Selleck, Yamamura, Rourke | Tolling of the Bells
A concert of works for flute & piano and clarinet & piano
23 March, 2025, Church Street Studios, Camperdown, NSW
Johanna Selleck – flute
Sumiko Yamamura – piano
Richard Rourke – clarinet
Four new works by Australian composers were premiered this last week in two concerts given by the Melbourne-based flute star Johanna Selleck and pianist Sumiko Yamamura. The first attracted a big turnout at St Stephens in Macquarie Street and the second concert was a full house at Church Street Studios. One of Australia’s leading clarinetists Richard Rourke joined in the fun in Camperdown with 3 Australian works as well as performing the Bernstein Sonata for Clarinet and Piano.
Selleck is that rare musician these days, a virtuosic performer and a composer of international standing. Her new Earth to Air, Tolling of the Bells for flute & piano was an enthralling adventure in extended flute techniques and music that both calmed and agitated. It was a perfect coupling with her brilliant and dramatic clarinet & piano work Where the Rivers Meet. Selleck is clearly one of Australia’s most important composers and it is a privilege to hear her music in Sydney. Her works received superb performances from Yamamura & Rourke and as composer and pianist she makes a dream team with Yamamura.
A charming new solo by Michael Hannan jsbach@340 gave Selleck ample opportunity to shine. This work seems to de-construct various melodic lines of Bach and it clearly attracts attention. Many people talked about the beautiful and harmonically rich alto flute composition Arioso by Howard Dillon. This music took its time to unfold and drew all into its soundworld of calmness and intrigue. These new compositions should be heard again across the country as they are all music of distinction.
Sydney was treated to a weekend of woodwind music from the elite of our nation’s performers as The Australia Ensemble had David Griffith as the clarinet soloist in the Quartet for the End of Time by Olivier Messiaen and at Flute Tree in Leichhardt flautist Christine Draeger and pianist John Martin gave a recital of mixed repertoire. What riches of music and covering so many different tastes. Sydney is a most fortunate city for chamber music and music of now.
Program
Johanna Selleck Earth to Air, Tolling of the Bells
Michael Hannan jsbach@340
Howard Dillon Arioso
Alan Holley Somnial
Johanna Selleck Where the Rivers Meet
Alan Holley Umbra and Solar Dance
JSBach Flute Sonata in E major BWV1035
Leonard Bernstein Sonata
ipad sketch by Rod Holdaway
