Review by Susanne Dahn
Southside this time at St Kilda’s Theatre Works, Homophonic ! celebrated its 15th year as part of the Melbourne Midsumma Festival. And what a musical highlight of the year it again was. When the gays are in the chamber, the magic really does happen.
In music, homophony is a texture in which a primary part is supported by one or more additional strands that flesh out the harmony.
Under the sure hand of Producer, Artistic Director, MC (and double bass player) Miranda Hill, Homophonic! is a collaboration of the always sublime Consort of Melbourne led by Artistic Director Stephen Hodgson with the brilliant Homophonic! ensemble of players.
And once again Homophonic! brought a delightful program of astonishing old and new music by talented queer composers to our grateful ears.
Some of the new works on the program were premiere performances for Australia and the world.
And, as a delightful bonus, numerous composers were in attendance and could be acknowledged and experience directly the audience appreciation for their work.
The program opens with Canberran Sally Whitwell‘s exuberant and foot stomping Closets are for Clothes a wonderfully funny choral piece that showcased each of the Consort’s fine voices and brought raucous applause.
The program continued with the world premiere of Melbournian Aaron Wyatt‘s The Connections We Make which introduces us to Homophonics! talented string and woodwind players. This piece holds meaning for the LGBTQIA+ community who typically craft our own communities of acceptance. Its melody is hauntingly beautiful and tender. The strong bass is the deep soul of the piece, the clarinets the hopeful heart and the violins the steady breath.
We enjoy another world premiere with the Quin Thomson and Lili James RESPECT project commissioned work Through the Air inspired by Merryn Newmann. The RESPECT commissions are such a worthwhile project honouring senior members of the community, even and especially members who say they are but ordinary. The libretto is a moving tribute and the composition, while melancholy and discordant in parts, creates a beautiful opportunity for connection and collaboration by all the players and singers. A musical embodiment of how things go forward.
The first half ends in high joy with Julius Eastman‘s experimental maximalist minimilist cloud of sound piece Joy Boy. The insect fusion of the chattering violins and the chattering vocals was a stunning achievement and Natasha Conrau‘s violin work was brilliant.
After interval Homophonics! opens with a classic Baroque chamber music piece from the 17th century Court of Versailles with Jean-Baptiste Lully’s O Sapientia. This lush chocolatey velvety piece showcases the sublime vocal skills of the Consort especially their brilliant soprano Katherine Norman.
The contrast is stark with the next premiere piece - the winner of this year’s Homophonic! Pride Prize - Ashleigh Hazel’s Mesophilic. A brand new 21st century composition for the piano that employs cutting edge musical notation that doubles back on itself and seeks from its player a new interpretation each time it is played. Jacob Abela on piano was extraordinary playing and thumping the keys and strings across a recurring motif that true to its theme of decomposition was subject to collision after collision.
The penultimate work was Love with music by Kevin March and words by Kylie Supski and ReVerse Butcher. What an achingly beautiful piece this is. The lyrics are sublime about how love makes us, and breaks us, and inspires us and revives us. The score is equally sublime bringing homophony to the fore and in this case showcasing the startlingly stunning tenor of Jack Jordan.
The final piece on the program was true to its title Extra Special Surprise Finale arranged by Kym Dillon. The whole cast together was up and about, living well, looking gorgeous and having a great time. An exuberant way to end the evening. Don’t stop them now, don‘t stop them ever.
What a treat this collaboration and performance again was. The musical excellence, the sheer joy and love in the room were all magic. Thank you to Miranda and the entire team for an unforgettable season. Can’t wait for the next one.
Violins: Natasha Conrau, Meg Cohen. Viola: Phoebe Green. Cello: Campbell Banks.
Double Bass: Miranda Hill. Oboe: Ben Opie.
Clarinet: Karen Heath. Piano: Jacob Abela
Consort of Melbourne: Steven Hodgson, Katherine Norman, Kristy Biber, Miranda Gronow, Jack Jordan, Ben Owen.
