Local music talents thrive
Composers in concert
WE HAVE a peculiar attitude to the arts in Australia, which stems back to the beginning of the 20th century.
There is an odd embedded notion that” imported is better” and for a local product to be valued, it has to be assessed elsewhere “by our betters” before we will be admit that what is right in front of us has value, worth and – God forbid – our local people are talented, and have the right to create and perform with the best of them.
Consequently, we do not have a tradition of valuing (and investing in) the product which is produced locally. It is bad enough in the larger centres – but in the regions this cultural cringe is endemic.
This may have been an unspoken motivation behind the Music Centre presenting the work of four Townsville-based composers – Lily Roehr, Kate Hamill, Steve Martin and Mark Smith. It proved the point that valuable talent is alive and well at home. We simply need to take a risk and support it.
Lily Roehr may only have just completed Year 12, but her two inspired classical works demonstrated a talent and ability way beyond her tender years. Her “Andante in B Minor” (a trio for violin, piano and cello) was romantic and lyrical, whilst her self-performed piano solo “Tribute to Mussorgsky” was reminiscent of Henry Mancini and Nino Rota, while the musical passages clearly demonstrated her inspiration from Mussorgsky’s Coronation Scene from “Boris Godunov”.
The Celtic tradition was more than catered for with evocative flute work of Megan Donnelly and Luke Carroll for Kate Hamill’s two linked works for flute: “Sailor’s Ballad” and “The Two Strangers”.
Composing on the spot is always a challenge, and improvising new work is a form of relaxing inspiration for pianist Steve Martin. He contributed two interesting improvisational pieces, and particularly enjoyable was the jazz-blues influenced offering in the second half.
However, the undoubted Impressive centrepiece of the concert were two quirky works from Mark Smith: “Suite of Stylistic Impressions”, a work in five movements performed by a seven-piece orchestra; and the amusing “The Cuckoos” performed by a six-piece ensemble.
Special mention must also be made of the outstanding work from the contributing local musicians: Luke Carroll (cello and flute), Taylor Chappell (percussion), Claire Dickson (cornet), Megan Donnelly (flute), Olivia Jung (violin), Carole Radovanovic (cello) and Dominic Torrisi (piano).
The next Music Centre concert will be in February 2023.