Composer Michael Dooley. Photo: Peter Hislop.
The concert "Journeys" on Tuesday 4 July at the ANU School of Music's Llewellyn Hall in Canberra highlighted the city's vibrant music scene and the talent of its graduates. All the soloists were ANU School of Music alumni, and the orchestra featured top ANU students.
The event showcased the compositions of Canberra's own Michael Dooley. The concert was initially planned as a recording project, and evolved into a live performance. It featured three significant suites of Dooley's music, conducted by Max McBride.
The opening piece, "Australian Landscapes," set the tone for the evening. Pianist Aaron Chew delivered a powerful performance, painting vivid musical landscapes along with the orchestra's accompaniment.
The centerpiece, "The Land that is very far off," featured violinist Tim Wickham and pianist Anthony Smith. The emotional composition consisted of three interconnected movements that seamlessly merged into a cohesive whole.
Dooley's first piano concerto, "Grace and Truth," certianly took the audience on a long and varied musical journey. Soloist Andrew Rumsey exchanged melodies with cellist Sam Payne and clarinettist Thomas Azoury before combining each of the concerto's themes in a showcase of virtuosity.
The concert concluded with Dooley returning to the stage to perform his composition, "Fields of Freedom," highlighting his affinity for the Steinway piano.