September 24th, 2026MCO review

One of the unique features of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra’s annual A Feast of Music festival in Daylesford is the intimate relationship that develops between musicians and audience over four concerts and a musical dinner.

The freshness and immediacy of the performances are easily shared and appreciated, adding to an exhilarating chamber music experience. With guests of the calibre of Genevieve Lacey (recorder), Neal Peres Da Costa (harpsichord) and Miki Tsunoda (violin), and a perfectly curated program, the three-day festival was outstanding.

Lacey’s virtuosic and impassioned playing was evident from Friday’s opening Ground after a Scotch Humour of Nicola Matteis to Sunday’s closing Playford Maze of Erkki Veltheim. She displayed her mastery of many styles, with a superb reading of the early classical composer Sammartini’s Concerto in F, and an evocative delivery of Peter Sculthorpe’s Night Song with ‘cellist Blair Harris and Neal Peres Da Costa at the harpsichord.

While Peres Da Costa spent much of the festival in a sympathetic and supportive continuo role, his solo work was commanding. His interpretation of three of JS Bach’s preludes and fugues was original in its rhythmic flexibility, and enjoyable with its air of authenticity. The same composer’s Harpsichord Concerto No.1, with its many technical challenges, was performed with confidence and nuanced control of the fine details.

The concerts included significant string compositions, with the Ravel Quartet in F, Beethoven Trio Op.9/2 and the String Quintet No.2 of Dvorak adding substance to the already excellent programs. Violinists Sophie Rowell and Miki Tsunoda produced a wonderfully conversational performance of an arrangement of WF Bach’s Sonata for two flutes in Em. The texture of two violins playing in the same register was exquisite. Violist Merewyn Bramble and Emma Sullivan on double bass completed the string ensemble, with finely honed solos while maintaining the balance and texture in the middle and lower voices in their important contribution to the overall successful achievement of this festival. – Bronislaw Sozanski BA DipEd ATCL MVMTA | Images: Adele Schonhardt OAM

Genevieve Lacey & Neal Peres Da Costa Sophie Rowell, Miki Tsunoda, Merewyn Bramble, Emma Sullivan & Blair Harris