1989 saw the establishment by Paul Dyer of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with the assistance of Bruce Applebaum as General Manager. Their remarkable artistic and management partnership continues into its 27th year; the Orchestra successful possibly beyond even their wildest dreams. The Brandenburg has recently announced its 2016 seasons for Melbourne and Sydney reinforcing in many ways the orchestra’s core strengths.

No program does this more than that planned for April/May billed as Mozart Requiem: 100 Voices. While 100 singers plus instrumentalists may not be a concert on chamber scale, this will be a highlight of the year. One of Paul Dyer’s greatest talents is as a choir director; great performance can be expected in a program that includes Monteverdi, Purcell, Bach’s Sleepers Wake, Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus as well as the program’s namesake. Moving from the Renaissance, through the Baroque to the Classical period this will be a great joy.

There are important guests; Avi Avital who transformed expectations of the mandolin is returning. Newcomers include Maurice Steger, a virtuoso on the under-regarded recorder, who opens the season playing Vivaldi’s Concerto for Recorder as well as works by Telemann and Handel. In September, US violin virtuoso Shunske Sato will be guest director of a Romantic program including Paganini’s Second Concerto and Mendelsshon’s Second String Symphony. Bliss.