Elizabeth Bonny from Albany, barely out of her teens and about to graduate Bach Mus in Composition and Music Technology from WAAPA, opened the show with several of her own compositions. She played keyboard and laptop (yes, really) supported by her sister Catherine Bonny (vocals) with Albert Pritchard (acoustic guitar) and the Kathryn Shinnick String Quartet. Shinnick herself is no slouch when it comes to musical success: her time at WAAPA has seen her win several awards and wide recognition as an up-and-coming performer of chamber music. Tonight’s group provided a faultless backdrop to Bonny’s contributions.
The opening suite was melodic yet percussive: beating on the body of the cello and pizzicato effects added to the scherzo-esque effect, as did some interestingly syncopated passages. Next came ‘Nobody’, a piece Bonny wrote for her graduation recital, which will be held on November 22 at The Bakery. Featuring even more complex syncopation, a mimed one-way conversation and vocalising, ‘Nobody’ was attention-getting visually as well as musically. You can hear an extract on the composer’s web site.
The composer was joined by her sister Catherine, co-composer of the song ‘Two Old Trees’. This work featured complex counterpoint passages involving the string quartet and the laptop as well as the vocals. The words, sadly, were mostly unintelligible, and while this may have been deliberate I found it disappointing because they seemed to be telling a beautifully sad love story. For the last two numbers, guitarist Albert Pritchard provided accompaniment. There was some beautiful playing and singing, but ‘The Birdman’ and ‘Prometheus’, suffered from the same drawback as ‘Two Old Trees’ – unintelligible diction. ‘Prometheus’ was, perhaps, a tad too low-key to provide an effective finale, but overall this bracket was a very worthwhile offering. I expect to hear more of Elizabeth Bonny and her talented companions.
The second set was provided by The Tipperary Quartet: Rachael Aquilina (violin), Julia Watson (violin), Aaron Wyatt (viola), Emma McCoy (cello). The players entered in suitably Halloweenish garb with funny headgear and very appropriately opened the set with Chopin’s Funeral March, beautifully transcribed from the original piano version. Then the witches’ hats were set aside and the players got down to business with the first two movements of Dvorak’s American String Quartet. The melodic passages in the first movement, reminiscent of the New World Symphony, were exquisitely essayed. The final number was a Tango: not a piece I am not familiar with, and sadly I didn’t catch the composer’s name, but it was great fun. A send-up of every soulful tango ever composed, it nevertheless encapsulated everything we love about this passionate dance. Its chromatic harmonies were just nicely weird enough to remind us that it was, after all, Halloween. I would like to hear each of the Tipperary performers solo as they are obviously all gifted and well-schooled.
The younger musicians having strutted their stuff in fine style, we were well-primed for the appearance of Andrew Nicholson (flute) and David Wickham (piano). These fine players need no introduction to Perth audiences.
English-born Nicholson began to play the flute at the age of eight, and in 1985 he won a scholarship to study at Chetham’s School of Music, where he was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition before attending the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. While there, he regularly recorded and performed with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. He has since held principal flute positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Hallé, Royal Philharmonic and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has recorded as a concerto soloist with the Hallé and Sir Mark Elder and with the Royal Philharmonic and John Rutter. He performs session work in London, and can be heard on various film and television soundtracks, including the two most recent Harry Potter movies. He joined the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in March 2010.
Wickham is arguably one of Australia’s finest accompanists. He has partnered Sara Macliver, Fiona Campbell, Aivale Cole, Alexander Lewis, Roderick Williams and Ruby Philogene in recital. He is one of those rare accompanists who can be a full partner in the performance without in any way being intrusive. Perth is lucky to have him.
With backgrounds of that calibre, it was no surprise to hear a bracket of superlative musicianship, brilliant teamwork, and showmanship of no mean order. Three French composers — Fauré, Poulenc and Chaminade — were featured, with the last movement of Prokofiev’s Flute Concerto as a finale. There was not a single easy piece among the lot. From my seat by the stage, I was able to look over David Wickham’s shoulder at the sheet music. Every time he turned a page, I glanced forward along the lines for a glimpse of less demanding passages that might have given the performers chance to catch their breaths, but there weren’t any. With the rest of the house, I was swept ever onward until, more breathless than the performers themselves, I found release in giving forth loud applause.
The highlight was undoubtedly Chaminade’s Concertino for Flute, an incredible ‘party piece’ demanding pronounced virtuosity. Tricky runs and trills called forth amazing technical skill, superb breath control and wonderfully nimble fingering from Nicholson, with the entire bracket being supported by equally fine playing from Wickham at the piano. An outstanding performance.
Rating: Four stars
Chamber Jam, October 2011
Ellington Jazz Club, Northbridge
October 31
