★★★★★ In Claire Edwardes’ hands, Iain Grandage’s eclectic, new percussion concerto is spectacular.

Federation Concert Hall, Hobart
24 July, 2015

Internationally acclaimed percussionist Claire Edwardes and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra joined forces to present a spectacular concert that was a testament to their calibre and stamina. Australian composer Iain Grandage’s thrilling new percussion concerto, Dances with Devils, was bookended by audience favourites by Humperdinck and Bizet.

The concert opened with a suite of five excerpts from Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera Hansel and Gretel, forming a mini-symphony to narrate the popular Grimms fairy tale. The Overture’s opening horn quartet melody was delivered with exceptional clarity, and principal cellist Sue-Ellen Paulsen delivered a divinely expressive solo in the second movement. The string section as a whole produced excellent delicacy and grace in the slower final movement. Conductor Nicholas Carter, currently Associate Guest Conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, inspired a vibrant sound with his energetic direction.

The highlight of the afternoon concert was Iain Grandage’s new percussion concerto, Dances with Devils. Each of the four movements is based on a story from the Australian Gothic literary tradition of the 19th century, revealing the transformation of old world elements (such as ghosts and...