Music – Reviews Archive

Through a program spanning the Baroque era to the contemporary works of Arvo Pärt, cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and lutenist Thomas Dunford demonstrated the enduring beauty of two of music’s most expressive instruments. Across the evening, the pair transported audiences gathered at Canberra’s …

Ensemble Q’s performance at Sydney Opera House offered a delightful sonic journey that combined energetic modern pieces with some of classical music’s best-known works. Taking place in the intimate Utzon Room, the performance opened with Beethoven’s ‘String Trio No. 3 in C …

Amidst the frost and fog of a July evening, audiences gathered at Canberra Grammar School’s Snow Concert Hall for an immersion in an evening of musical imagination. With the warmth of the hall contrasting against the crisp Canberra air, violinist Leila Josefowicz …

Eager music goers gathered at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct last weekend to revel in the rich sounds of the Baroque era with Gloria! by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. With champagne in hand and Sydney Harbour shimmering in the background, audiences were treated …

On the eve of a blisteringly hot summer’s day, Musica Viva Australia’s A Winter’s Journey is nothing short of transformative.  Its program, Winterreise, one of the world’s most notoriously challenging song cycles, both for the interpreter to perform and the audience to …

Spring heralds a celebratory time, blossoming with new beginnings and hope. Likewise, Bach Akademie Australia’s performance of JS Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos at The Brandenburg Concertos on Saturday November 15 on the Pier is a joyous tribute that opens up the breath of Bach’s …

It is always a challenge to say something new about our favourite piano classics. No matter how brilliant they may be, musicians who choose to perform pieces from this repertoire run the risk of leaving the audience uninspired. But this couldn’t be …

Trio Isimsiz’s performance at the City Recital Hall was a Romantic delight. Though presenting a concise program of only three pieces, the trio managed to pack a musical punch that traversed the highs and lows of emotional extremes. Formed in 2009 at …

Bach Akademie Australia’s performance at the Sydney Opera House happily transported audiences to elegant Baroque ballrooms against the backdrop of Sydney’s Farm Cove. Performed to a crowd of eager music listeners in the Opera House’s Utzon Room, The Art of Violin was …

The Takács Quartet’s performance at Sydney’s City Recital Hall took the audience on a sonic journey through both famous chamber pieces and uncharted contemporary works. Made up of Edward Dusinberre and Harumi Rhodes (violins), Richard O’Neil (viola) and András Fejar (cello), the …