Mike's history of music

Mike Dooley played me a take on Mozart a few years back at the Moruya Festival. It was mightily authentic to my ears and I guess a start on what turned into a composer's journey though music. We heard the full panoply the other night at All Saints. Mike had written pieces in various styles - baroque, early classical, late classical, romantic, modern - and gathered a string of excellent local players to perform and it was a stunning achievement. A Suite in A minor in 4 movements for the baroque, a Sonata in C major in 3 movements for early classical and so on through time. You get the idea. A folly, perhaps; a training exercise, probably; a tour de force, certainly. These were all works written for piano. The players were amongst the best in town: James Huntingford, Emily Leong, Aaron Chew, Andrew Rumsey, Sally Greenaway, Mike himself. I see my tastes changing as I'm playing and learning this music. I may have preferred baroque in the past but my faves for the night were late classical (Emily Leong) and Russian romantic Pilgrim fantasia (Aaron Chew). But the others were all well constructed and well played. I have a recording from the night but I wasn't alone: the conglomeration of mics and video was amusing. We can look forward to a video or clips, an ArtSound broadcast, a CD and perhaps more. Don't miss it. A stunning achievement of composition matched with admirable performances all round. All this at All Saints one Saturday evening late in November. Mmm, that suggests CDs under the Christmas tree.

Mike Dooley (composer) presented his original compositions in various "fine music" styles as Anachronisms : a composer's journey through time. Compostions were performed by James Huntingford, Emily Leong, Aaron Chew, Andrew Rumsey, Sally Greenaway and Mike Dooley (piano).

Bloody good

National Capital Orchestra tag themselves as Canberra's other orchestra. After today's concert, I can believe it. This concert was excellent. Remember, this is not a professional orchestra although a few players may be otherwise paid. They are a community orchestra; they pay to practice and play; they perform three or four gigs per year. But their training is solid (7th grade suggested) and their commitment is clear. Not that I'd expect commitment to be weak in any community orchestra - they're not just in it for the money and probably not even for the fame. NCO are about 50 players wIth a generous percussion section (at least for this concert) and all parts covered, although pretty light on bass (just one, David Flynn). Leonard Weiss conducted a program called Carnival! The Carnival was Saint-Saens' of the Animals, with two pianists, James Huntingford and Andrew Rumsay and narration by Peter Smith. Gliere's Russian sailor's dance and four Dvorak Slavonic dances preceded the Carnival and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade followed the interval. So, two solid hours of performance. The Carnival was a joy and a belly-laugh amusement from pianists and orchestra and narrator. Scheherazade was performed impressive skills - I was watching David especially but this was tight and with effective dynamics and impressive chops throughout. The Gliere struck me for the first notes with sharp intonation and sharp togetherness and the Dvorak dances were similarly attractive and effective. This was sharp, professional playing from an amateur orchestra. Most impressed. Now to practice for my own outing in 2 weeks with Maruki. Here was a challenge!

National Capital Orchestra was led by Leonard Weiss (conductor) playing Dvorak, Gliere, Saint-Saens and Rimsky-Korsakov with James Huntingford (piano), Andrew Rumsey (piano) and Peter Smith (narrator) sitting in for Carnival of the Animals.

I should be so lucky

Another concert. This one by local James Huntingford, pianist and two-times winner of the relevant National Eisteddfod. Locally born and bred and student of various local schools and presumably school music departments, as well as ANU. He's capable, young, energetic and played capable, energetic music with admirable skills. Interestingly, James introduced the concert with his own, milder, slower and more musing prelude. The big work was five movements of Liszt, his Piano sonata in B minor. This requires undeniably virtuoso skills. It's moody but quick and also energetic and flowing with quick scales and phrases. Every now and again, there's a stop for pause, but it's mostly busy in a romantic diatonic way. At one point it stopped, I hoped for a b5 but got a more predictable b7. This is the period and no argument there, but with an ear exposed to twentieth century, I was just a touch disappointed. But no question about the performance. This is big, powerful, unrelenting. It works through five movements and plenty of pages. No time to turn pages, so a turner required. James is a source of pride for our local, decaying music scene. I can only admire his capability and commitment and hope our senior music school can keep producing them.

James Huntingford (piano) performed Liszt and his own prelude at Wesley.