Category: Concerts

Commemorating Byrd and Weelkes (2023)

Wednesday, 20 September 2023, 7:30pm
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre
Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Ensemble Gombert
Directed by John O’Donnell

PROGRAM
William Byrd (c.1540–1623)
Sing joyfully
‘Te Deum’ from Great Service
Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623)
Hosanna to the Son of David
When David heard
William Byrd (c.1540–1623)
This day Christ was born
Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623)
Alleluia, I heard a voice
O Jonathan, woe is me
William Byrd (c.1540–1623)
‘Magnificat’ from Great Service
Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623)
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Sing my soul)

SOPRANO
Victoria Brown; Claerwen Jones; Katherine Lieschke; Kate McBride; Nina Pereira; Fiona Seers; Carol Veldhoven
ALTO
Claudia Funder; Cailin Howarth; Hamish Madden; Lesley Salvestrin-Collins; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Vaughan McAlley; Abhishek Purty; Michael Stephens; Tim van Nooten
BASS
Thomas Bell; Chetan Anthony Noronha; Mike Ormerod; Tom Reid; Mark Thawley; Nicholas Tolhurst

Music For The King (2023)

Saturday, 10 June 2023, 4pm
Sunday, 11 June 2023, 7pm
St Ambrose Church, Woodend

Woodend Winter Arts Festival

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759):
Coronation Anthems

  1. The king shall rejoice HWV 260
  2. My heart is inditing HWV 261
  3. Let thy right hand be strengthened HWV 259
  4. Zadok the Priest HWV 258

Dettingen Te Deum HWV 283

Michael Strasser, bass
Ensemble Gombert & Accademia Arcadia directed by John O’Donnell

ENSEMBLE GOMBERT
Soprano
Katherine Lieschke; Carol Veldhoven; Victoria Brown; Fiona Seers; Sarah Harris; Deborah Summerbell; Nina Pereira; Claerwen Jones
Alto
Lesley Salvestrin-Collins; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton; Cailin Howarth; Hamish Madden; Claudia Funder; Niki Ebacioni
Tenor
Abhishek Purty; Tim van Nooten; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens
Bass
Michael Strasser; Chetan Anthony Noronha; Nicholas Tolhurst; Thomas Bell; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley

ACCADEMIA ARCADIA
Trumpet Tristram Williams; Louisa Trewartha; Jeffry Segal
Timpani Guy du Blêt
Oboe Adam Masters; Stephen Robinson
Bassoon Ben Hoadley
Violin 1 Lucinda Moon (Leader); Tim Willis; Stephanie Eldridge;
Violin 2 Lizzy Welsh; Arun Patterson; Meredith Thomas
Viola Dovi Hanner; Kerryn Coulter
Cello Josephine Vains; Edwina Cordingley
Violone Laura Vaughan
Organ Jacqueline Ogeil

The four Coronation Anthems are among Handel’s most cherished choral works. They were composed for performance in Westminster Abbey at King George II’s coronation on 11 October 1727, and Zadok the Priest has been sung at every coronation of a British monarch since that time. The Dettingen Te Deum, composed to celebrate British victory in the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, is a lesser-known work, but powerful and highly festive, certainly a worthy companion to the Coronation Anthems.

Music For Pentecost (2023)

Sunday 28th May 2023, 3pm
All Saints’ Church, East St Kilda

All Saints’ Church Concert Series 2023

Mathurin Forestier (1475–1541) Veni Sancte Spiritus
Thomas Tallis (1505–1585) Loquebantur variis linguis
William Byrd (c. 1540–1623) In festo Pentecostes
Philippe de Monte (1521–1603) Advenit ignis divinus
Giovanni Gabrieli (1557–1612) Hodie completi sunt (à 8)

Directed by John O’Donnell
Rehearsal conductor: Peter Campbell

Soprano
Katherine Lieschke; Carol Veldhoven; Deborah Summerbell
Sarah Harris; Claerwen Jones; Victoria Brown; Nina Pereira
Alto
Lesley Salvestrin-Collins; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton;
Cailin Howarth; Hamish Madden; Claudia Funder
Tenor
Peter Campbell; Abhishek Purty; Tim van Nooten; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens
Bass
Chetan Anthony Noronha; Nicholas Tolhurst; Thomas Bell; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley


Renaissance Music for Holy Week (2023)

Saturday 1 April 2023, 3pm
St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Brighton

PROGRAM
Gaspar van Weerbeke (c.1445–after 1517) Stabat mater
Dominique Phinot (c.1510–c.1556) Lamentatio Tertia Tertii Diei
Nicolas Gombert (c.1595–c.1560) O Domine Jesu Christe
Orlande de Lassus (c.1530–1594)
Lamentatio Prima Secundi Diei
Lamentatio Secunda Secundi Diei
Lamentatio Tertia Secundi Diei
Andrea Gabrieli (c.1533–1585) Miserere mei, Deus

SOPRANO
Katherine Lieschke; Carol Veldhoven; Deborah Summerbell; Kate McBride; Fiona Seers; Claerwen Jones; Victoria Brown; Sarah Harris
ALTO
Lesley Salvestrin-Collins; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton; Cailin Howarth; Hamish Madden; Claudia Funder
TENOR
Abhishek Purty, Tim Van Nooten; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens
BASS
Andrew Murray; Chetan Anthony Noronha; Nicholas Tolhurst; Thomas Bell; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley; Tom Reid

Tallis & Byrd (2022)

Monday, 7 November 2022, 7:30pm
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre
Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Ensemble Gombert

Ensemble Gombert & Friends
Directed by John O’Donnell

PROGRAM
Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585)
Te lucis ante terminum
In jejunio et fletu
Derelinquat impius
Loquebantur variis linguis
William Byrd (c.1543-1623)
Attollite portas
Ne irascaris Domine
Nunc scio vere
Tu es Petrus
Quomodo cantabimus
Thomas Tallis
Spem in alium nunquam habui

SOPRANO
Katherine Lieschke; Victoria Brown; Carol Veldhoven; Deborah Summerbell; Claerwen Jones; Fiona Seers, Kate McBride; Sarah Harris
Elspeth Bawden*
ALTO
Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton; Katie Richardson; Louisa Billeter
Niki Ebacioni*; Jenny Mathers*; Jacqueline Ogeil*
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Abhishek Purty; Tim Van Nooten; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens
Brent Annable*; Jonathan Glenning*; Adamm Ferrier*, Leighton Triplow*
BASS
Chetan Anthony Noronha; Andrew Murray; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley; Nicholas Tolhurst; Thomas Bell; Andrew Fysh; Michael Strasser;
Thomas Drent*; Tom Balwdin*; Nathaniel Fink*; Hugh Fullarton*; Philip Nicholls*; Barry Clark*; Andrew Ham*

*Performers in Tallis Spem in alium

All Souls’ Duruflé Requiem (2022)

All Souls’ Requiem at All Saints’ Church
Wednesday, 2 November 2022, 7:30pm
All Saints’ Anglican Church, East St Kilda

Service music included:
Maurice Duruflé Requiem Opus 9
Emma Warburton, contralto

SOPRANO
Katherine Lieschke; Victoria Brown; Carol Veldhoven; Deborah Summerbell; Claerwen Jones; Fiona Seers
ALTO
Emma Warburton*; Leonie Tonkin; Niki Ebacioni; Sadie Mustoe
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Abhishek Purty; Tim Van Nooten; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens
BASS
Chetan Anthony Noronha; Andrew Murray; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley; Nicholas Tolhurst; Thomas Bell; Andrew Fysh; Michael Strasser;

A Human Requiem (2022)

Sunday 16 October 2022, 3pm
Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Camberwell

World Premiere of new composition A Human Requiem by Vaughan McAlley (b. 1970)

PROGRAM
Josquin Desprez (c.1450-1521) Praeter rerum seriem
Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) Selig sind die Toten
Vaughan McAlley (b. 1970) A Human Requiem
Mezzo-Soprano Soloist: Sally Wilson

SOPRANO
Victoria Brown; Sarah Harris; Claerwen Jones; Katherine Lieschke; Kate McBride
ALTO
Shanti Michael; Katie Richardson; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Vaughan McAlley; Tim van Nooten; Abhishek Purty; Michael Stephens
BASS
Thomas Bell; Andrew Murray; Chetan Noronha; Mike Ormerod; Tom Reid; Mark Thawley; Nicholas Tolhurst

REVIEW
Monday 17 October 2022, Limelight Magazine [online]
A Human Requiem (Ensemble Gombert)
Vincent Plush

3.5 stars. In this concert, featuring a world premiere by Vaughan McAlley, the expertise of the singers and their director was let down by the poor acoustic of the venue.
For nigh on 30 years, John O’Donnell has directed the choral group in Melbourne called Ensemble Gombert. This a cappella group of around 18 voices takes its name from the Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance (c.1495-c.1560) and its very title reveals its special focus on early music and the Renaissance in particular. Presently the University Organist at Monash University, O’Donnell himself is an internationally recognised keyboard performer, choral conductor and musicologist.  He brings to his Ensemble’s performance acute attention to period style, articulation and just intonation.

These characteristics were evident in the two short works which opened the 75-minute concert on Sunday afternoon.
The first of these was the six-voice setting of the Marian Sequence, Praeter rerum seriem(“Contrary to the order of nature, a virgin mother hath given birth to God and man”) by Josquin des Prez (c.1450-1521). In his typically erudite notes, O’Donnell characterises this five-minute work as “one of the most extraordinarily original works of its time – Indeed, of all time”, in the various triple metres…
Vincent Plush/Limelight Magazine


The Art of A Capella (2022)

Sunday, 12 June 2022, 3pm
St Ambrose Church, Woodend

Woodend Winter Arts Festival

PROGRAM
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf (BWV 226)
Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) Hymn to St. Cecilia 
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) 7 Magnificat-Antiphonen 
William Henry Harris (1883–1973) Faire is the heaven 
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) Fest- und Gedenksprüche, Opus 109 

SOPRANO
Carol Veldhoven; Victoria Brown; Katherine Lieschke; Claerwen Jones; Nina Pereira; Sarah Harris
ALTO
Helena Ekins; Stephanie Mitchell; Leonie Tonkin; Katie Richardson; Emma Warburton
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens; Tim Van Nooten; Abhishek Purty
BASS
Chetan Anthony Noronha; Nicholas Tolhurst; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley; Thomas Bell

Music For Pentecost (2022)

Sunday 22th May 2022, 3pm
All Saints’ Church, East St Kilda

All Saints’ Church Concert Series 2022

PROGRAM
Orlando de Lassus
Christus resurgens
Huc me sydereo descendere jussit Olympo
Surrexit pastor bonus
Magnificat super “Praeter rerum seriem”
Johann Sebastian Bach
Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf (BWV 226)
William Henry Harris
Faire is the heaven
Arvo Pärt
7 Magnificat-Antiphonen

SOPRANO
Carol Veldohen; Victoria Brown; Katherine Lieschke; Claerwen Jones; Nina Pereira; Sarah Harris; Deborah Summerbell
ALTO
Helena Ekins; Stephanie Mitchell; Leonie Tonkin; Katie Richardson; Emma Warburton
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Tim Van Nooten; Abhishek Purty; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens
BASS
Chetan Anthony Noronha; Nicholas Tolhurst; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley; Andrew Murray



Lassus & Palestrina (2022)

Monday, 4 April 2022, 7:30pm
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre
Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Ensemble Gombert

PROGRAM
Orlande de Lassus
Omnes de Saba, LV 973
Magnificat secundi toni, LV 1070
Magnificat super carmen praeter rerum seriem, LV 1070
Tristis est anima mea, LV 238
Il magnanimo Pietro
Nunc dimittis primi toni, LV Anh.111
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Missa ‘Assumpta est Maria’

SOPRANO
Carol Veldhoven; Victoria Brown; Katherine Lieschke; Claerwen Jones; Nina Pereira; Sarah Harris; Deborah Summerbell; Fiona Seers
ALTO
Helena Ekins; Miranda Gronow; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton
TENOR
Peter Campell; Vaughan McAlley; Michael Stephens; Abhishek Purty; Christopher Watson
BASS
Chetan Anthony Noronha; Nicholas Tolhurst; Mike Ormerod; Mark Thawley; Andrew Murray