Maestro 5: Ravel & MacMillan

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At its centre is Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé, a sweeping ballet score of shimmering harmonies and luminous orchestration. Featuring full choir with Voices of Birralee and an expansive percussion section, this musical fresco of colour and light is often called his magnum opus. 

Equally striking is James MacMillan’s First Percussion Concerto, performed by soloist Claire Edwardes. This one movement work pulses with a heartbeat that underpins the entire piece, as MacMillan weaves a soundscape of marimba, congas, gongs and more. At once abstract and deeply expressive, the concerto draws on the Advent message to shape its musical journey. A percussion showcase of astonishing scale.