Uzunstein Chamber Orchestra: Confused and Confounding

By Simon Hukin, 25 May 2015

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Reviewed at National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, Canberra on 24 May 2015

Jeleskovic, Once, Our Comrades

Jeleskovic, Elegy: Memento

Jeleskovic, Silent Valley

Williams, Film music from Schindler's List

Franck, Panis Angelicus

Uzunstein Chamber Orchestra

Giga Jeleskovic, Director

Stephen Lalor

Harry Werlemann-Godfrey, Cello

Sublimely ridiculous: Grétry’s L’Amant jaloux

David Larkin, 6th December

Another ancient hit revived and delivered with panache by Sydney-based Pinchgut Opera: Gretry's L'Amant jaloux (1778) proved it still could raise laughs, aided by a superb cast.

****1

Text and textures in New York premieres by The Crossing at Zankel Hall

David Wolfson, 24th March

Donald Nally’s much vaunted chamber choir The Crossing give a program of three New York premieres at Zankel Hall.

****1

Concertos – for violin and for orchestra – from the Hallé

Peter Connors, 22nd March

Viktoria Mullova is a superb soloist in Brahms' Violin Concerto, while an orchestra full of soloists play Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra with Kahchun Wong presiding.

*****

Guitars, electronics and ancient treatises: the JACK Quartet at 92NY

Kurt Gottschalk, 20th March

At 92NY, the JACK Quartet performs four new works developed in their JACK Studio, including a commissioned premiere from the electrifying Tristan Perich.

****1

Kristiina Poska makes an exciting return to conduct the RSNO

Simon Thompson, 20th March

Kristiina Poska directs the RSNO in gripping Tchaikovsky and Pärt, but words and music only occasionally match in Elena Langer's new song cycle.

***11

Chopin and Franck reframed with elegance and insight in Dublin

Andrew Larkin, 20th March

In Dublin, Jean-Luc Tingaud and Louis Lortie bring clarity and purpose to two composers often ill at ease with the orchestra.

****1

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Simon Hukin

Simon is a professional brass musician. He studied performance at the Australian National University under Charles MacInnes and Scott Kinmont, graduating just before its untimely demise. He has played with bands and orchestras around Australia and now divides his time between music and politics in the nation’s capital. He is particularly interested in working with leaders on a territory and national level to build support for the arts. He has written for several different publications as a freelance arts critic over the last seven years.