Scintillating solos lead WA Symphony Orchestra Ensemble Edition at Perth Concert Hall

Two of WA Symphony Orchestra’s best-known principals take the lead with scintillating solos in the third week of Ensemble Edition recitals from the Perth Concert Hall stage this Friday.

Principal horn David Evans is first with Viennese classical master Mozart’s Horn Quintet in E-flat major, a piece compared to a mini horn concerto, “full of gentle and good-natured music”.

“The string accompaniment is not the standard quartet, but instead uses two violas which beautifully complement the warm timbre of the horn,” program notes say.

Violinist Semra Lee-Smith is joined by violists Alex Brogan and Benjamin Caddy, with cellist Eve Silver.

French Romantic Saint-Saensfollows with Fantasie for violin and harp, another nuanced combination of instruments.

Concert master Laurence Jackson joins harpist Yi-Yun Loei for an “inventive and atmospheric Fantasie ... an equal showpiece for both violin and harp”.

“From this gentlest of openings this brilliant duet is filled with flowing melodies and bravura turns for both instrumentalists,” program notes say.

Ensemble Editions recitals have returned WASO musicians to the main stage this month, after COVID-19 restrictions closed the Concert Hall in March. Sessions are livestreamed on Fridays at 7.30pm through the waso.com.au website.

This will be supplemented within weeks by a series of live corner stage concerts, with selected artists playing to a socially distanced audience of 100 under current regulations.

On Saturday, Melbourne Digital Concert Hall continues its Aquilla Gala Series with the Schubert Quintet of Sarah Curro and Kathryn Taylor on violin, Gabby Halloran on viola, and Miranda Brockman and Michelle Wood on cello, joined by Jack Schiller on bassoon.

They will present Vivaldi’s Bassoon Concerto in A minor, followed by an interval, and then Schubert’s String Quintet in C major.

Concerts are streamed live from Melbourne at 5.30pm, WA time, and last 90 minutes. Tickets are $34 from melbournedigitalconcerthall.com.

And at 7.30pm, WA Opera will continue its Ghost Light series with soprano Emma Matthews, mezzo soprano Fiona Campbell, tenor Paul O’Neill and baritone James Clayton taking turns to present a single aria each week, accompanied by Tommaso Pollio. Visit www.waopera.asn.au/show/ghost-light-opera/.