Ukaria

To say that Steven Osborne is one of the more uncompromisingly personal artists out there sounds like the kind of praise that is obligatorily handed to any performer who truly belongs to the top tier. But in the case of this Scottish pianist, his playing can be so individual that one has to enquire into the distinctiveness of his art in order to fully appreciate it.

As much as it is a continual delight to hear the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) giving unfailingly wonderful performances in its national touring programs, one is often left yearning to know more about this ensemble’s inner workings and how it creates its magic. For in its artistic director, Richard Tognetti, one might say there is indeed something of the magician, evident both in his own uniquely arresting violin playing and in the way he elicits quite startling results from his fellow musicians.