Revolution Remixed | Camerata

Images: Alex Jamieson

Brendan Joyce, Camerata’s Artistic Director, Orchestra Leader and Principal Violin, has curated a program for Revolution Remixed that brings together new and more familiar works performed by over 40 musicians. The first act of Camerata’s latest show is an impressive performance ofLudwig vanBeethoven’s Symphony No.3 in E Flat Major, Op.55 Eroica, followed by a ‘wild card’ solo segment, before closing with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition,  arranged by Australian composer, Julian Yu. A very pleasant way in which to spend a cool, late May, Friday evening in Brisbane.

If you are not familiar with major orchestral performances, the smaller chamber orchestra is a more intimate and accessible format. Camerata performs without a conductor, enabling the artists to ‘take ownership of their music-making to form a refreshing and acclaimed voice.’ Camerata clearly has a very enthusiastic and supportive following, and it was great to see that the stalls of the QPAC Concert Hall were fairly full for Revolution Remixed.

I am familiar with Beethoven’s Eroica, but this was the first time I have experienced the piece when performed by a chamber orchestra. From the opening chords, the grand opening movement did not disappoint, and I really enjoyed the glorious cello and dancing notes of the flute in the second funeral march  movement. Several admiring ‘hums’ came from fellow members of the audience, at the end of the third, scherzo movement, and the soaring, triumphal Finale was acclaimed with several calls of ‘bravo.’ I must admit that, for me, Eroica is better served by a full orchestra, but I congratulate Camerata on their enthusiastic performance of this popular work. 

The second half of the program  began with a ‘wildcard segment.’ Camerata’s Artistic Director welcomed Rebecca Lloyd Jones (Camerata Principal, Percussion) to the stage to perform the premiere of Sunsets for Solo Vibrophone, composed by Dr Frankie Dyson Reilly. The glorious opening moments, using an orchestral bow to create a magical sense of the sun falling below the horizon, made for a compelling start to this new work. I am guessing this piece might be popular for future films, evoking feelings of travel, and even of running water at times, although I found the closing four-mallet repetition to be a less satisfying end to the sunset.

Images: Alex Jamieson

The final element in the 85-minute program gave me an opportunity to revisit one of my favourite pieces of classical music. Originally written for piano by Modest Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition is perhaps best known for the beautiful orchestration by Maurice Ravel. I remember being introduced to a rather scratchy recording of Ravel’s orchestration at high school, and falling in love with the evocative movements that conjured up impressions of walking around a dusty art gallery and looking at a variety of oil paintings (yes, it was all vinyl back in that dim and distant past!). Which means I was thrilled to see that there were so many younger members of the Friday night audience, with several under-ten’s reducing the average age quite considerably.

Revolution Remixed closes with an arrangement by Australian composer, Julian Yu. The full title is Pictures at an exhibition; arr. : for sixteen players or chamber orchestra; a moderately modern rendition by immodest Julian Yu (published in 2001). The ‘immodest Julian Yu’ is to be congratulated on bringing a refined Chinese instrumental aesthetic to the piece, with new elements and melodies blended in with the original. I am sure Thomas Chawner, Principal Viola, will have been particularly delighted at this choice of arrangement, as there were some wonderful viola phrases interwoven across the 16 movements. And yes, I am still humming the strains of the Promenade today, as a happy memory of the evening. If you can listen this arrangement, I recommend it as a refreshing ‘remix’ of a much-loved work.

One of the many reasons to see live music, of any kind, if the to marvel at the artistry and skill of the performers. A definite highlight of the Camerata Revolution Remixed performance was to watch the interactions between the artists, and to see how the musicians bring the composers’ works to life. I always love to see the quick moves of the percussionists between the wide variety of instruments—on Friday, particularly in the closing Pictures music. And we both left the hall commenting on the skill of Monika Koerner, Principal Flute, as several quick-fire changes were required for Yu’s switching between flute and piccolo.

Camerata has only two Revolution Remixed performances this month. But, if you are looking to experience the skill of our nationally significant chamber orchestra, future Camerata events include the August Old. New. Borrowed. Blue. a late October Stanthorpe Camerata Weekender, and the November Fire and Finesse (Mozart in Motion).  

Revolution Remixed payed at the Concert Hall, QPAC, Southbank on 29 May 2026.

Images: Alex Jamieson