Brisbane Music Festival, getting back to the roots of chamber music

Brisbane Music Festival | Gala Concert 2

October 27, 2023, Fourthwall Arts, Brisbane, QLD

Nestled in the heart of Brisbane’s pulsing CBD, Fourthwall Arts is an intimate theatre space for chamber music recitals. This is the new home of the Brisbane Music Festival, directed by Alex Raineri, going back to the true roots of chamber music. 

On Friday night, I had the pleasure of attending the BMF Festival Gala 2. The program featured works by Poulenc alongside contemporary works by Australian composers Alex Turley and Yitzhak Yedid.  

Alex Raineri welcomed us and introduced the opening piece, Rosewood & Steel by Alex Turley. Featuring Alex on piano and Claire Edwardes on marimba, this piece explored symmetry and patterns, with the two instruments mirroring each other. 

Next, we heard Poulenc’s Sonata for Oboe and Piano, featuring BMF Young Artist Shana Hoshino on oboe and Alex on piano. The bright scherzo was bookended by two calm and lyrical slower movements. I enjoyed watching Shana perform, listening to the varying colours of her oboe. 

Alex took the spotlight for the next piece, the World Premiere of The Devil’s Ballerina by Brisbane composer Yitzhak Yedid. According to the program notes, this piece is an exploration of the tension between good and evil, represented by a ballerina, as a “visual embodiment of inner psychosis”. It was certainly a dramatic piece, with Alex striking heavy chords that filled the room. 

It was a return to Poulenc for the final piece, his Sextet for Piano and Winds, featuring Tim Munro (flute), Lloyd Van’t Hoff (clarinet), David Mitchell (bassoon), Brian KM (horn), Shana, and Alex. This was a fun and light-hearted piece, with each instrument having its own quirky voice and character. 

After the concert, we had the chance to mingle with the artists and enjoy refreshments. What a lovely way to start the weekend!