How It All Began: Nicholas Routley On The Sydney Chamber Choir
A decade after Nicholas Routley, the founding director of the Sydney Chamber Choir has left the ensemble he created, there is still a powerful nexus between them. Talking about the choir’s upcoming 40th anniversary concert this weekend, which he will conduct, Nicholas Routley muses “I don’t know whether to say ‘we’ or ‘they’ since I…
Ashkenazy Follows The Path Of Jean Sibelius.
If you’re wondering what Vladimir Ashkenazy – one of Sydney’s favourite musicians – has been up to since leaving the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, here’s news of one of his projects: earlier this year, he journeyed to Finland to make a film, Vladimir Ashkenazy on the Path of Jean Sibelius, with the Philharmonia Orchestra of which he…
Queen’s Birthday Honours For Opera Singers
Huge congratulations to opera singers soprano Cheryl Barker and baritone Peter Coleman-Wright for being awarded honours in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2015. Ms Barker was made an Officer (AO) in the General Division “for distinguished service to the performing arts as an operatic soprano, as a mentor and role model, and through fundraising support…
Barenboim Performs Schubert Cycle On A Piano He Co-Designed
This week pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim has been appearing in four concerts at London’s Royal Festival Hall, performing the complete piano sonatas (11 of them – from memory) of Franz Schubert. What makes this series even more special is that Mr Barenboim has been performing on piano that he has co-designed and which took 4,000…
Australian Youth Orchestra Calls For Applications
The Australian Youth Orchestra invites applications from Australia’s most talented pre-professional musicians to participate in prestigious national and international musical programs offered by the AYO in 2016. The AYO runs innovative musical programs for musicians aged 12-30, and is an internationally recognised orchestral training-ground. Applications open 25 May and close on 12 June. Each year…
The Art Of Listening
A really important feature from the Editor of Gramophone, Martin Cullingford on the importance of listening to music: “The art of sitting, concentrating and listening to something long-form and complex is an increasingly alien experience. And unless people develop that skill, classical music will face an uphill struggle. “ Click here to read the feature…
“I Get To Sing!” – Samuel Sakker On Being A Young Artist At Covent Garden
When SoundsLikeSydney spoke to Samuel Sakker in London, the young tenor was en route to just another day at work. For him, this entails an hour’s journey, leaving home at 7.30 in the morning and arriving at the hallowed portals of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in time for 9 o’clock. Last year,…
Carl Vine AO Appointed Patron Of Taikoz And Synergy
Carl Vine AO has been appointed Patron of drumming ensemble Taikoz and of percussion ensemble Synergy. Carl Vine is one of Australia’s best known and frequently composers. He is also Artistic Director of Musica Viva, The Huntington Music Festival and a Senior Lecturer in Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He has enjoyed…
Zubin Kanga Duels With His Dual: Dark Twin – Music Of Mystery And Multiplicity
The title of the concert programme is enigmatic and irresistibly inviting – Dark Twin- music of mystery and multiplicity for piano and multimedia – a recital by London based Australian pianist Zubin Kanga, for the innovative combination of piano, electronics and video. Speaking to SoundsLikeSydney in Sydney, Zubin says “it is all about the interaction…