Fine performances in a ‘feast for ear and eye’

Photo: Peter Hislop

From the review by Clinton White, CityNews

“WHEN poetry, music and visual art are put into the concert melting pot, success can be the only result.

This was especially so in “Text/ure”, in which a poem, ‘If I Could Have Given You A Note’, by award-winning Canberra poet, Sarah Rice, was given to six composers with Canberra connections. Each was commissioned to write a choral piece. […]

It was a risky venture, for it could have become something of a competition to see which was the best of the six compositions. But, with introductions given by the composers added to the performances of their works, embellished by the slideshow, any notion of a competition quickly became redundant. While all six were written for a capella singing, each was different and stylish, and stood firmly on their own merits.

The six compositions, in the order in which they were performed, were by Sally Greenaway, Judith Clingan, David Cassat, Dan Walker (who also is Oriana’s director), Quin Thomson and Phil Batterham. […]

Dan Walker and his Oriana Chorale gave fine performances of all works, with beautiful tonal structures, quite lovely balance, excellent entries and finishes, and well-controlled tempi and dynamics. […]

At the end of the concert, Sarah Rice described the experience as a ‘feast for ear and eye’. It certainly was, and it underscored, once again, the wealth of talent across all art forms we have in Canberra.”