On Stage: Australian Brandenburg Orchestra

I’m not sure if the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra is planning a recording of its Mozart Requiem: 100 Voices concert but if it is I will be buying it.

The concert, held at Melbourne’s Recital Centre on May 7, was one of the most enjoyable I have attended recently thanks to some magnificent voices.
As the title suggested choral works featured on the program with the `show-stoppers’ being Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus and Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor.  Both were just amazing.

The Hallelujah Chorus featured both members of the Brandenburg Choir and the Brandenburg Young Voices.  The 100 plus Young Voices came from students from the National Boys and several Melbourne school choirs. Their ages (judging from the size of some of the singers) seemed to range from around eight to 17.   Before joining with the `senior’ choir for the Hallelujah Chorus the young singers presented several songs with For the Beauty of the Earth a standout.
But it was the Hallelujah Chorus which had members of the audience standing and cheering.  It was a truly stirring and rousing performance.
For my companion the highlight of the show was Mozart’s Requiem.  This is one of her favourite pieces and she voted this one of the best live performances she has heard.  She was full of praise for the work of the choir, orchestra and soloists Amy Moore, Max Riebl, Paul Sutton and Alexander Knight.

Sadly all future performances of this concert are sold out hence my enthusiasm for any recording.  However if Paul Dyer’s wish in staging this concert- encouraging young stars of the future – comes to fruition hopefully we will be hearing some of the young voices which featured for many years to come.

Jenny Burns attended the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s Mozart Requiem: 100 Voices as a guest of the Orchestra.