Most worthy rehash of rehashes

I recorded the first of Mike Dooley's set of compositions in the styles of a string of periods and renowned composers, from baroque and classical to the romantics and impressionists, Mozart, Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Clementi, Chopin and the like.  I guess it was a learning tool but more.  This was authentic in a ranges of styles, so his piano concerto had been played several times and the set is recorded and on streaming sites (Michael Dooley Anachronisms).  This was Anachronism's 10 year anniversary, Mike had written some string quartet parts, there one or two newbies, not least a latin called Tango in Cheek, where each pianist lined up to play a part with the string quartet.  Very amusing but also interesting musically.  After all, Mike is a pretty decent jazz improviser and that calls for latins too, even if he read this one. There were a series of some of the best pianists in town, Anthony Smith, Emily Leong, Jennifer Hou, Aaron Chew and Andrew Ramsay taking their pieces and the Grevillea String Quartet, and a very decent audience ready with all proceeds going to a charity project to build a school for children in Nigeria.  And it was a long night: 2.5 hours with the interval.  But so impressive.  Much admired.

Mike Dooley (composer, piano) presented a string of his compositions written in different musical styles played played by Mike and Anthony Smith, Emily Leong, Jennifer Hou, Aaron Chew and Andrew Ramsay (piano) with accompaniment by the Grevillea String Quartet comprising Vanessa Driver and Shilong Ye (violins), Julie Kate Horneman (viola) and Alex Moncur (cello).

A return for Christmas

It was a rushed affair but not too difficult to pick up and with some inviting music.  Celeste asked me to sit in with Brindabella Orchestra for their end of year, Christmas concert.  I managed just two (?) practices and spent the week before in Melbourne but I managed to get through.  And, at its best, the music was delightful.  We did a few movements of Vaughan Williams songs (more stodgy than delightful, but that's the English style).  Sibelius Andante festivo was lovely, as was a Sound of Music suite.  Libertango was a blast but that's pretty much inevitable.  We also did a string of Christmas carols and a suite of them.  Those were all performed by orchestra or strings alone.  The winds and brass and percussion did an Abba medley and a swing piece.  We were preceded by the professionals, our conductor led his Grevillea String Quartet playing Haydn Lark quartet and a collection of tunes from the Nutcracker suite.  The quartet was classy, nicely intoned, sharply interactive and the rest.  Nice.  And they sat in with the orchestra for our performance.  I melted over some of the melodies, not least Sound of Music.  Surely not, but yes.  Is it a function of age, or maybe just a realisation of the beauty of good melody, think Richard Rodgers and Abba and Beatles and the like.  So, a first concert since April and very pleasant at that.

Grevillea String Quartet performed Haydn and Tchaikovsky.  GW comprise Shilong Ye and Matthew Witney (violins), Julia Clancy (viola) and Samuel Payne (cello).  Brindabella Orchestra was conducted by Shilong Ye.