up sufficiently. She found people with similar experience and interests, which eventually led to the formation of the Magnificals Chamber Orchestra. This was set up as a learning platform for young musicians starting out and older, experienced musicians, particularly mothers, coming back. All cultures and ages are welcome, which was evident in tonight’s performance.

The concert opened with a majestic Concertante, composed by Magnificals member,  Andrei Hadap and inspired by grand Baroque overtures. The interplay and rapport between members of the orchestra was a pleasure to behold, with individual parts contrasting with the full ensemble. Emily Harris, a student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, conducted this joyful piece with elegant expertise.

She then sang Rachmaninov’s Lilacs in a duet  with Angeles Delprato – their beautiful soprano voices accompanied by artistic director, Anna Damayanti, on piano. This is the best known song from of a set composed between 1900 and 1902 with text from a poem by Ekaterina Beketova. It is one of Rachmaninov’s most tender compositions and was performed with delicate intimacy.

Anna was then joined at the piano by Andrei Hadap to play Kozeluch’s Piano Concerto for 4 hands. Kozeluch was a contemporary of Mozart, composing works in the Viennese Classic style, with occasional hints of early Romanticism. With his fashionably simple, galant pieces for amateurs, he was one of the most loved composers in his day. His  Piano Concerto for 4 hands is a delightful and innovative example of the Viennese Classic style. Elegantly conducted by Samuel Joen, the orchestra played an introduction, with the pianists, Anna and Andrei, coming in with perfect co-ordination. Their playing was beautifully articulated. The dreamy Adagio contrasted with the exuberant last movement.

After the Interval, we were treated to the World Premiere of Andrei Hadap’s The Wind’s Lament – A piano Concerto. This work, composed in the Romantic style, musically describes a storm – the first movement, Fury of the Storm, began with ominous sounds till the piano joined in, announcing the storm front. Andrei played his own composition with passion, creating a furious percussive storm in the keyboard. This contrasted with the second movement, Echoes beneath the Moon, which describes the devastation created by the storm, as seen under tranquil moonlight. The music is sad and slow, almost in a state of mourning. This was played with exquisite emotion. The last movement, Dance of the Winds, sees the return of the wind. Announced with the return of ominous rumbling, the stormy winds were expertly portrayed on the piano keyboard by Andrei Hadap. The playing was exuberant, as was that of the orchestra. Andrei’s florid fingerwork perfectly met the challenge he had set himself – he and the orchestra played up a storm!

The audience responded in kind. This was a concert that truly lived up to the mission of  the Magnificals Chamber Orchestra. Everbody played their part. Two people (Samuel Jeon and Emily Harris) had a chance to conduct. Andrei Hadap performed his own composition, Anna Damayanti made her dream come true by performing in public on the piano again. Everybody performed enthusiastically – one could feel the camaraderie between the performers. Magnificals Chamber Orchestra are definitely an orchestra to look out for, especially with their inclusive attitude to different generations and cultures.

Sketches: Heidi Hereth