Latest news
Victorian Pianist wins Sydney Eisteddfod Piano Scholarship
Twenty-four-year-old Victorian pianist Konrad Olsezewski has taken out the prestigious $10,000 Allison/Henderson Sydney Eisteddfod Piano Scholarship with a winning performance, Konrad played the Piano Sonata No 2 in B-flat minor, Opus 36, (1st version) by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Konrad recently completed a Bachelor of Music with Honours at the University of Melbourne and is now studying for a…
Now its opera under the water
Sydney presented opera on the harbour. Now German soprano Claudia Herr presents the world premiere of her vocal work under the waters of the river Elbe in Dresden. The performance commemorates the devastating floods that hit Saxony 10 years ago. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19215589 http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/__pr/P__Wash/2012/08/09ElbeOpera.html
BBC Music magazine looks at opera’s 20-20
BBC Music magazine turns 20 next month and to mark the occasion, has collected images from 20 outstanding opera productions over the past 20 years. Take a look at this intriguing picture gallery – and to add some spice, hide the caption and try to guess the opera, the production, the year and the singers….
Monteverdi meets the marimba
When Synergy Percussion under its Artistic Director Timothy Constable presents Masterpieces of Time, later this August, some of the music performed will pre-date by centuries, the instruments on which it will be performed. Herr Bach, Monsieur Couperin and Mr Handel will meet the marimba, vibraphones, bells, gongs, mechanical music boxes, prepared piano and steel drums. It doesn’t make the original versions obsolete, but…
From the press: Elitism in classical music and a new book on conductors
Two features from The New Statesman – the first on elitism in classical music, and the second, a review of a new book Music as Alchemy by Tom Service, The Guardian’s music writer, examining the careers of six conductors and their orchestras: http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/music-and-performance/2012/07/classical-music-should-be-about-more-elite-parties-and-private-s http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/culture/2012/07/music-alchemy-review
Hot off the press….music news from around the nation
Tired of the sporting hoop-la? Take some time out with this swag of links to news on recent events in the music life of the nation: Exciting developments as the Sydney Symphony expands its cultural reach into China: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/guangzhou-base-bid-to-cement-sso-in-region/story-fn9d2mxu-1226438930225 Peter McCallum reviews Amaracord for the Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/high-and-lows-of-love-and-death-in-voice-20120731-23crx.html From Adelaide, Graham Strahle reviews the Adelaide…
Latest reviews
Aida reviewed
Opera Australia’s production of Verdi’s Aida, conducted by Arvo Volmer and directed and choreographed by Graeme Murphy has opened in Sydney. Peter McCallum reviews it for the Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/murphys-grand-design-a-triumph-in-a-tight-space-20120718-22alj.html
The ACO with Ashkar and Dean
Harriet Cunningham reviews the ACO’s Trout Quintet/Quartet for the End of Time concert: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/urgent-intense-and-inspirational-20120715-223zx.html