TrioZ a choice pick

Choices, choices! Last Sunday there were nine concerts: The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Wyvern Music Club, Mosman Music Club, Clemens Leske, Sydney Consort, Rem Urasin, Brandenburg Ensemble, Bowral Music Festival and Kathryn Selby’s TrioZ. I picked Selby’s team: new venue, new ensemble, well-worn music.

The McQuoin Centre at Monte Sant’ Angelo College, North Sydney, proved large enough for a weatherproof, discerning, faithful audience of around 400. Its acoustics are good and performances of vivid integrity resisted distraction from traffic outside and rain. The Kakadu Variations by Beethoven opened the program (after one of those unnecessary chats by the pianist a la Goldschlager), followed by two major works of urbane civility: Mendelssohn’s Opus 66 and Ravel’s A Minor Trios. It would have been hard to imagine better playing than provided by pianist Kathryn Selby, violinist Niki Vasilakis and cellist Emma-Jane Murphy. Their Adelaide and Canberra recitals last week were sold out, and Sydney should follow suit.