In this fascinating concert, the expert musicians of the Sydney Symphony give rarer instruments their time in the spotlight: from the familiar but underutilised bass clarinet, double bass and percussion, to the truly strange and unusual including the alto flute, oboe d’amore and ophicleide.

This is a chance to hear these unique instruments in full flight, works that reveal their fascinating expressive range, including Manuel de Falla’s thrilling Ritual Fire Dance arranged for a quartet of double basses and Australian composer Gerard Brophy’s evocative, mesmerising Beautiful Birds for alto flute, bass clarinet and vibraphone.