Canberra Symphony Orchestra Magazine

The Quintet is suffused with what Edward Said, discussing late style in general, described as a ‘mature subjectivity, stripped of hubris and pomposity, unashamed either of its fallibility or of the modest assurance it has gained as a result of age,’ writes Gordon Kerry.

“Dvořák’s Eight Waltzes, Op. 54…are wonderfully original, and range in mood from the wistful to the boisterous,” writes Phillip Sametz.

“Music is the conduit through which I live my life. It’s the way I view my challenges, my successes.” Meet CSO Concertmaster, Kirsten Williams, who will direct the upcoming Classic Afternoon: The Elements, presented by Canberra Weekly.

PARTNER FEATURE / Love belting out a tune? Whether you’re a seasoned performer, or your only audience to date has been your shower walls or an empty car, a community choir could be for you.

“The Vietnam War is one of the most complex chapters in our nation’s history, deeply traumatic and divisive,” writes Chris Latham, Director of The Flowers of War, ahead of the premiere of the Vietnam Requiem, a major commemorative work honouring the stories and sacrifices of many impacted by the war.

“…a characteristic and delightful combination of what are now familiar conventions of form with quirky surprises, musical experiments and dramatic gestures. It seems there was nothing Haydn liked better than to play with his listeners’ expectations,” writes Yvonne Frindle.

Inspired by a poem by George Meredith, “The Lark Ascending” is one of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ most beloved works.

In the Second Piano Concerto and other creative output of that period, Rachmaninoff displays “…a new assuredness of style…an almost overwhelming abundance of melody,” writes Scott Davie.

“I start with a provocation. Is the beauty and virtuosity of Western classical music still enough? Should it be entering the debates of our time?…I also ask us to reflect on how and why music can process seemingly intractable notions and turn them into feelings that we can respond to. Climate change comes to mind…what can music do?”

Leah Curtis: “In To Rest in Peace, I saw a visually stunning film capturing a moment of time in Kuwait during the tensions of the 1990 Iraqi invasion. I wrote a score to resonate with the humanity of the main character.”