‘mozart’s sister’

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had an older sister, Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia. Nicknamed “Nannerl”,  she was 5 years older than him, and by all accounts, as talented a musician.  How she came to be eclipsed by her younger brother is the topic of this latest cinematic release opening in Sydney this week. Was he just too precocious,…

2011 Helpmann Awards nominees

Here’s the link to the full list of nominees for the 2011 Helpmann Awards tobe annouced at the Sydney Opera Hosue on August 1st. http://www.helpmannawards.com.au/site/_content/document/00000183-source.pdf

Special Offer on mozart at the city recital hall

The City Recital Hall has a special offer on A reserve tickets to The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s Mozart Tempest, with solo fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout. (see SoundsLikeSydney post on Kristian Bezuidenhout). Programme: Mozart: Symphony No. 25 in G minor K. 183 Mozart: Rondo for Fortepiano K. 382 Mozart: Overture to Betulia Liberata K.118 Mozart: Piano Concerto…

Vexations 840 – a brave new venture

Vexations 840 is about pushing boundaries. Giving a new enterprise this name may seem like asking for trouble, but the people behind this venture are inviting challenge. One of these is Lyle Chan, music producer and composer who describes Vexations 840 as “a classical music enterprise” that will speak to core classical audiences.  Vexations 840…

Sir Charles Mackerras honoured in london

It’s nearly a year since the death of Sir Charles Mackerras, (17.11.25 – 14.7.10), a towering figure in the world of music whose career extended through live and recorded performances, operatic, choral and orchestral repertoire, who mentored numerous emerging talents and who was much loved by all with whom he worked. He left an incomparable…

What was the name of that track again….?

How often do you have a tune going around in your head that you know SO well…but you just can’t put a name to it.  This amazing website could put an end to your sleepless nights…. The Multimedia Library’s Electronic Dictionary of Musical Themes created by Harold Barlow and Sam Morgenstern – lets you key in the…

The living violin

Concerto writing for the violin in the 21st century is alive and well with the works of these celebrated living composers listed by Gramophone magazine. http://gramophone.co.uk/editorial/ten-violin-concertos-by-living-composers …and as a sequel to its list of 21st century violin concerti, Gramophone magazine nominates its list of  top 10 20th century violin concerti. http://gramophone.co.uk/editorial/top-ten-20th-century-violin-concertos

Intervalic interventions

A tried and true approach to accurate sight singing is to become familiar with the first two notes of  well known pieces of music and commit them to your accoustic memory.  When you need to, recall the tune you learnt and hear the interval in your mind the next time you have to sing it. Compiling your list of tunes could be a…

NSW Doctors’ orchestra feels the beat

Dr Clare Skinner works in the Emergency Department of Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital. She also plays the oboe and once a year joins around 60 other medicos from around the state to indulge their passion for music, performing as the NSW Doctors’ Orchestra. The proceeds go to the charities related to music and medicine.  She tells…