For the opening concert of their 20th season, Selby & Friends Artistic Director and pianist Kathryn Selby is joined again by ‘friends’ Alexandra Osborne (violin) and Clancy Newman (cello). 

Reuniting by popular demand after their successful collaboration in 2024, this program begins with two variations-based works, followed by two piano trios which most certainly stand on their own.

Kathryn Selby. Photo supplied

Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 11 in G major consists of 10 variations on a song Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu (I am the tailor Cockatoo) from Wenzel Müller’s musical The Sisters of Prague (itself largely lost to history). Considered an ‘uneven’ work by critics of the day, the trio has some lovely moments and an engaging range of moods. 

Its great service in this program is to introduce the pure, rich and mellow tones of Osborne’s violin and Newman’s cello. In the hands of these two incredibly accomplished players, the timbre is perfectly matched. That said, there are moments when it seems the three players aren’t in perfect...