Harriet Cunningham | Thursday 3 July, 2008

KATHRYN SELBY gave the opening Alegro of Mozart's Piano Trio in G major K.496 an unerring touch. It was beautifully phrased, but not over-phrased, with every note emerging crystal clear,
in short, a model performance setting and exacting standard for her two colleagues.

The violinist, Niki Vasilakis, and the cellist Julian Smiles, a stand-in for the regular ensemble
member, Emma-Jane Murphy, took on the challenge with enthusiasm. Smiles  is an old hand
at chamber music, a member of the Australia Ensemble since 1991 and his contribution matched Selby's polish.

Vasilakis's virtuosic passages in the Allegro were determined and at times more gritty that slick,
but it was a pleasure to hear someone taking risks rather than aiming for tepid perfection.

With the opening of Dvorak’s "Dumky" Trio No 4 in E Minor came the opportunity for Smiles to assert his mastery with a perfectly judged leap into the impassioned unknown. He then led the way into a well-turned cantilena, nicely punctuated by the violin and piano.

It was a satisfying performance but it revealed how changing one member of a trio makes a big difference to the overall sound. In this case, the assured poise of Smiles tipped the balance against the violin, highlighting the comparative inexperience of Vasilakis, who was inclined to let the piano and the cello run the show.

It was in the final work, Schubert's Piano Trio in E Flat Major, that the ensemble came together most emphatically. This abundant work, overflowing with wild melodies and reflection, drew out the best in each player.

Vasilakis, at last grasped her role as leader of the ensemble with flair. She was strong in the singing legato of the second movement and in the breathless fun of the scherzo. The most magical moment, however, fell to the cello, with Smiles whispering out the final recapitulation of Schubert’s haunting cello melody like a distant memory