Latest news
Changing strings – the TSQ disbands and the ASQ is reviewed
As the Tokyo String Quartet continues its final tour before disbanding, the Australian String Quartet gives its last concerts with violinist Anne Horton and cellist Rachel Johnston. Matthew Westwood reports in The Australian that the members of the TSQ “will hand back their instruments – two violins, a viola and cello made by Antonio Stradivari and once…
Ticket Giveaway to The Mahler Chamber Orchestra
There is a chance for readers of SoundsLikeSydney to win a double pass to the Mahler Chamber Orchestra performance on Monday 10th June, 2013, 7 pm at the Sydney Opera House. Daniel Harding will conduct the orchestra with violinist Christian Tetzlaff the soloist. The programme: DEAN Testament BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto SCHUMANN Symphony No.3 Rhenish. To…
Sydney violinist has the best of two worlds
Kirsty Hilton has the best of two very rarefied worlds. As well as being Co-Principal 2nd violin with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, she is also a violinist and sole Australian representative with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, based in Europe and which is soon to tour to Sydney, conducted by Daniel Harding. She has been performing…
The ASQ changes its line up
Earlier this month, it was announced that violinist Anne Horton and cellist Rachel Johnson, will leave the Adelaide based Australian String Quartet after a career of 6 years with the ensemble. The upcoming Schubert tour will be the last for the pair. Their departure follows the departures of violinist Sophie Rowell and violist Sally Boud, to…
Alisa Weilerstein Interview: Learning music from ‘the inside’
It is a dilemma that faces any musician curating a programme for a concert or a recording – what to programme with a work that is so iconic that there is a risk of eclipsing whatever else is presented with it? The Cello Concerto in E minor opus 85, by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) is…
‘Torrid Nature Scenes’ from a composer with ‘a cracking style’
TORRID NATURE SCENES, is an album of chamber works from Australian composer Nicholas Vines which presents a series of musical landscapes that instill both anxiety and ebullience in the listener. Through his innovative use of woodwinds, voice, and chamber ensemble, Vines – lauded for his “crackling style” (NewMusicBox) and called “compellingly original” (Boston Phoenix) and…
Latest reviews
‘Dreamchaser’ reviewed
Sarah Brightman’s eleventh studio album Dreamchaser is a diverse mix of songs which represent well her description as a ‘classical crossover’ artist. The 11 tracks on the CD (Universal 3732715) take in a variety of styles from the more traditional Song of India by Rimsky-Korsakov, and the contemporary minimalism of the Lento è Largo of…
‘Operamania’ reviewed.
Operamania is an opportunity to hear an ensemble of Russian classical performers, doing what they do best. The ensemble of 44 orchestral musicians, conducted by Andrei Lebdev, 10 singers, 4 dancers and a pianist from the Novaya Opera of Moscow presented an evening of Classical and Romantic favourites from opera, ballet and symphonic works. Projected behind them…