‘Delightful’ concert captures the spirit of Christmas
"A most satisfied audience ventured home with the real spirit of Christmas firmly in their hearts and minds." IAN McLEAN reviews the 2025 Luminous Christmas concert.
Music
Acknowledged for his boundless energy, drive and focus, Garth Lawrence Mansfield was a tireless advocate for music and the founding force behind the Wesley Music Centre in Forrest, writes arts editor HELEN MUSA.
GRAHAM McDONALD reviews Colours of Earth, a performance by The Oriana Chorale.
Arts editor HELEN MUSA says People Power seems to have triumphed in bringing the School of Music back from the brink, but the devil is often in the detail when it comes to implementation.
Music
Busking champ Ruby has high hopes for Tamworth
“Honestly, if you told eight-year-old Ruby that she would be doing this right now, she wouldn’t believe you,” says Ruby Holden, of Queanbeyan, who has won a national busking title.
Music
Ingenious links set Beethoven concert apart
LEN POWER reviews the Phoenix Collective Quartet's concert entitled At the Grave of Beethoven.
Music
Leisa Keen’s vocal group ‘really shines’
"Under Leisa Keen’s direction I have no doubt this group will continue to improve and flourish," writes SARAH BYRNE in her review of Opus Two – The Vocal Group.
GRAHAM McDONALD reviews Polar Night & Midnight Sun, a performance by Hardanger fiddle player Benedicte Maurseth.
Graham McDonald, CityNews music reviewer with a famously sharp ear who can spot a flat note from a mile away, has been named the Australian Art & Objects Maker of the Year for his Art Deco mandolin, reports HELEN MUSA.
"There was little, if anything, which could be criticised in this concert. It was sung beautifully with exemplary pitch and phrasing," writes reviewer GRAHAM McDONALD.
"An incredible evening of music and artistic performance that was clearly enjoyed by its enthusiastic audience." THAYER PREECE reviews the Australian Chamber Orchestra's 50th anniversary performance of Cocteau's Circle.
"The pianist’s spontaneous playing, broad dynamic range and sensitive rubato retained a sense of the ideal placement for each note, particularly in the more contemplative passages." NICK HORN reviews a performance by Piotr Anderszewski.
"I’m not retiring, just stepping away from the long tours that have taken me away from my family for too long. I just want to say thank you.” DAVID TURNBULL talks to Australian musical legend of 60 years – Mike McClellan.
"The National Capital orchestra's concert certainly demonstrated the orchestra's mastery of challenging repertoire," writes reviewer BILL STEPHENS.
HELEN MUSA reviews A Song Each Way, a performance by baritone David Greco and pianist Roland Peelman.
"Petite but fiery as a performer, Marcela Fiorillo began calmly and quietly... but she was biding her time," says reviewer HELEN MUSA.
"This concert was a great showcase for the flute in the hands of Ana de la Vega and a reminder of the steadfastness of skilled accompanists, in this case pianist Grace Kim," writes music reviewer ALANNA MACLEAN.
Midnight Oil's drummer, who has stage four pancreatic cancer, still has songs pinging around his brain at night, while he rages against the dying of the light, reports ANDREW STAFFORD.
AC/DC managed to literally shake the earth, with their Melbourne concert detected by earthquake monitoring equipment three kilometres away.
