The Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho died over the weekend at the age of 70. Eschewing hardcore serialism and hardcore spectralism, her music found a way of describing colour and light with the orchestra and on the opera stage. Jack Symonds is the artistic director of Sydney Chamber Opera and an advocate for Saariaho’s music. Ahead of his performance of her choral work Tag de Jahrs with The Song Company Jack remembers Saariaho and her music.
Melbourne-based Speak Percussion are using music to invite audiences into the Melbourne Recital Centre and listen to the architecture. Producer Kez dropped by a rehearsal of Thomas Meadowcroft’s March Static in the foyer spaces of the recital centre to have a chat to some members of the 80-person-strong ensemble, and to their AD and assistant AD Eugene Ughetti and Kaylie Melville about the relationships between music, space and movement, and what it’s like to be a part of a community created through music.