News

Mario Lanza’s classics revived by Joseph Calleja

  Tenor Joseph Calleja has turned his magnificent voice to recording the songs of Mario Lanza. Called Be My Love – A tribute to Mario Lanza, it’s the 4th solo CD for the 34 year old Maltese born lyric tenor. Due for release in mid-September under the Decca label, the music on the CD is inspired by the…

Tuning a piano is good for your brain

  Having reported recently that an increasing number of pianos (in the US at least) are being dumped ( https://www.soundslikesydney.com.au/news/free-to-a-good-home-when-pianos-pass-their-use-by-date/8789.html), and that Australia is suffering a lack of piano tuners and training facilities for  them, (https://www.soundslikesydney.com.au/news/australia-out-of-tuners/9084.html) research has proven that working and training as a piano tuner produces specific adaptations in brain function that relate to the…

Sir Simon Rattle on ten years with the Berlin Philharmonic.

  Ten years after Sir Simon Rattle began his tenure with the Berlin Philharmonic, he speaks to Ivan Hewitt of The Telegraph about  the last decade …and that unforgettable moment when he shared the stage with the infamous Mr Bean. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/9492893/Simon-Rattle-interview-of-course-the-orchestra-is-stroppy.html

ACO 2013 season announced

The Australian Chamber Orchestra has just announced its 2013 season. Andreas Scholl sings Vivaldi, Barry Humphries presents music from Berlin, Martin Fröst  plays Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and Patricia Kopatchinskaja guest directs from the violin. There’s music by Brahms, Brett Dean, Ginastera and Rautavaara in the mix. More at: http://www.aco.com.au/buy/subscriptions?utm_source=mail2&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Announcing2013season

Ticket giveaway to Selby and friends

  Selby and Friends present A Feast of Rarities featuring quartets by Mozart, Dvorak, Mahler and Stanhope. They are offering two double passes to each of their concerts in Turramurra (Sunday Sept 2nd 2 pm) and the City Recital Hall (Tuesday 4th September at 7pm) to readers of SoundsLikeSydney. If you’d like to be in the running…

Australia out of tune(rs)

Some weeks ago we posted the link to a feature in the New York Times bout the destruction of pianos that no-one wanted to keep or maintain. Now the Sydney Morning Herald reports on a rapidly diminishing skill base of piano tuners. http://www.smh.com.au/national/scaled-back-dying-skill-a-note-of-concern-for-pianists-20120824-24rxj.html

Spectrum: creative collaboration realised

  London based pianist Zubin Kanga presented his recital Spectrum to an admiring and dedicated audience at the Independent Theatre in North Sydney recently. I was fortunate to speak with Zubin Kanga after the concert to reflect on its content and creation – a process substantially more enlightening than a preview or critique. Kanga performed 7 works…

Opera Australia launches into 2013

  The anticipation was palpable as Opera Australia announced its 2013 season in the opera theatre of the Sydney Opera House today. Glittering in more ways than one, Taryn Fiebig and the ensemble whetted appetites with a larger than life rendition of Quando m’en vo from the video of the 2010 production of La Boheme, projected onto…

Anthony Albrecht ‘s Juilliard Journey

  For Sydney cellist Anthony Albrecht, life is about to undergo an irreversible change. In a few weeks he leaves Australia, to undertake a Master’s degree in historical performance at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. “I’m just trying to become an adaptable Renaissance cellist who is capable of performing at the highest…