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Vale Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar, the man who introduced Indian classical music and its instruments to the western world, died earlier this week in the US. He formed never before contemplated collaborations with musicians from The Beatles to Yehudi Menuhin, Andre Previn to Philip Glass, John Coltrane and Jean-Pierre Rampal. The three times Grammy award winner is the…
David Paul Landa piano scholarship winner announced
Pianist Young Kwon Choi has been awarded the 2012 biennial Albert Paul Landa Scholarship. In a small ceremony at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, presented by Musica Viva, the CEO Mary Jo Capps made the award on behalf of the NSW Government. The award of $25,000 is a travelling scholarship in memory of the…
Vale Galina Vishnevskaya – a link to history
The death was announced yesterday of Russian soprano Galina Vishnenskaya. She was 86. It is the end of an era. Married to the iconic cellist Msitislav Rostropovich from 1955 until his death in 2007, she was part of a circle of artists who included Britten, Shostakovich and Solzhenitsyn. Both Britten and Shostakovich wrote especially for her – the glorious…
Birth centenary brings renaissance for Glanville-Hicks’ legacy
The approaching birth centenary of Peggy Glanville-Hicks has raised little interest or pride in the mainstream music community. However, one person keeping her legacy alive is the executor of her estate, Shane Simpson who plans to re-open Glanville-Hicks’ recently renovated Paddington Terrace as a residence for composers. Conductor Jennifer Condon has dedicated most of her short working life to…
The colours of the string quartet – Elena Kats-Chernin talks about ‘Blue Silence’
Elena Kats-Chernin says she has been told she can write no more works for String Quartet. She displays a mischievous pleasure at my alarm. The Sydney composer has recently released a recorded collection of her ‘complete’ works for string quartet, entitled Blue Silence. ‘Complete’ to date, and therefore the end of a chapter. “But it’s only the…
‘Voice from Assisi’ CD giveaway
There are three copies of Friar Alessandro’s new CD release Voice from Assisi from Universal Records to be won, just in time for Christmas – spoil yourself, or someone else! Read our review of the Voice from Assisi How to enter: email [email protected] by 5 pm on Friday 7th December 2012 with subject heading please enter ‘Voice’. Winners will be…
Latest reviews
The ACO’s Mozart, Haydn and Dean
The Australian Chamber Orchestra has combined the music of Mozart and Haydn with a new commission by Brett Dean in its latest programme. Peter McCallum reviews the concert for the Sydney Morning Herald: Click here to read.
‘Villazon Verdi’ – more than opera
Mexican-born tenor Rolando Villazon’s return to singing after a hiatus due to throat surgery has been welcomed by his followers. After an absence of some three years from the recording scene, Villazon has released a solo CD Villazon Verdi singing the repertoire he does best. Released in November 2012. (DG 477 9460), the studio recording was made in Milan…