Concert Hall
Concert Hall
Canberra classical concert performances
The best of Canberra performances of all forms of classical music performed by local and international solo instruments, voices, ensembles, orchestras, and choirs at such venues as the ANU School of Music, the Wesley Music Centre, the National Gallery, the National Library, and local churches.
July 2022
3rd Two concerts from the Wesley Music Centre. First The Romance of the Flute and Piano with Sarah Nielsen and Emily Leong presenting music of the early 20th and late 19th century. Then a Wednesday lunchtime concert from pianist Jacob Wu.
10th Schubert and Schiller — tenor Koen van Stade and Neal Peres da Costa on fortepiano present Schubert’s settings of Schiller’s dramatic poetry as they might have sounded when performed in the early 19th century. An Art Song Canberra concert from the Wesley Music Centre.
17th Two Wesley lunchtime concerts. First it is pianist Mark Jurkiewicz with the Air of Poland (music of Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt). Then Mozart & Friends, a Wesley lunchtime concert of trios and duets for clarinet, violin, viola cello and piano in various combinations.
24th Canberra International Music Festival 2022 — the opening concert, a splendid chamber version of Haydn’s Creation by the Australian Haydn Ensemble, the Sydney Chamber Choir and soloists Alexandra Oomens (soprano), Andrew Goodwin (tenor) and James Ioelu (baritone) in the Fitters’ Workshop.
31st The Juliet Letters — a song cycle created by Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet in 1992. Another intriguing concert from the Phoenix Collective Quartet.
August 2022
7th Winter Concert — heart-warming music to brighten the day from the Wesley Music Scholars. Then a Wesley lunchtime concert, Across Oceans (popular songs of the early 20th century) with singers Madeline Anderson and Maike Brill and pianist Hilda Visser-Scott.
14th Limestone Consort with guest soprano Greta Claringbould explore 17th and early 18th century repertoire. A concert from Haydon Hall, Manuka. Then another Wesley lunchtime concert from the young pianist Damien Ruan.
21st Canberra International Music Festival 2022 — Chad Kelly on fortepiano begins this concert, Death and the Maiden, with a delicate historically informed performance of music by Haydn and his contemporaries. Then the Alma Moodie String Quartet play Schubert’s much-loved String Quartet no. 14 in the Fitters’ Workshop.
28th Enlightenment —the Phoenix Collective Quartet premieres the title work by Sally Whitwell, continuing with Mendelssohn’s 2nd String Quartet and the 3rd String Quartet of Shostakovich at the Wesley Music Centre.
Previously on Concert Hall:
June 2022
5th The National Capital Orchestra with conductor Louis Sharpe presents Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with favourite local soloist James Monro and music of Dulcie Holland, Samuel Barber and Franz Liszt at the Q in Queanbeyan.
12th Much Ado About Nothing — a charming program of brilliant chamber music for violin (Dan Russell) and piano (Edward Neeman). It includes Erich Korngold’s quirky piece that gives this concert its name and a Mozart Sonata. Another concert from the Wesley Music Centre.
19th Highlights from last month’s Canberra International Music Festival in the Fitters’ Worlkshop.
26th Espana el Vito, the Spirit of Spain and Tango — a spell-binding evening of classical, flamenco, tango and jazz favourites with pianist Nicholas Young and ten-string guitarist Matthew Fagan at the Wesley Music Centre.
May 2022
1st Fragrance in the Air — tenor Andrew Goodwin and pianist Daniel de Borah explore art song of Schubert, Schumann, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov at the Wesley Music Centre, Forrest.
8th Piano recital by Calvin Abdiel, the third prize winner and best Australian pianist of the 2021 Sydney International Piano Competition at the Greenaway Studio, Chapman.
15th Piazzolla, a Century of Tango —The Storytellers Ensemble focus on the vocal music of Astor Piazzolla and his contemporaries in an Art Song Canberra concert at the Wesley Music Centre.
22nd Cembali —Ariana Odermatt and James Porteous join the Liimestone Consort to perform two works for two harpsichords and more at the Wesley Music Centre. Then harpist Emily Granger and guitarist Andrew Blanch combine forces for a short recital in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
29th Tchaikovsky— Canberra Strings present his first String Quartet in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Then pianist Sam Row plays music of Debussy and Ravel in a Wesley lunchtime concert entitled Siècles Insistent Pour Changer.
April 2022
3rd Stabat Mater V — soprano Greta Claringbould, alto Maartje Sevenster, organist Peter Young and friends perform a Telemann cantata and J S Bach’s version of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in the Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
10th Schubert Sublime — Two wonderful concerts (a string quartet, songs and a piano trio) from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival at the Fitters’ Workshop.
17th Christe, du Lamm Gottes — the Canberra Bach Ensemble, led by Andrew Koll, presents three cantatas and Bach’s Mass in F major in St Christopher’s Cathedral, Manuka.
24th Darkness and Light —Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet and Beethoven’ s String Quartet in A minor Op. 132 with the Phoenix Collective String Quartet in the Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
March 2022
6th Tchaikovsky— Canberra Strings perform the String Sextet in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Then Stuart Long showcases French piano music in a Wesley lunchtime concert.
13th Jupiter: Pièces de Clavecin — harpichordist Ariana Odermatt plays Couperin, Bach and more at the Wesley Music Centre.
20th Magnificat — Luminescence Chamber Singers perform great works by Mouton, Fayrfax, Desprez, Parsons and Praetorius in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
27th Haydn and Wagner — Canberra Sinfonia directed by Leonard Weiss in the Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
February 2022
6th Tempora Mutantur — the Australian Haydn Ensemble with fortepianist Erin Helyard dazzles with works by Boccherini, Mozart and Haydn in the Albert Hall. Then a delightful Wesley lunchtime concert from the Music Academy of Canberra Girls Grammar School.
13th Bright Star, an Art Song Canberra concert from local soprano Sarahlouise Owens and pianist Ronan Apcar. Then another Wesley lunchtime concert with violinist Mila Haydon and pianist Anthony Smith.
20th The Ivory Quartet in concert in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Bernice Chua, Brad Tham, Yona Su and James Monro play works by Beethoven, Alfred Hill, Max Bruch and Gabriel Fauré.
27th Tales of War — the Phoenix Collective String Quartet, led by Dan Russell, plays music of Shostakovich, Barber and Hisaishi (the film score from Princess Mononoke/Studio Ghibli). Then pianist Mark Jurkiewicz plays Schubert Impromptus at a Wesley lunchtime concert.
January 2022
2nd The best of 2021
9th The Canberra Sinfonia conducted by Leonard Weiss play music of Natalie Nicolai and Lachner in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Then music for viola and piano with Lucy Carrigy-Ryan and Roberto Arosio.
16th The Black Mountain Piano Quartet. play works by Beethoven and local composer Michael Hardy in All Saints Anglican Church, Ainslie.
23rd Last Verses — Luminescence Chamber Singers and the Canberra Sinfonia perform Arvo Pärt’s Adam’s Lament and Last Verses by Dan Walker in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
30th The priest, the intellect, the eccentric and the pirate — The Phoenix Collective led by Dan Russell plays Vivaldi, Pandolfi, Biber, Bach and Corelli. Then Cantates in Noctem from Polifemy and Blocksounds recorders directed by Robyn Mellor. Both recorded in the Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
December 2021
5th Christmas Treasures — musical delights for solo voices, strings and organ by Charpentier, Schutz, Stradella and more, performed by Adhoc Baroque (Greta Claringbould, Maartje Sevenster, Peter Young and friends) in the Chapel of Canberra Girls Grammar School.
12th The Ivory Quartet (Bernice Chua, Brad Tham, Yona Su and Janes Monro) play music of Fauré, Beethoven, Bruch and Hill in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
19th Christmas choral music —first from the Luminescence Chamber Singers in All Saints Anglican Church, Aiinslie; then Polifemy perform Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols in the version for women’s voices in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
26th Two more Wesley lunchtime concerts. First it’s pianist Sam Row with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Then piano students of Natalia display their skills.
November 2021
7th Mozart Recomposed from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival — Kristian Winther and Anna da Silva Chen play fiendish violin caprices by Paganini and others. Then the Australian Voices and Luminescence Chamber Singers perform Gordon Hamilton’s spectacular recomposed version of Mozart’s Requiem in the Fitters’ Workshop.
14th Death and the Maiden — the Canberra Strings led by Barbara Jane Gilby perform Schubert quartets at the Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Then excerpts from recordings made by local artists (music for flute and guitar and for clarinets and bassoons) in June last year
21st The Finale from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival — Mahler’s Song of the Earth with mezzo Sally-Anne Russell and tenor Andrew Goodwin in Schoenberg’s arrangement for chamber ensemble.
28th Double Bill — two Wesley lunchtime concerts. In the first, pianist Stuart Long plays music of Vine, Prokofiev and Ginastera. Then soprano Michaella Edelstein joins pianist Robert Schmidli for Schubert lieder and lesser-known works of the American Amy Beach.
October 2021
3rd To Music — Adelaide soprano Bethany Hill and pianist Penelope Cashman in a recital of classic lieder and English art songs. An Art Song Canberra event at the Wesley Music Centre.
10th Schubert Sublime 2 from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival features his Piano Trio no. 1 in B Flat played by Kristian Winther, Rachel Johnston and Edward Neeman. The concert starts with six Schubert songs, performed by tenor Andrew Goodwin and pianist and Festival Director Roland Peelman.
17th Stabat Mater V — Ad Hoc Baroque (singers Greta Claringbould, and Maartje Sevenster, director Peter Young and strings) present two little-known baroque treasures, a Telemann cantata and Bach’s reworked version of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Recorded in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest.
24th From Russia with Love — Selby & Friends (Daniel Dodds, Timo-Veikko Valve and Kathryn Selby) play music of Scriabin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Debussy and Rachmaninov at Llewellyn Hall in July 2019.
31st Mozart Recomposed from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival — Kristian Winther and Anna da Silva Chen play fiendish violin caprices by Paganini and others. Then the Australian Voices and Luminescence Chamber Singers perform Gordon Hamilton’s spectacular recomposed version of Mozart’s Requiem in the Fitters’ Workshop.
September 2021
5th Appalachian Spring & Sinclair — The Canberra Sinfonia, directed by Leonard Weiss, presents the world premiere of Rainfall of Diamonds by the young Sydney composer Chloe Sinclair plus a classic work by Aaron Copland in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Then Exile: Chopin in Paris, a Wesley Lunchtime Concert by pianist Mark Jurkiewicz.
12th Dances with Cello — cellists David Pereira and Lianah Jaensch join forces with Canberra pianist Ronan Apcar for a delightful afternoon recital at the Crisp Galleries, Bowning.
19th Greatest Mozart 2 from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival. Some of Australia’s best chamber musicians play Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G Minor and his Clarinet Quintet in the Fitters’ Workshop.
26th Fate — the National Capital Orchestra directed by Louis Sharpe with young cello soloist James Monro, perform music of Mozart, Greenaway, Bruch’s Kol Nidrei and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at the Q.
August 2021
1st Haydn, Handel and Mozart — Canberra Sinfonia farewells its patron, soprano Louise Page, at the Wesley Uniting Church on her retirement.
8th Schubert Sublime from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival — features his String Quintet in C Major D956 at the Fitters’ Workshop. Then a version of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night for violin, cello and piano from the Night and Dreams concert.
15th Rescheduled to September 26: Fate —the National Capital Orchestra directed by Louis Sharpe plays music of Mozart, Greenaway, Bruch’s Kol Nidrei and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at the Q.
22nd More from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival — First it’s Waltz to Tango featuring music by Schubert, Schultz, Kats-Chernin and Piazzolla. Then highlights from Great Hall Rising, both from the Fitters’ Workshop.
29th Tributes and Dedications — the string group, Musica da Camera, directed by Barbara Gilby plays music from Vivaldi to Janacek at the High Court of Australia.
July 2021
4th Patriot Games — Selby & Friends (Dene Olding, Julian Smiles and Kathryn Selby) play piano trios by Ross Edwards, Granados and Dvorak in Llewellyn Hall.
11th Spanisches Lieberabend — soprano Louise Keast and friends form the Queensland Conservatorium and the ANU present Spanish songs of Manuel de Falla and Hugo Wolf at the Wesley Music Centre.
18th Greatest Mozart 1 from the 2021 Canberra International Music Festival. Mozart’s flute quartet with Sally Walker sets the tone for this classic feast in the Fitters’ Workshop. For the main course, Neal Peres da Costa plays a Viennese fortepiano in the legendary 23rd Piano Concerto. Also highlights from the Opening Gala concert.
25th From the Archives — the Danish String Quartet plays music of Carl Neilsen, Piazzolla, Bach and more at the Albert Hall during the 2011 Canberra International Music Festival.
June 2021
6th Stabat Mater — Adhoc Baroque (Greta Claringbould, Maartje Sevenster, Peter Young and friends), perform vocal music of Zelenka, Graupner, Mozart and Vanhal at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Manuka.
13th Boyd Meets Girl — guitarist Rupert Boyd teams up with cellist Laura Metcalf for a concert in the Wesley Music Centre.
20th The Australian Voices — a fine chamber choir from Brisbane directed by Gordon Hamilton explores mainly 20th century repertoire in recital at the Wesley Music Centre. Then soprano SarahLouise Owens and pianist Natalia Tkachenko present The Bishop Victoriana, a Wesley Lunchtime Concert.
27th Young Virtuosi. Today we hear from some of tomorrow’s stars. We start with a new joint venture between ArtSound and the ANU School of Music, Students in the Studio. This, the first session, features Emma Warburton (flute), Katrina Wiseman (soprano) and Ronan Apcar (piano) performing music by women composers. Then a short recital by young cellist James Monro accompanied by Anthony Smith (piano) in the Wesley Music Centre.
May 2021
2nd Papa and Sons— the Sydney Consort plays works of Johann Sebastian Bach and three of his sons for recorder, baroque violin/viola d’amore and harpsichord at the Wesley Music Centre. Then we join the Limestone Consort for music of Telemann and Albinoni from All Saints Church, Ainslie.
9th Exotic Strudel — Selby & Friends (Kathryn Selby, Susie Park and Julian Smiles) present musical treats by Turina, Block, Shostakovich and Schubert in Llewellyn Hall.
16th By Royal Favour — two Art Song Canberra concerts from the Wesley Music Centre. The first is by soprano SarahLouise Owens and pianist Natalia Tkachenko presenting favourites of Royalty of the 19th century. The second, Kaleidoscope, by soprano Jade McFaul and pianist Lucas Allerton showcases art songs of the 20th and 21st centuries.
23rd Il Divino Claudio, the magic of Monteverdi — Adhoc Baroque, directed by Peter Young, performs sacred and secular music of Monteverdi and his contemporaries for soprano, mezzo-soprano and continuo at St Paul’s Church, Manuka.
30th Schubert String Quartet in C major played by the Canberra Strings led by Barbara Jane Gilby at the Wesley Music Centre. Then over to the Limestone Consort for some Bach in All Saints Church, Ainslie.
April 2021
4th Wandering Hearts — a recital by soprano Eleanor Lyons and pianist Vladimir Fanshil (including a Kats-Chernin premiere) in the Wesley Music Centre. Also the Limestone Consort perform trio sonatas of Corelli, Hoffmann and Zelenka at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Manuka.
11th Esperar, Sentir, Morir — soprano Roberta Diamond and baroque harpist Hannah Lane explore music of the Iberian Peninsula in a Song Company concert at the Wesley Music Centre. Then pianist Robert Schmidli plays Liszt and Rachamaninov, part of Pandemic Consolations, a Wesley Lunchtime Concert.
18th Tangos and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with soloists Barbara Jane Gilby (violin) and Lucy Carrigy-Ryan (viola) in Wesley Uniting Church. Then the second half of Robert Schmidli’s Pandemic Consolations, a Wesley lunchtime concert with music of Rachmaninov and Bortkiewicz.
25th Maîtres de la Composition — pianist Edward Neeman and violinist Dan Russell of the Phoenix Collective paly sonatas of Ravel and Franck at the Wesley Music Centre. Also Beethoven and Friends, a Wesley Lunchtime concert for soprano, cello and piano.
March 2021
12th Tempora Mutantur — the Australian Haydn Ensemble and Erin Helyard perform works by Boccherini, Mozart and Haydn at the Albert Hall. Then Selby & Friends (Kathryn Selby, Benjamin Mellefont and Clancy Newman) play the Brahms Trio in A minor for clarinet, cello and piano at Llewellyn Hall.
14th The Unexpected Journey Back — an Art Song Canberra concert by soprano Sonia Anfiloff, pianist Kylie Loveland and violinist/violist Rowan Harvey-Martin at the Wesley Music Centre. Also Emma Warburton and pianist Ronan Apcar play a Prokofiev flute sonata at ArtSound.
21st Exile Lamentations — Luminescence Chamber Singers present music of Arvo Pärt, Thomas Tallis, Paul Stanhope, Meta Cohen and Caroline Shaw in Wesley Uniting Church. Then Monsieur Claude – pianist Stuart Long plays Debussy, a Wesley lunchtime concert.
28th Maîtres de la Composition — pianist Edward Neeman and violinist Dan Russell of the Phoenix Collective play sonatas of Ravel and Franck at the Wesley Music Centre. Also the Limestone Consort perform trio sonatas of Handel and Brescianello at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Manuka.
February 2021
7th Last Man Standing — a solo flute recital by Sarah Grey in the foyer of the Q Theatre, Queanbeyan. Then join Polifemy (a small women’s vocal ensemble) for Reflection, music for introspection and remembrance, in Wesley Uniting Church.
14th Transfiguration — Canberra Strings play Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night in its original string sextet format and Richard Strauss’s Metamophosen at Wesley Uniting Church.
21st Aaron Chew’s PhD Recital — piano music of Liszt and Liszt/Busoni from the Wesley Music Centre.
28th The Goldfinch at Kingfisher — harpist Emily Grainger delights the audience in the tin shed at the 2019 Craven Creek Music Festival, Gloucester.
January 2021
3rd The best of 2020
10th Gillier and the Court of Louis XIV — French baroque music performed by violinist Vanessa Driver, soprano Sarahlouise Owens and harpsichordist Ariana Odermatt at the Wesley Music Centre.
17th Canberra during isolation — our wandering (masked) recordist caught up with the Luminescence Quartet, flautist Jane Rayner, Robert Schmidli, violist Lucy Carrigy-Ryan, a wind trio and a brass trio.
24th Kristian Winther and Anthony Romaniuk play works of Kurtag, Mozart, Ravel and Bartok for violin and piano at the Wesley Music Centre.
31st The Canberra Strings perform the Brahms Second Sextet in Wesley Uniting Church. Then enjoy Unique Baroque’s unusual combination of accordion and harpsichord at a Wesley lunchtime concert.
December 2020
6th Kalahari Carols — the Strange Weather Gospel Choir and the ANU Choral Society join forces to celebrate Christmas at the Botswanan High Commission. Then Ian Kummerow and Hildegarde Palafox play Music for Advent and Christmas on the organ of St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Reid.
13th Christmas Treasures — musical delights for solo voices, strings and organ by Charpentier, Schutz, Stradella and more, performed by Peter Young’s Adhoc Baroque in the Chapel of Canberra Girls Grammar School.
20th Christmas with Luminescence— the Chamber Singers and the Children’s Choir delight the audience with a variety of carols and other Christmas music at All Saints Church, Ainslie. Then the Limestone Consort plays baroque music for string trio and harpsichord at the same venue.
27th Robert Schmidli in Concert — he plays works of Schubert, Scarlatti, Beethoven and Khachaturian at the Wesley Music Centre. Then the Limestone Consort presents music of Stradella and Corelli in the rest of their concert from All Saints Church, Ainslie.
November 2020
29th Romantic and Neo-Romantic Gems performed by violinist Monica Curry and pianist Stefan Cassomenos at the Greenway Studio. Then the second half of Opera with a Twist from mezzo Hannah Fraser and pianist Alessio Nelli.
