Episode 1, 2021: Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier
Thursday 25 March 2021

In 1911 Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier (The Cavalier of the Rose) premiered in Dresden, Germany when the aftermath of World War I caused the cultures of Vienna to fade. A bittersweet romantic comedy set in the 1740s in old Vienna, a half-real and half-imagined Utopia, one that Strauss and Der Rosenkavalier’s librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal are nostalgic of.   

In this new episode of ANAM Radio, Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) talks to renowned oboist Nigel Shore and former ANAM Artistic Director Nick Deutsch about Nigel’s wind arrangement of Der Rosenkavalier. Nigel discusses how the oboe, clarinet and horn are the protagonists in operas, just as much as the singers. Nick also shares his most memorable performances of this masterpiece throughout his career. 

Nigel Shore’s wind arrangement of Der Rosenkavalier will premiere on 1 April 2021 at The Good Shepherd Chapel, Abbotsford, Victoria. To purchase tickets, visit https://anam.com.au/whats-on/events/rosenkavalier.

Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier (Ep 1 2021)

Episode 2, 2021: The Poet, Nature and the Dance (ANAM 2021 Opening Concert)
Wednesday 28 April 2021

ANAM Head of Strings, Resident Cello Faculty (Chair of Cello, Supported Anonymously) and long-standing member of the Chambre Orchestra of Europe, Howard Penny talks to ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert about ANAM 2021 Opening Concert, The Poet, Nature and the Dance. 

Howard describes the program as all about “Romanticism with the capital R”. Compositions from the 19th century contained much more details than before, and he is keen to uncover the musical language behind the musical notations with ANAM musicians.  

In this episode of ANAM Radio, Howard and Phil explores the context and meaning behind Schumann’s Manfred Overture, the warm sounds of Bohemian countryside and the array of dances of the Danube in Dvořák’s symphony, and the Hungarian inflections in Strauss’s celebratory Polka Eljen a Magyar.

Visit www.anam.com.au to know more about our concerts

The Poet, Nature and the Dance (Ep 2 2021)

Episode 3, 2021: ANAM Radio Special
Monday 7 June 2021

In this special episode of ANAM Radio, alumna Thea Rossen takes over the mic to chat with ANAM musicians and faculty about why ANAM is a unique and special place for young musicians. They also give us insights about what a usual week at ANAM looks like whilst musicians, faculty and guest artists prepare to play side by side in ANAM performances throughout the year. 

Applications for ANAM’s 2022 Program are now open! Visit www.anam.com.au/training for more information.

ANAM Radio Special (Ep 3 2021)

Episode 4, 2021: ANAM Radio Special Part II
Monday 21 June 2021

“ANAM is really interested in the person, as well as the musician.”-Thea Rossen (percussion, 2016)

In the second part of the ANAM Radio Special, alumna Thea Rossen, and current musicians Rachel Lau, Nathan Gatenby and Noah Rudd share fun anecdotes about their ANAM auditions and share hot tips on what to expect on the ANAM application process. 

Thea also chats with her former teacher Peter Neville, and other ANAM faculty members Virginia Taylor and Damien Eckersley about what kind of musicians ANAM is looking for. 

Applications for ANAM’s 2022 Program are now open! Visit www.anam.com.au/training for more information.

ANAM Radio Special Part II (Ep 4, 2021)

Episode 5, 2021: Hindemith’s Kammermusik no. 1
Wednesday 22 September 2021

Born in Hanau, Germany in 1895, Paul Hindemith was cultivated as violist, violinist, pianist and percussionist. He was also “one of the most practical, but also the most overlooked composers of the last century.”  Considered an avant-garde composer in the 20s, Hindemith’s Kammermusik no.1 features twelve solo instruments and reflects its composer’s Dadaist response to chamber music.

In this episode of ANAM Radio, ANAM’s Head of Piano, Timothy Young (Margaret Johnson Chair of Piano) talks to Phil Lambert (ANAM’s Music librarian) about how he first came about Paul Hindemith and his works, and some of the things that he has learned about how to write music from the prolific musician and composer.

Hindemith's Kammermusik (Ep 5 2021)

Episode 6, 2021: Brahms’ Horn Trio
Friday 8 October 2021

German composer Johannes Brahms’ Horn Trio is a unique contribution to chamber repertoire written originally for violin, piano and horn. Composed in 1865 after the his mother’s death, the piece is both nostalgic and melancholic interwoven with extra-melodic details of lullabies Brahms’ mother used to sing for him.  

This week, ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert talks to ANAM horn player Tim Allen-Ankins (QLD) about his experience performing this piece for his ANAM recital last year. Tim, who plays with a Modern Valve Horn, shares with us how he attempted to imitate the sounds of an Old Forest Horn which was the original instrument Brahms used when he wrote this composition.

Tim’s efforts truly paid off as he received the 2020 St Silas Prize for the Most Outstanding Performance in an ANAM Recital for his performance. The video that is featured with this ANAM Radio episode is from Tim Allen-Ankins’ recital last year which was recorded in Queensland with fellow ANAM musicians, Claire Weatherhead (violin, QLD) and Amanda Pang (piano, QLD). 

To watch the video, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-2QQXZY2S4&list=PLbdnd7x5ydRe5IjD5fW0--WZZmey7832f&index=16

Brahms' Horn Trio (Ep 6 2021)

Episode 7, 2021: Boulanger’s Trios morceaux pour piano
Wednesday 20 October 2021

Some might say that French composer Lili Boulanger could have done more in her lifetime if she did not die far too young at 24. Nevertheless, it is no doubt she was able to live a productive and colourful life in 20th century Europe. Hailing from an extraordinary family, Boulanger grew up with a father who was a musician, a princess for a mother, and an equally talented sister who was later recognised as one of the greatest female composers and music pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger.  In 1913,  Lili Boulanger became the first woman to ever win the prestigious Prix de Rome where she was awarded a year of artistic residency in the Medicci estate. 

It was during this residency that she composed her Trios morceaux pour piano or Three pieces for piano performed by ANAM pianist Hannah Pike (QLD) in her 2020 recital. According to Hannah, Boulanger is a very precise and detailed composer. When studying the pieces for her recital, she learned that Boulanger knew exactly what she wanted and was clear about how her music should be played. However, that did not make it easier for Hannah as Boulanger’s rich impressionistic harmonies asks the musician to play with a lot of density and control. 

This episode of ANAM Radio is accompanied by Hannah’s recital video of her performance of Boulanger’s work last year. Hannah’s performance won her the ADFAS Yarra Prize for the Most Outstanding Program in an ANAM Recital. To watch Hannah's recital, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSzhm0psXg4&list=PLbdnd7x5ydRd7-ANQQkJmed2HSGRsyrF-&index=9

Boulanger's Trois morceaux pour piano(Ep 7 2021)

Episode 8, 2021: Vanhal’s Double Bass Concerto
Friday 5 November 2021

Since the mid-18th century, the double bass has evolved considerably. One of the most prolific composers that are known for his Double Bass Concerto is Bohemian-born Johann Baptist Vanhal. During his time, there were different models of the double bass which made the degree of standardisation for the instrument a lot lower than it is today. Vanhal was writing for double basses tuned in the Viennese style, which is significantly different from the current-day style of tuning. 

The difference in configuration was one of the biggest challenges Ben Saffir (double bass, NSW) had to overcome when he was preparing for his first ANAM recital in 2020. In this episode of ANAM Radio, Ben talks to ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert about everything we need to know about the double bass and his own double bass created by Romeo Gabute in the Philippines in the mid-20th century. 

The performance video featured in this episode of ANAM Radio is from Ben’s 2020 Recital in the Musica Viva studios in Sydney, NSW. 

To watch Ben's performance, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tp36cbf1Mk&list=PLbdnd7x5ydRe5IjD5fW0--WZZmey7832f&index=1

Vanhal's Double Bass Concerto (Ep 8, 2021)

Paavali Jumppanen speaks with 3CR Community Radio about the amazing performances at the end of year ANAM chamber music festival, The Innovative Spirit of George Crumb.

Paavali Jumppanen speaks with Annie McLoughlin about George Crumb on 3CR

Supernova conductor Simone Young is back in the building this week, generously sharing her seemingly boundless knowledge with the ANAM orchestra through a week of workshops on works by Faure, Berg, and other masters of the theme and variations. We talk about the musicology of the orchestra, what it means to lead an orchestra, and what to do when things go wrong. Over a series of post-performance interviews, we get a better idea about why this Australian legend keeps on coming back to grace the corridors of the Academy.

The Up-Bow Down-Low (Ep 7): Theme and Variation (feat. Simone Young)

What does it mean to be female in classical music? Hosts Kenny and Luke dive headfirst into the many-layered topic of equality in classical music, accompanied by ANAM viola alumnus and all-round great lady Katie Yap. They talk composers, the dark of history of women in classical music, discrimination and oppression, and what might come next, with help from interview guests Claire Edwardes (percussionist and Artistic Director of Ensemble Offspring), Gemma Tomlinson (ANAM cello Fellow), and Rachel Grimwood (ANAM violist). ANAM cello student Vicky Zhang joins the party with some light theremin playing to keep you entertained.

The Up-Bow Down-Low (Ep 9): Lady

Ten Thousand Birds by John Luther Adams is an immersive piece of music deeply connected to nature and place. 

Hear triple Grammy-award-winning flautist and ANAM Guest Artist Tim Munro, Grammy award and Pulitzer prize winning composer John Luther Adams, and ANAM cellist David Moran talk about their love of birdsong, breaking down performance conventions, and the upcoming performance of Ten Thousand Birds at the Australian National Academy of Music on the 4th of June 2019.

Written, edited and produced by Madi Chwasta.
Orchestral music from ANAM Opening Concert 1.
Flute music was Liminal Highway by Christopher Cerrone.
Bird sounds from xeno-canto.org.

For more information on ANAM's performance of Ten Thousand Birds and to book tickets, visit anam.com.au/birds

Ten Thousand Birds (Ep 1 2019)

2019 marks 100 years since Czech composer Gideon Klein died in horrifying circumstances during World War II. However, his music - a distinctive mix of folk-infused melodies reminiscent of Leoš Janáček and the modernist sensibilities espoused by Arnold Schoenberg’s 12-tone school - lives on, and is only becoming more prolific with time.

Hear ANAM Artistic Director Nick Deutsch, Royal Northern College of Music researcher Dr David Fligg, and ANAM pianist Maggie Pang talk about Gideon Klein’s life, music and legacy.

Written and produced by Madi Chwasta.

Music:
Divertimento for Wind Octet - Gideon Klein, performed by ANAM musicians.
Serenade in D minor - Antonín Dvořák, performed by ANAM musicians.
Sonata for piano - Gideon Klein, performed by Maggie Pang.

Homage to Gideon Klein (Ep 2 2019)

The ANAM experience is one like no other. Hear first-year violinist Mia Stanton, Head of Cello Howard Penny, and ANAM alumnus Jonathan Bekes share insights into what it’s like to be a musician at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM).

Written and produced by Madi Chwasta.

Music, all performed by ANAM musicians:
Mozart - String Quintet No.4 in G minor
Glinka - Overture Rusian and Lyudmila
Beethoven - Wind Octet in E Flat
Mendelssohn - Piano Trio No.2 in C minor
Schumann - Symphony No. 3 in E flat major
Martinu - Oboe concerto
Grainger - Random round
Wagner - Reitermarsch from Lohengrin
Rachmaninoff - Cello sonata in G minor

*ANAM international partnerships include the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Academy (Karajan Academy), Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy and Bavarian State Opera Academy (referred to by Howard as Munich Opera).

The ANAM Experience (Ep 3 2019)

Igor Stravinsky is considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, in no small part indebted to his three groundbreaking ballets - The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring.

These pieces were made possible by Russian artistic visionary Sergei Diaghilev, and his ballet company known as the Ballet Russes. Hear leading arts commentator Lee Christofis, ANAM guest artist Eduardo Strausser and ANAM musician Eve McEwen discuss Russian folklore, a dance revolution, and Stravinsky with the Ballet Russes; a partnership which changed classical music forever.

Featuring:
Eduardo Strausser, ANAM guest artist
Eve McEwen, ANAM musician
Lee Christofis, arts commentator

Written, edited and produced by Madi Chwasta

Stravinsky and Petrushka (Ep 4 2019)

Clara Schumann was one of the most successful concert performers of the 19th century, lauded across Europe as the ‘Queen of the piano’. She was also a skilled composer, but her music was forgotten for years in favour of her husband’s significant and celebrated output. However, in recent years, her music has been brought back into the classical music canon and audiences have delighted in discovering her long unheard compositions.

To celebrate the bicentennial year since her birth, ANAM is presenting a program of her music. Hear music researcher Sarah Kirby, Resident Violin Faculty Robin Wilson, and ANAM violist Molly Collier-O’Boyle, talk about Clara’s virtuosity in performance and composition.

Written, edited and produced by Madi Chwasta
Music performed by ANAM musicians

Clara Schumann (Ep 5 2019)

The great Hungarian violinist and conductor, Gábor Takács-Nagy describes the First Viennese School as the “golden time in classical music”. It is a thought that many around the world share, as audiences continue to be moved and inspired by the masterpieces that came from late-18th century Vienna. 

Hear Gábor, along with ANAM’s Artistic Director Nick Deutsch and ANAM musician Kate Worley, reflect on the works of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn and Schubert, and why they remain crowd-favourites.

Produced, written and edited by Madi Chwasta
Music performed by ANAM musicians

The First Viennese School with Gábor Takács-Nagy (Ep 6 2019)

Episode 1, 2020: Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante
Wednesday 27 May 2020

After a disastrous premiere in 1938, Sergei Prokofiev put away his Sinfonia Concertante. It wasn’t until 1947 that it resurfaced, when a 20-year-old cello student, Mstislav Rostropovich, discovered it from the archives and performed it at the Moscow Conservatory. After that performance, Prokofiev worked with the young virtuoso to improve the composition – the rest is history. 

In this episode of ANAM Radio, cellist James Morley talks to Phil Lambert (our Music Librarian) about how he first discovered Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante and why he decided to perform it as part of ANAM’s 2019 Concerto Competition. 

James was one of three finalists to perform in the Grand Final of the 2019 Concerto Competition with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart. The music you will hear is from his Melbourne performance where he performed the piece with Leigh Harrold on piano. James received the Audience Choice Award for this performance.

PROKOFIEV Sinfonia Concertante op. 125 
James Morley SA cello 
Leigh Harrold piano

To watch the full performance, visit https://youtu.be/LPlZREH-fFU

Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante (Ep 1 2020)

Episode 2, 2020: Bartók’s Violin Concerto 
Wednesday 3 June 2020

The 1930s sees the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók at the height of his career as he produced succeeding masterpieces exhibiting strict counterpoints and new sounds. That is why the Violin Concerto he wrote for his close associate, violin virtuoso Zoltán Székely was seen as a step backwards by some as Bartók had to relent to Székely’s request to stick to a more traditional three-movement composition. ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert thinks otherwise and revisits this Bartók masterpiece performed by ANAM alumnus Johnny van Gend (violin 2019) at the 2019 ANAM Concerto Competition. 

Hear Phil and Johnny chat about the great Hungarian composer and the grand ending of the Violin Concerto which again showed Bartók accommodating Székely’s wishes to have the spotlight on the violinist at the end of the performance. 

Johnny was the winner of ANAM’s 2019 Concerto Competition that was held in Hobart with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. The music you will hear is from his Melbourne performance where he performed the piece with Peter de Jager on piano. 

Johnny was also the inaugural recipient of the ANAM position in the Bavarian State Opera’s Orchestra Academy in Munich, Germany. 

To watch the video recording of Johnny's full performance, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1thGovmLg64&feature=youtu.be

Bartók's Violin Concerto no. 2 (Ep 2 2020)

Episode 4, 2020: Strauss’s Sonatina no. 1
Wednesday 24 June 2020

Writing Sonatina no. 1 during the height of World War II became Richard Strauss’s form of escape from a decade of Nazism that wrought horrors in his hometown in Munich, Germany. The then 80-year-old composer wrote this piece to keep his mind occupied after the premiere of his opera Capriccio.  Strauss gave the sonatina the nickname, From an Invalid’s Workshop having composed almost half of it during a nasty bout of influenza- something that could be relatable to us during this current pandemic.  

In this episode of ANAM Radio, ANAM flautistRachel Lau chats with Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) about playing alongside a passionate group and the spirit of collaboration fostered among the ANAM Winds ensemble in preparing for the challenge of playing the entire 38 minutes of this masterpiece.

The music in this episode is from the 2019 ANAM Soundbite concert  that featured Nick Deutsch (oboe), David Thomas (clarinet) and ANAM Winds.

To watch the full recording of this performance, visithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EBbvPOQzsE&feature=youtu.be

Strauss's Sonatina no. 1 (Ep 4 2020)

Episode 5, 2020: Ibert’s Flute Concerto
Wednesday 1 July 2020

ANAM Music Librarian, Phil Lambert thinks French composer Jacques Ibert’s most popular compositions sparkle like French champagne. First coming to public attention in the early 1920s, Ibert’s oeuvre is known for being polished and entertaining, never driven by any theory, agenda or the desire to gain attention through shock value. But lest you think that his range is limited, try tracking down Orson Welles’ 1948 film, Macbeth, which owes its ominous and oppressive atmosphere to Ibert’s excellent score.

Ibert wrote his Flute Concerto between 1932 and 1934 for his contemporary flautist Marcel Moyse, who is probably considered the greatest flautist of his time. Knowing that he was writing for a virtuoso, Ibert did not spare this composition from any technical difficulty. This is the challenge ANAM alumna Cassandra Slater (flute 2019) had to overcome when mastering this piece for the Grand Final of the 2019 ANAM Concerto Competition . 

In this episode of ANAM Radio, Cassandra shares with us how she trained “almost like an athlete” to make sure she had the stamina to perform this rather demanding piece with the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra. She also shares some insightful anecdotes about the piece’s second movement, written after Ibert’s father passed away.

Cassandra was one of three finalists to perform in the Grand Final of the 2019 ANAM Concerto Competition with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart. The music you will hear is from her Melbourne performance where she performed the piece with Louisa Breen on piano.

Ibert's Flute Concerto (Ep 5 2020)

Episode 6, 2020: Dvořák’s Serenade for winds
Wednesday 8 July 2020

Antonin Dvořák’s road to success was long and hard. But like many successful composers of his time, his perseverance enabled him to create masterpieces that endured time and space. In December 1877, he travelled to Vienna to meet Johannes Brahms, the first great composer to truly appreciate his work. It was on this trip that he was able to watch a performance of Mozart’s Gran Partita for twelve winds and double bass or contrabassoon. Inspired by what he heard, he began working on his own Serenade for winds the following month, completing it in two weeks. Of this composition, Brahms wrote to his friend, violinist Joseph Joachim, “Take a look at Dvořák's Serenade for wind instruments. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do... It would be difficult to discover a finer, more refreshing impression of really abundant and charming creative talent. Have it played to you; I feel sure the players will enjoy doing it!"

ANAM oboist Noah Rudd can relate to the way Dvořák was able to persevere through the inspiration and encouragement from other artists. Having moved from New Zealand to Australia to attend ANAM, and discovering different aesthetics and depth of sound, Noah is as inspired by being around his fellow ANAM musicians and playing alongside ANAM Artistic Director and internationally acclaimed oboist Nick Deutsch. In this episode of ANAM Radio, Noah chats with Phil Lambert about his experience in performing Dvořák’s Serenade for winds and the prominence of the second oboe in the lower registers of the composition. The performance featured in this episode is from the Homage to Gideon Klein concert at ANAM in 2019. 

Watch the full recording of the performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy77gUCLFck&feature=youtu.be

Dvořák Serenade for Winds(Ep 6 2020)

Episode 7, 2020: Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for strings
Wednesday 29 July 2020

This week ANAM Music Librarian, Phil Lambert, talks about one of the most popular String Serenades by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The story begins in 1868 when the master composer was putting together an anthology of Russian folk songs for piano duets. The arrangements are short and have simple harmonies. In September of 1880, Tchaikovsky was working on a commission to commemorate the victory of Russia over Napoleon, his famous 1812 Overture. Around the same time, he began jotting down ideas for another piece, convinced that a Serenade for a large string orchestra would permit him to create lush texture without having to take on the intellectual weight of a symphony. His Serenade for Strings was completed in November 1880. Its most interesting quality is how the simple Russian folk songs he composed 12 years prior came together with the rest of the composition to give the finale a very rustic romp.  

Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for strings is easily one of the string masterpieces that is still very popular to this day. Phil talks to ANAM alumnus Liam Oborne (violin 2019) who admitted he stopped enjoying performing it at some point, until performing it with Israeli violinist Gregory Ahss renewed his appreciation for this piece. Gregory directed and performed this piece with the ANAM string orchestra during his 2019 ANAM Residency. The performance featured in this episode is from ANAM’s Joy and Heartbreak concert.

Watch the full recording of at performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk-9ONSUPyM&feature=youtu.be

Tchaikovsky's Serenade for strings (Ep 7 2020)

Episode 8, 2020: Strauss’s Metamorphosen
Wednesday 5 August 2020

The position of Richard Strauss during the Second World War was truly tragic. Already an esteemed composer during his time, he was used by the Nazi Party as a validation of its program. His contrasting political view was compromised by his desire to protect his Jewish family members. The war ended when Strauss was about 80 years old. At this time, he was inconsolable because of his perceived destruction of the German culture brought by the war. Metamorphosen is a play on the word ‘metamorphosis’ whose classical meaning of ‘rebirth’ the great composer inverts to describe how German culture descended to bestiality, of ’man killing man’, through the course of the Second World War.

Laura Barton (violin 2019) chats to Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) about conducting this masterpiece with ANAM Musicians during her final year at ANAM. For her, Metamorphosen is a complete overview of German culture as seen in Strauss’s perspective – the unbridled joy reached during the piece’s climax, only to come crashing down in the end.

This performance of Strauss’s Metamorphosen is from the 2019 ANAM Soundbite concert that formed part of Laura’s Master of Music thesis that she was concurrently completing at Griffith University while also completing the ANAM Performance Program. It was performed by ANAM string musicians with Laura as the conductor.

Watch the full recording of this performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5IAJAz1CY0&feature=youtu.be

Strauss's Metamorphosen (Ep 8 2020)

Episode 10, 2020: Chopin’s Barcarolle
Wednesday 19 August 2020

It is surprising to know that Frédéric François Chopin wrote the Barcarolle without having had the chance to visit Venice during his lifetime. A barcarolle is a Venetian gondolier's song, and Chopin wrote his in 1845.  ANAM Alumnus Adam McMillan (piano 2017) tells ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert about Chopin’s love for the opera as a possible inspiration for this composition as some of the arias written around that time were written in the Barcarolle style. 

In this episode, you will also hear Adam talk about how performing this piece feels like being “in a dream the whole time.” The recording featured on this episode is from Adam’s ANAM Recital in 2017. Watch out for Phil’s favourite moment of suspense that begins about 6:51 into the video that he calls a good “moment of suspense.”

Watch the full performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALs_LlGkKSA&feature=youtu.be

Chopin's Barcarolle (Ep 10 2020)

Episode 12, 2020: de Falla’s Concerto for Harpsichord
Wednesday 23 September 2020

When pianist Wanda Landowska asked composer Manuel de Falla to write a composition inspired by Baroque music, she envisioned the piece to be played on a harpsichord. To this end, Landowska also commissioned the French firm Pleyel to build the instrument for her which they indulged with four 7-and-a-half feet long harpsichords made up of metal frames more powerful than any harpsichord known to JS Bach. Although it took him three years to complete, de Falla, a devout Catholic, was able to translate his love for rituals and sacraments into his music. In the second movement of the composition, one can hear solemn plainchants and the clanging of cathedral bells in the bass notes of the cathedral which were inspired by the yearly Corpus Christi procession the composer witnessed in Seville, Spain in 1922. 

Even without the magnificent harpsichords that the composition was first performed on, ANAM Associate Artist Peter de Jager was still able to give justice to the composition when he performed it with fellow ANAM musicians in 2014. Both Peter and Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) agree that de Falla envisioned this piece with big sonorous sounds, so suitable amplification of the harpsichord is needed for its sound to match the rest of the ensemble. In this ANAM Radio episode, Peter further talks about how de Falla was able to come up with a composition of great strength that seems to look beyond the instrument.

The performance featured here is from ANAM alumna Jessica Foot’s fellowship concert in 2014. Watch the video recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-cb5tIip04&feature=youtu.be

de Falla's Concerto for Harpsichord (Ep 12 2020)

Episode 13, 2020: Finnissy’s Ru Tchou (The Ascent of the Sun)
Wednesday 7 October 2020

A virtuoso pianist himself, British composer Michael Finnissy has been at the forefront of new music for the last fifty years. He composed Ru Tchou in 1975 for a concert series in Taiwan and intended it to be a musical ritual for welcoming the sunrise. A Canadian colleague advised him on taking advantage of “a small setup but using it thoroughly”. Earlier this year, Finnissy was able to watch ANAM percussionist Alexander Meagher’s performance of his composition and was thoroughly impressed by how Alex interpreted the piece. 

In this special episode of ANAM Radio, Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) chats with Michael Finnissy and Alex Meagher about Ru Tchou and the proportions of sound and non-sound that requires the player to perform it like a dance. Finnissy talks about how Alex gave a performance reminiscent of a stylised modern dance – something that is not only meant to be listened to, but also to be watched, a skill Alex credits to his early training in Karate. 

The performance you are about to see is from Alex’s 2019 ANAM Recital. To watch the performance recording, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKjeLH0yGwc&feature=youtu.be

Finnissy's Ru Tchou (The Ascent of the Sun) (Ep 13 2020)

Episode 14, 2020: Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto
Wednesday 21 October 2020

Giovanni Bottesini is considered to be one of the most colourful and mysterious celebrities of 19thcentury music. Although his Double Bass Concerto no. 2 is considered to be a staple in every double bassist’s repertoire, there is unfortunately no surviving orchestral score written in the composer’s hand. Bottesini’s lack of due diligence in preserving his manuscripts made him more interesting for modern bass players who continuously search for the missing compositions in the back streets of Italy.  

In this episode of ANAM Radio, ANAM alumnus Alexander Arai-Swale (double bass 2017) talks to Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) from Berlin, Germany where he gives his two cents on the mysterious world of the double bass, and shares interesting anecdotes of Bottesini’s time in Baden-Baden, Germany. Alexander is currently a scholarship holder at the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker under the tutelage of Matthew MacDonald. 

The performance recording featured in this episode is from Alexander’s ANAM recital in 2016. To watch Alexander's full performance visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7M3OYvx5zo&feature=youtu.be

Bottesini's Double Bass Concerto (Ep 14 2020)

Episode 15, 2020: Dvořák’s Quintet in A major
Wednesday 4 November 2020

ANAM alumnus Laurence Matheson (piano 2016) and ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert agree that Dvořák was quite happy when he wrote his Quintet in A major in his country estate in Vysoká, Czech Republic in the summer of 1887. Yet, this light and folk-influenced composition finishes with a tone of pathos in the sudden slow section at the very end. While some might feel that the change does not quite fit the general mood of the piece, Laurence was drawn to the way Dvořák was able to bring the work together with a sense of gravitas. 

In this episode of ANAM Radio, Phil and Laurence talk about the Dvořák’s journey and influences when he wrote this piece, and why Laurence chose it to be part of his concert series. The video recording is from one of Laurence’s ANAM fellowship concerts in 2016 with ANAM musicians and guest artists.

Dvořák’s Quintet in A major (Ep 15 2020)

Episode 17, 2020: Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to Orchestra
Friday 11 December 2020

For his final year as ANAM’s Artistic Director, Nick Deutsch originally planned to start and end the year performing with the complete ANAM cohort and faculty. However, 2020 had other plans. Yet as he proved, “no pandemic will stand in our way”. In this special episode of ANAM Radio, Phil Lambert (ANAM Music Librarian) talks to the people who took on the mammoth task of putting together ANAM’s 2020 finale video from different living rooms and studios around the world. Nick and Alistair McLean (ANAM Recording and Online Coordinator) share how they worked with ANAM’s faculty and musicians to bring to life a brilliant performance of a piece that poses different challenges in the unusual 2020 set-up for musical performances. 

The performance you are about the see was premiered in ANAM’s 2020 end of year celebration on Zoom on 29 November 2020. Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to Orchestra is performed by the ANAM Orchestra, and edited by Alistair Mclean and Tom Marley by permission of Boosey and Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd., and all rights administered by Hal Leonard Australia. 

To watch the full performance, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhurka41l4Y&feature=youtu.be

Britten's A Young Person's Guide to Orchestra (Ep 17 2020)

ANAM is dedicated to the training of the most exceptional young classical musicians from Australia and New Zealand. It is a place in which young musicians fulfil their potential as music leaders, distinguished by their skill, imagination and courage, and by their determined contribution to a vibrant music culture.

ANAM Musicians share the stage with the world’s finest artists, performing in over 180 concerts and events in venues across Australia. Alumni work in orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world, performing as soloists, contributing to educating the next generation of musicians, and winning major national and international awards.

Popular tracks by ANAM Radio