Musica da Camera
© Peter Hislop, Canberra
Concert programs 2015 and beyond...
By clicking on the "program" links, you can see the printed programs from earlier concerts with notes on works played and the plerformers
November 2015 Concert
Conductor: Jonathan McFeat
Soloist: Rebecca Carpenter (Flute)
C.P.E. Bach: Sinfonia No.2
Pergolesi: Concerto per il Flauto Solo
Hindemith: Fünf Stücke
Nielsen: Suite for String Orchestra
Our thanks to Peter Hislop for these photos
August 2015 Concert
Conductor: Michael Sollis
Soloists: Greg Stenning (trumpet), Kiri Sollis and Friends (Flutes)
George Antheil: Serenade for String Orchestra No.1 (1948)
Bieber: Sonata tam aris quam aulis servientes IV
Halim El-Babh: Aria_for_Strings
Charles Ives: The Unanswered Question
Eric Ewazen: Trumpet Concerto
PRINTED PROGRAM to be published shortly
May 2015 Concert
Conductor: Leonard Weiss
F.S. Kelly: Elergy for String Orchestra
Shostakovich: Chamber Symphonie, Op 110A
Vivaldi: Concerto in G Major, RV151.
John Rutter: Suite for Strings.
Eric Whitacre: October.
Aaron Copland: Hoe Down from "Rodeo"
John Williams: Theme from "Schindler's List".
November 2014 Concert
Conductor: Michael Sollis
Soloists: James Huntingford, Kiri Sollis
J.S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in d-minor
Colin Brumby: The Phoenix and the Turtle
Albert Roussel: Sinfonietta
J.S. Bach: Concerto in d-minor BWV 1052R
Goerecki: Harpsichord Concerto.
August 2014 Concert
Musical Director: Gillian Bailey-Graham
George Friedrich Handel: Concerto Grosso Op 6 No 5
Edward Elgar: Serenade for String Orchestra in e-minor
Astor Piazzolla: Oblivion
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra
Fritz Kreisler: Liebesleid and Liebesfreud.
May 2014 Concert
Conductor: Leonard Weiss
Tomaso Albinoni: Sonata for String Orchestra
Joshua Healey: Sanguinary Nyarubuye (World Premiere)
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on theme by Thomas Tallis
Pietro Locatelli: Concerto Grosso No 2 in C minor
Ottorino Respighi: Berceuse
Robert Fuchs: Serenade Op 9
Further Concerts being added as we convert to digital archives
A History in Pictures and Programs - 3
Musica da Camera celebrates past achievements
Musica da Camera, August 2014
Musica da Camera Concert, Cook, August 2015
Greg Stenning, trumpet, Cook, August 2015
Jonathan McFeat (Directing) and Rebecca Carpenter (Flute), Cook, Nov 2015
Jonathan McFeat, directing from the keboard, Cook, Nov 2015
Other 2016 Concert programs
By clicking on the "program" links, you can see the printed programs from past concerts with notes on works played and the plerformers
27th, 28th August 2016 Concert Program 2
Conductor, Leonard Weiss
Parry, C Hubert H: Lady Radnor's Suite for String Orchestra,
Handel: Concerto Grosso fOp. 6, No. 12.
Dag Wirren: erenade for Strings
Graeme Koehne: Divertissement: Trois Piece Bourgeoises
Janacek: Suite for Strings
PRINTED PROGRAM to be published shortly
Concert review -- see **here**
14th, 15th May 2016 Concert Program 1
Conductor, Rowan Harvey Martin
Parry, C Hubert H: An English Suite for String Orchestra, 1914
Bloch, Ernest: Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra & Piano Obligato.
Respighi, Ottorino: Ancient Airs and Dances (for Lute) Suite III. 1932.
Skalkottas, Nikos: Five Greek Dances
PRINTED PROGRAM to be published shortly
Concert review and photos-- see Home page
Great Nov Concert, from the 2016 program
With Barbara Jane Gilby leading the orchestra rather than conducting, we performed as a conductor-less orchestra. We're very happy with the result. The crit as published by the Canberra Critics Circle: says it all.
Len Power woite...
Under the direction of violinist, Barbara Jane Gilby, Musica da Camera presented a program in which four of the five items were arrangements or transformations of the composer’s original work.
The first item, ‘Charterhouse Suite For Strings’ by Vaughan Williams was written for piano in 1920 and arranged for strings by musicologist, James Brown. It’s a characteristic Vaughan-Williams work, rich and melodic, and it was played with great feeling by the orchestra. The second and fifth movements were especially appealing.
Couperin’s ‘Pieces en Concert’ were composed for harpsichord and were set for cello and strings by Paul Bazelaire. Cello soloist, Anneliese McGee-Collett, played these beautifully with strong accompaniment from the orchestra. The nicely reflective ‘Plainte’ and the sprightly ‘Air de Diable’ were particularly well played.
Arranged for strings by violinist, Lazer Gosman, four of Shostakovich’s piano solo ’24 Preludes Op. 34’ proved to be a great showcase for the orchestra and leader, Barbara Jane Gilby. Constantly unpredictable, these haunting pieces were especially enjoyable.
Respighi’s ‘Pastorale’ of 1908 is described as ‘a free transcription of Tartini Sonata in A’ from the 18th century. Before commencing, Barbra Jane Gilby explained to the audience the scordatura technique employed for this work. Literally ‘mistuning’ in Italian, scordatura is a tuning of a stringed instrument different from the normal, standard tuning to allow for special effects or unusual chords or timbre. The tuning of the lead violin in this way produced an unusual and pleasing depth sound against playing of the rest of the orchestra.
The final work presented, Norman Leyden’s ‘Serenade for String Orchestra’, commenced with a dramatic Prelude and was followed by a strong Fugue, a nicely ethereal Nocturne and a rollicking Cakewalk to finish. The orchestra’s expert playing of this American work was a great finale to the afternoon’s concert.
2017 Concert November program
A landmark program for Musica da Camera with inspired direction by our guest conductor and truely outstanding viola playing by our solist
4th, 5th Nov 2017 Concert Program 4
Music from Mannheim
Conductor, Christian Renggli
Viola Soloist, Justin Julian
1. Johann Stamitz, Sinfonia in G
2. Johann Stamitz, Sinfonia in E-flat major
3. Carl Philipp Stamitz, Concerto for Viola
4. Franz Xaver Richter, Sinfonie in G major
5. Franz Ignaz Beck, Overturas I
6. Carl Philipp Stamitz, Orchestral quartet Op.4, No. 1 in C major
Thic concert has been released as a CD, and is available on SPOTIFY
November 2017 concert critique.
"Mannheim to the max"
Len Power's Review
" FROM the opening bars of the first item in the Musica da Camera presentation, it was clear that this concert would have a dynamism that would be exciting, dramatic and very enjoyable.
...
The first work played – the [Stamitz] Sinfonia in G minor – required the orchestra to start at the top of its form. Conductor Christian Renggli ensured that the playing was crisp, accurate and colourful from the dramatic opening, through the nicely reflective second movement and on to the exciting finale.
.....
"Violist Justin Julian joined the orchestra along with additional brass and wind instruments for the Viola Concerto in D major by Carl Stamitz. Often set for auditions for viola players, this work is a great showcase for the instrument and the performer. Justin Julian played with great feeling and precision and the orchestral accompaniment for this melodic and emotional work was excellent.
.....
"Christian Renggli produced an excellent concert with the orchestra, giving the audience a keener appreciation of the works and composers of the influential Mannheim School."
For the whole article on the Citinews website Click Here
Musica da Camera at the High Court
1:30pm Sunday 15th April 2018
Musica da Camera celebrated being part of the Canberra music scene for 40 years with a special concert of string orchestra music. The orchestra was directed from the first chair by Barbara-Jane Gilby, concertmaster of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
The concert featured the viola soloist Lucy Carrigy-Ryan and exploited the acoustics of the High Court building with works including Paul Hindemith’s Trauermusik, Edward Elgar’s Serenade and the Whirling Dance from Graham Koehne's Shaker Dances, .
Click HERE to read the review on the Canberra Critic's Circle website.
"Classic Opera" with Louise Page, September 2018
Len Power writes in the Canberra Critics Circle:-
...Musica da Camera string orchestra played a second performance on Sunday at Sts Peter & Paul’s Catholic Cathedral in Goulburn. The acoustic in the cathedral has been much praised so it was a good opportunity to travel to Goulburn to listen to the orchestra in that setting. Hearing the soprano, Louise Page, singing in that venue was another very good reason to go.
For the first half of the program, Louise Page performed arias by the composers – Handel, Purcell, Gluck and Mozart. The arias covered a wide range of emotions and all were beautifully sung. Hearing her top notes filling the cathedral was thrilling. Page gives great depth to the characters she is singing and they come alive for the audience. She was especially memorable singing Handel’s ‘Ah! Spietato’ from ‘Amadigi de Gaula’ with nicely played oboe from the orchestra accompanying, Purcell’s, ‘When I am laid in earth’ from ‘Dido and Aenaeas’, Gluck’s ‘Che faro senza Euridice’ from ‘L’Orfeo’ and ‘E Susanna…Dove Sono’ from Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’. The balance between singer and orchestra was nicely judged and the musical accompaniment for all of the items was well conducted by Leonard Weiss.
The orchestra, which was augmented with some brass and wind instruments for the concert, played Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 for the second half of the program. Musical director, Leonard Weiss, achieved a tight, clear sound with lots of colour from the orchestra. It was well played and sounded excellent in the cathedral.
"Classic Favourites" November 2018
Some excerpts from Len Power's review in the CityNew,com,au:-
MUSICA Da Camera String Orchestra’s concert was an easy-going and enjoyable mix of classic favourites that would be well-known to most music lovers.
...The program commenced with a nicely played “Concerto for Four Violins” in B minor by Vivaldi. Rosemary Macphail, Jocelyn James, John Dobson and Heng Lin Yeap played their solos with skill and warmth and the final movement was especially well-played.....
... pieces by Elgar followed – “Salut d’Amour: and “Chanson de Matin”. The orchestra gave the first work a lush, romantic sound and the second work was notable for the emotional depth in the sound produced by the orchestra......
...Thirteen-year-old Chantelle Bennett joined the orchestra as soloist for Massenet’s “Meditation”. .... Bennett played with great beauty and precision, making this one of the highlights of the program....
...Other short works by Sibelius, Delibes and Dvořák were played very well and another highlight of the concert was Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto”. The orchestra gave a crisp, very atmospheric performance of this work that was most enjoyable....
...Rosemary Macphail played the solo violin for “Czardas” by Monti with great feeling, bringing out the raw passion in this work and the concert concluded with the audience favourite, “The Radetzky March” by Johann Strauss....
... The works presented might be familiar from recordings and the radio, but hearing them played live added another dimension, especially as the orchestra played them very well and with such obvious pleasure.
Massenet's Thais with Chantelle Bennett as soloist (17/11/2018)
The audience participates in the Radetzky March (17/11/2018)
Last concert: Rosemary McPhail was soloist in Monti's Czadas. (Cooma, 18/11/2018)
Winter Strings, 30June/1 July 2018
Works by Warlock, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Handel, Sibelius and Vivaldi to warm the audience. (... and afterwards, Champagne to continue our 40th birthday celebrations.)
Director: Jonathan McFeat
Guitar soloist: Liam O'Connell
Warlock Capriol Suite
Faure Pavane with solo guitar
Handel Concerto Grosso Op 6 no 2
Mendelssohn String Symphony No 10
Sibelius Impromptu
Vivaldi Alla Rustica
Violin1: John*, Christine, Sue, Heng, Ian
Violin2: Rose*, Sarah, Heather, Jeustelle, Diana.
Viola: Paul, Dorothy, Jane and Shilong
Cello: Phil*, Margaret, Helen
Bass: Eric
* soloists in the concerto grosso
"Re-imaginings" June 2019
Some excerpts from Len Power's review in the CityNews.com.au:-
“REIMAGININGS” proved to be an apt title for Musica Da Camera String Orchestra’s latest concert, which presented three works, two were variations of music by Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi, and the third, an Australian work that contained a set of variations on a main theme...
... “Variations on a theme by Tchaikovsky” [ Arensky]...was played with great feeling by the orchestra, especially the quieter passages.
... “Like Snowdrops You Will Shine” was composed by French-Australian composer, Katia Beaugeais. ... shimmers with atmosphere and the orchestra gave it a fine performance....
... “The Four Seasons Recomposed” by Max Richter is a startling work from 2012. Taking parts of Vivaldi’s famous work, Richter makes them his own in a style described as postmodern and minimalist.
... Violin soloist, Canberra’s Helena Popovic, joined the orchestra for this challenging work. She gave an excellent performance, full of passion and energy as well as sensitivity and delicacy in the quieter moments of the work. The orchestra complemented her performance with accuracy and energy. They all truly deserved the thunderous applause they received at the conclusion.
... Once again, Musica Da Camera presented a fine concert. The nearly full house was a demonstration of their growing reputation amongst Canberra’s music lovers..
Read the full review by clicking this link: CityNews.com.au
Soloist Helen, Conductor Leonard, Composer Katia (22/6/2019)
Photos Courtesy Peter Hislop
Conductor Leonard Weiss, Soloist Helen Popovic (22/6/2019)
Photo courtesy Peter Hislop
30 June 2018 "Winter strings" acclaimed!
Highlights from Len Power's review in CityNews.com.au:-
'The well-chosen program of works by Warlock, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Handel, Sibelius and Vivaldi warmed the audience with fine playing under the baton of Jonathan McFeat....
... the Capriol Suite.... After a bright opening, the second quiet, reflective dance was especially well-played. The dramatic dances and finale that followed were vibrant and strongly performed.
... Solo guitarist Liam O’Connell presented [Gabriel Fauré’s “Pavane” ] in an arrangement for guitar and string orchestra.The arrangement was a good showcase for O’Connell’s talented guitar playing ...
... a strong and enjoyable performance of Mendelssohn’s “String Symphony No. 10”. .... really brought out the full colour and emotion in the music in the dramatic sections of the work.
... a well-played Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 2 by George Frideric Handel. It was very clear that the orchestra members were particularly enjoying playing this work.
... “Impromptu Nos. 5 and 6” by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius proved to be the highlight of the concert. ... highly atmospheric and were played with great feeling and sensitivity ...
... a rousingly good performance of old favourite, “Concerto for Strings in G alla Rustica” by Vivaldi.
...another highly enjoyable concert.'
Please read the full review <here>