Concert Review: Dance I Chant Celebrating Ross Edwards/ Sydney Chamber Choir

Dance/Chant Celebrating Ross Edwards Sydney Chamber Choir/ Synergy Percussion  Sam Allchurch, Paul Stanhope, Nicholas Routley, conductors  4 August 2018 City Recital Hall, Sydney Written by Wendy McLeod This concert celebrated the unique voice of composer Ross Edwards as he approaches his 75th birthday in December. The Sydney Chamber Choir gave a mesmerising account of musical vignettes by both Edwards…

Concert Review: Smoke, Glass and Mirrors; Musical Subterfuge/ Twilight Musical Dialogues

  Smoke, Glass and Mirrors; Musical Subterfuge Musical Luminati Series hosted by Twilight Musical Dialogues  3 August 2018 Adamstown Uniting Church, Newcastle Written by Joseph Asquith Smoke, Glass and Mirrors; Musical Subterfuge was the third instalment of the 2018 ‘Musical Luminati’ Series, hosted by Twilight Musical Dialogues and opened the Newcastle Music Festival. The theme of…

Concert Review: Karakorum/ Australian Brandenburg Orchestra

Karakorum Australian Brandenburg Orchestra 25 July 2018 City Recital Hall, Sydney Written by Deen Hamaker   The journey of an itinerant 13th century monk forms the basis of this fascinating syncretic concert that reinterprets the sound world of Medieval Central Asia. Charting William of Rubruck’s journey leaving Constantinople in 1253 across Central Asia to the…

Opera Review: Aida/ Opera Australia

Aida, Opera Australia 18 July, 2018 Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Written by Deen Hamaker Since opera emerged in late 16th century Italy, the art form has frequently been at the forefront of the use of new technology in the theatre. Many theatrical conventions common today, such as sophisticated lighting and complex set changes,…

Concert Review: Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship Final

  The Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship Final Finalists- Shikara Ringdahl-Soprano, Christopher Curcuruto – Bass, Chelsea Dolman-Soprano, Joshua Oxley-Tenor, Morgan England-Jones-Soprano, Olivia Cranwell-Soprano, Jarvis Dams-Baritone and Celeste Haworth- Mezzo soprano and featuring the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stephen Hillinger 15 July, 2018 The Concourse Concert Hall, Chatswood Review by Victoria Watson  The list of…

Album Review: Pastoral Fables – Works For Cor Anglais And Piano/ Oguey And Da Costa/ ABC Classics

Pastoral Fables, a new album from ABC Classics is a collection of eight Romantic works, mostly transcribed by Alexander Oguey for cor anglais and piano, performed by Oguey, cor anglais (Marigaux, Paris) and Neal Peres Da Costa, grand piano (Viennese action grand piano after an 1868 model by J B Streicher and reproduced by Paul McNulty)….

Concert Review: Musical Luminati ‘Bach in the Dark’/ Twilight Musical Dialogues

Twilight Musical Dialogues Musical Luminati ‘Bach in the Dark’ Adamstown Uniting Church Friday June 15th, 2018 Twilight Musical Dialogues hosted the second instalment of its 2018 ‘Musical Luminati’ series entitled ‘Bach in the Dark’. For this concert, flautist Sally Walker was joined by cellist Rachel Scott and featured young artist, oboist Christopher Pantelidis. They presented…

Album Review: Crossing/ Jane Sheldon, Julian Curwin/ Romero Records

The new album Crossing released earlier this month by Australian-American soprano Jane Sheldon and Julian Curwin playing guitar, is an engaging collection of 11 songs composed by the two performers, joined by Shenton Gregory playing the viola and percussionist Jess Ciampa. Made by indie label Romero Records, Crossing contains love songs, a lullaby, an ode…