★★★½☆ Tim Munro takes us on a nocturnal journey between sleeping and waking.

Miller Theatre, Columbia University, New York
November 10, 2016

Brisbane-born, three-time Grammy award winning flautist Tim Munro made his New York debut at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre with a daring programme of contemporary works, including two world premieres. Munro’s playing is quite unique, showcasing the theatrical and performative aspects of the instrument. No part of the flute is left unharnessed, and no sound is beyond his scope. He moves easily from flute to piccolo, and even infuses singing and acting in a holistic presentation. The thread that runs through this program is the idea of consciousness, of the transition between sleep and waking, and of psychological journeys. While the stage is sparse, the lighting designer Mary Ellen Stebbins created a dreamy and hypnotic ambience.

^{Australian flautist Tim Munro}

Written in the programme note were these lines: “But even more than any overarching theme, the programme is imbued with Munro’s sense of whimsical adventure and radiant beauty – a contemporary slant, perhaps, on the Romantic yearning for the sublime.” I couldn’t help but think of Keats’ poem Ode to...