This CD, “Classic Jenolan” contains works from some four years of concerts in The Devil’s Coachouse cave in Jenolan Caves, NSW, Australia. Includes the finale from Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, and two movements from Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy played by Natalie Chee. At age 12, Natalie was the youngest concertmaster in Australia when she joined SBS Youth Orchestra in 1988, and is now a member of Camerata Bern in Switzerland.

“Masterpieces” was largely recorded in New Caledonia’s grand cathedral by sound engineer Brendan Frost. It includes Fauré’s Pavane, Enesco’s Rumanian Rhapsody No.1 and Poulenc’s Concerto for Piano & Orchestra, with Simon Tedeschi as Soloist. Simon was later to have the unusual distinction of playing the “hands” of the young David Helfgott in the Australian film, “Shine”! Conducted by Matthew Krel & Giuseppe Giglio.

The SBS Youth Orchestra gave the Australian premiere of Respigi’s exotic “Belkis, Queen of Sheeba” in 1993, and took it on tour to the Pacific Kingdom of Tonga. It is included on this disk along with Bloch’s Concertino for Flute, Viola and Orchestra (featuring SBS musicians Amanda Chominsky and Ben Hames), Kabalevsky’s “The Comedians”, and Kodaly’s “Dances from Galanta”. Most of the recordings were produced by Owen Chambers in collaboration with ABC Classic FM’s “Young Australia” programme. The conductor is Matthew Krel.

On this disk, “Jodie Gillies” the young Australian singer of the same name is accompanied by the Orchestra in arrangements of tunes from popular Broadway shows, mostly by the Australian conductor Tommy Tycho. This required a very different style of playing from classically trained musicians, including working with click tracks and individual microphones. But yes, we’re there somewhere at the back of the mix!

The first SBS Orchestra CD released – in 1991. (SBS Music #SBS00072). Contains Haydn’s “Te Deum in C” conducted by Michael Deasey; Mozart’s “Concerto for Two Pianos in Eb Major” with soloists Nikolai Evrov and Elizabeth Powell; Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony; Leonard Bernstein’s “Westside Story” excerpts; and Shostakovich’s arrangement of the Caesar/Youmans tune “Tea for Two”. Legend has it that Shostakovich arranged and scored this piece in under an hour to win a bet…

This CD is a rare chance to hear a lesser-known Australian composer’s works which often reflected the environment surrounding him in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales (depicted on Ada Clark’s CD cover painting). Flute soloists from the Orchestra play Clifford Abbott’s concerti nos. 1-4; they are Tanya Watts (No.1), Rohan Smith (Nos.2 & 3) and Susanne Cowan (No.4). Conductors are Matthew Krel and Robert Johnson. In addition, Leigha Dark (harp) and Lisa Catwright (flute) perform Abbott’s “Blue Mountain Airs”.

NOT PICTURED

Operatic Arias CD with Soloist Horst Hoffman (1996)