Music Education &
Performing Arts Consultant
There are a number of aspects which make this disc intriguing. Firstly, it’s exotic musical artistry, as it blends influences of Arabic, Spanish, and world musics with, at times, a sense of classical technique, is an aural delight. Secondly, we hear two pairs of brothers combining their passion for music in an extraordinarily creative outpouring. … Read more
This stunning 2 CD set captures the passion of one of Australia’s very finest composers, Richard Mills as he conducts the MSO in four of his major orchestral works from the last 22 years. Distinguished for his operatic output (Batavia, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, and Love of the Nightingale), Mills’s engagement of the listener … Read more
Richard Strauss’ writing for orchestra and soprano is relentlessly passionate. It is a musical palette, which shows the influence of Schumann, Wagner and Liszt. Yet, it is highly personal. He was deeply in love with singing and the human voice. Afterall, he married a soprano, Pauline de Ahna (in May 1894). The three songs Morgen! … Read more
Sixteen diverse and uplifting tracks of choral music, sung by one of the premier male choral ensembles in Australia, should be in the CD collection of all interested in great choral music. Based in Brisbane, the Birralee Blokes, directed by the inspiring Paul Holley, is a group which has come to national attention through the … Read more
There is something comforting about singing Carols at Christmas time. It helps to remind us of the true message of the Christmas story. After surveying readers of Limelight magazine, ABC Classics has put together a quality disc of carols, in fact the top 20. It should come as little surprise then, that Franz Gruber’s immortal … Read more
Attracting large audiences right around the country, Scotland the Brave (the show) has been captured on CD and DVD for enthusiasts to relive the spectacle again and again. Whilst these recordings were from a live concert at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane last year, the spirit of Scotland is strongly evident, being based … Read more
This compilation of some of the great moments in opera came about from the ABC Classic FM segment of the same name and its presenter, Emma Ayres, who through her own inimitable wit seeks to “explain’ or help listeners through the complexities of operatic plots. Ayres reveals a unique take on the onstage antics of … Read more
ISBN 978 1 86367644 1 (Bk 1); 978 1 8637 645 8 (Bk 2); 978 1 86367 646 5 This innovative series of three beginner piano books, the latest in the AMEB’s catalogue, are in the words of the consulting editor, Elissa Milne, “not designed to replace the books you are using now, but … Read more
John Cargher (1919-2008) presented Singers of Renown on ABC Radio National for 42 years. In all that time, he never missed a weekly programme. If travelling, for example, extra shows would be prepared in advance. He even managed one from a hospital bed when recovering from a broken bone! One of the programme’s great attributes was not … Read more
The typical elements of Spanish music, its rhythms, instrumentation and unique melodic lines, are most engagingly presented here by one of Australia’s most successful chamber ensembles, the Southern Cross Soloists (comprising Tania Frazer (oboe), Paul Dean (clarinet), Leesa Dean (bassoon), Peter Luff (horn), Kevin Power (piano) and Margaret Schindler (soprano). They have infused passion and … Read more