Monthly Archives: April 2011

Mathisha ponders the joys of chamber music after a busy week at the Musica Viva Festival with mentors from the Goldner String Quartet.

Mathisha gets busy flying to the Queensland Conservatorium, playing in the Musica Viva Festival with some stellar international mentors, and preparing for Sydney Camerata’s Angel Place debut.

Remember a couple of weeks ago, I posted a few choice clips of opera singers essaying the silver screen, and asked you to recommend your own favourites? Well, you delivered, both here and on Facebook, and I’ve finally had the chance to pass a very merry afternoon plugging your suggestions into YouTube to see what we could find.

During the break at the orchestral call yesterday afternoon, a violinist whom I have known for some time and have performed with many times came up to me and said that she wanted to stop and get up halfway through the first chorus to tell everyone how privileged she felt to be playing this music. [...]

All right, my editorial sense tells me I can’t get away with another post about how difficult it is for the newbie to appreciate classical music until I actually listen to some and at least attempt to form an impression of it. Luckily (Limelight editor) Francis Merson passed me a recording of Holst’s The Planets by the London Philharmonic over a delicious lunch of turkey sandwiches and Coke Zeros today, so I have something to work with.

Quick blog today as there are things to do and people to see! The marvelous Sara Macliver has arrived from Perth and we prepare for the first full run at the Opera House. Wish us luck…

I thought I’d take a moment to shed some light on what I’ve been listening to of late, as well as what a few Manhattan residents will hopefully be listening to this Sunday.

With his Sydney Philharmonia Easter performance of St John’s Passion looming, Brett discusses the finer details from the string players’ bowing techniques to the characters’ dramatic and emotional journeys. Plus, the orchestra rehearses in St Mary’s Cathedral.

Monday morning and it has been a big weekend. A huge rehearsal with the chorus on Saturday morning was very fulfilling as we began the process of moving beyond the science of ensemble, intonation and dynamics and started to think about meaning.

A trip down memory lane examining the evolution of the ABC News opening tunes: what journalistic and viewer trends do they reveal?