Shilong presented a wonderful overview of Australian women composers with his program called Her music speaks for Musica da Camera.  I've played lots of music by women composers recently and lots of Australian composers, but not a full program (the closest was one by Sally Greenaway with MdCC a year or two ago).  Some of the composers were on this program, too.  They were Sally ..read more

It was an interlude with friends visiting from Melbourne but surprisingly I found it fascinating.  I hadn't expected it.  This was the Gauguin exhibition at the NGA.  It was big (~140 works), one of which had just been bought for the NGA and from now is his only Australian owned work.  It was intriguing how he worked in so many fields (painting, woodblock and other printing ..read more

Not too many gigs these days but then think quality not quantity (although frequency can also correlate with quality).  But this was a good gig, with James and Mark and me at OCI.  It actually sandwiched my NCO films gig with another at Mercure on Saturday night, so there was at least considerable frequency this week.  Both Tilt gigs were great fun.  At OCI, I got out the ..read more

I was amused just how different were the Wesley concerts of the CGS and CGGS (Canberra [Girls] Grammar School).  The CGGS concert was huge, with a string of performers, with choirs and larger ensembles, and located in the larger Wesley Church venue.   The CGS concert was mostly single or pairs of students with an accompanist performing in the Wesley Concert room ... and with two ..read more

I've always thought myself immune from popularity of film music  I was wrong.  NCO just played a concert of film music in the Snow Concert Hall and I was thrilled by the event and enamoured by the music.  Especially the works of John Williams.  Now along with film music, I remain reticent about going to films so I'd seen just a few of these.  First up Star wars suite.& ..read more

It was Ariana so I fully expected a worthy concert, but this was a doozy.  It was entitled Repeat and the audience got to choose works to play on piano or harpsichord, or to choose the order then to vote for a preferred instrument.  So this was a fascinating comparison of the Yamaha C6 and a well renowned Australian-made harpsichord (forgotten the maker).  The works  were ..read more

In these days of AI and social media stalkers and the rest, it's sad that I can't take a pic of the performers (at least not without permission) but I understand.  Tragic, though.  Instead you have old and new tech with Wesley's decent organ pipes and the newly installed EV PA for the streamed services.  That's modern too, I guess.  But I was there to record the Canberra ..read more

I have great respect for pop music.  I have great respect for prof musos, for their chops, for millitary bands (always capable players), for American music especially of black descent. Maybe not so much for our shared military exploits or that ridiculous subs deal, but let's leave that for now.  I've just seen Hana Hou! USAF Band of the Pacific and they were playing a short gig of ..read more

This was my second hearing of the Canberra Men's Choir and I recognised some of the faces.  It's a non-auditioned choir that meets weekly at the Harmony German Club.  Despite hearing them before and knowing they have very few sopranos (none), I was still surprised by the tone.  There are four sections, ATBB (alto, tenor, baritone, bass), but any song may be sung in 2,3 or 4 parts ..read more

Mereki plays cool, correct, crisp, nicely inventive with beautiful and consistent tones, gorgeous not boisterous.  I once saw Stan Getz and I mentioned him to Mereki and she noted that he's an influence.  I wasn't at all surprised.  Such a lovely tone and such understated but expressive playing!  She was playing at Molly for a Tuesday evening jazz night gig with Michael and ..read more