BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE A few years ago, Australian pianist Andrew Rumsey took an overnight train to Melbourne. He had no idea that this trip would land him in the right place, at the right time — and that it would inspire him to launch a new business bringing a rare instrument to the country. Andrew and his family founded Harmony Harp to introduce the Veeh Harp to players and listeners in Australia. The German stringed instrument was invented to make music more accessible: its designer Hermann Veeh spent years creating prototypes before finalising a harp that Andrew explains could be “played by ..read more

BY DIANA TOLMIE, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY See the word “musician” on a resume and you might not immediately think “stellar employee” or “exceptional leader”. Perhaps the word evokes the image of a rock star, in trouble for chucking a television out of a hotel room window. Or else someone struggling along in life, who should have picked a “real job”. But is there more to the profession than meets the stereotype? It is well known many musicians work simultaneously in arts and non-arts roles, often to create some income security. Less understood is just how well the extensive skillset developed in mu ..read more

BY CUTCOMMON Christoffer Sundqvist is a leader in his field. As a soloist, he’s performed with the world’s major orchestras. As a member of the orchestra, he takes the role of principal clarinet with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. As an educator, he teaches clarinet from Helsinki to Australia. But as a chamber musician, Christoffer prefers to take a step back from the limelight, becoming just one of the talented artists who will perform with Australian National Academy of Music players. Because to Christoffer, “in chamber music, everyone’s voice is unique and important”. Christoffer i ..read more

BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE The name of Andrea Lam’s concert is amusingly candid. Why would you want to listen to a program filled with Sad Piano music? Funnily enough, the pianist reckons that’s exactly what you want to hear. And she’s right: open a streaming platform, and you’ll find endless albums and playlists with the term ‘sad piano’ in their titles. The surprising popularity of this genre is one reason Andrea has curated a program of solo works to celebrate the theme. The other reason is that Andrea loves sad piano music, too. “Whenever I’m by myself and with the piano, and I sit down and pla ..read more

CONTENT COURTESY PIANO+ Back by popular demand, Grammy-nominated Korean pianist Joyce Yang returns to Australia this 10-14 May, kicking off Piano+’s must-see 2024 International Recital Series, featuring four of the world’s leading international piano superstars.    Renowned for her extraordinary range, Yang was described as a “A knockout” by The New York Times, and lauded by the Washington Post for her “poetic and sensitive pianism”. Yang’s tour of the East Coast will feature a program of works by Tchaikovsky (selections from The Seasons, Op. 37a), Rachmaninoff ..read more

BY LILY BRYANT Writing in the last few months of his life, it’s likely Franz Schubert knew he would never hear his majestic String Quintet in C Major performed. In the final months of 1828, the great composer was bedridden, having finished the most monumental works of his career. He had expressed fears that his long-term ill health was further deteriorating, showing signs of mercury poisoning. Five days before his death, he would be visited by a string quartet of friends, who would grant him a final musical wish and perform at his bedside. He would have been able to smell the rosin on the bow ..read more

BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE When was the last time you performed a gig, or taught a student how to play that challenging piece they’re working on? When was the last time you practised a scale, or sent an email about your next project? As arts industry workers, it can feel like we’re constantly on the go. But here’s a question that might yield a more confronting response: When was the last time you stopped, sat down with a cuppa, and spent a decent amount of time just checking in with yourself? Classical musician and arts industry mentor Susan Eldridge wants you to do exactly that — and she’s written ..read more

BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE Some of my best musical memories have been with the Australian Youth Orchestra. I took part in the Words About Music program, and it’s where I met a bunch of like-minded musicians who have gone on to become impressive leaders in their fields (and great friends, too). Coming from lutruwita/Tasmania — an island where everyone knows everyone — I found it eye-opening to be part of such an epic community of young musicians launching their Australian arts industry careers, all at the same time and with equal passion. My time with AYO was in Canberra, and I brought that inspirat ..read more

BY MIRANDA ILCHEF, LEAD WRITER Over the past decade, Baroque repertoire has made quite a resurgence in Australia’s orchestral programming. As a violinist, I feel fortunate that my development as a musician was timed perfectly with this explosion of interest in music from the 17th and 18th centuries, and with historically informed performance in general. While winding up my tertiary studies, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to the wealth of knowledge and expertise that our country’s finest historical performance experts have to offer. One of these experts was Erin Helyard, who I first met ..read more

CONTENT COURTESY SARAH GRUNSTEIN Internationally acclaimed Australian pianist Sarah Grunstein will premiere at the Melbourne Recital Centre in March, followed by an eagerly anticipated return to the Sydney Opera House in April 2024. While Grunstein is distinguished for her interpretation of Bach’s works, the praise she has received is not limited to her performances of Bach. Grunstein’s playing recalls the intimate and poetic performance styles of the early 20th-Century English piano giants Harold Samuel and Dame Myra Hess.  Both of her Sydney and Melbourne recitals feature a p ..read more