And we’re back once again! How wonderful it is to have regular West Australian Symphony Orchestra concerts on offer for the remainder of the concert season. Following her mainstage debut with the orchestra the previous week, conductor Jessica Gethin and WASO were joined by the young Perth violinist Emmalena Huning for a program of Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Dvořák.

Jessica Gethin

In Mendelssohn’s concert overture The Hebrides, Gethin and WASO whisked the audience away to the islands of Scotland, beautifully calling to mind the roiling waves and natural caves of the Scottish Isles. The opening viola, cello, and bassoon theme against the floating wind and violin chords were beautifully voiced, if slightly unsteady, and the first big tutti gesture was gorgeously full and rich. From this moment on, it felt as if the winds were slightly overpowered by the strings, though it appeared Gethin and the strings were attempting to rectify this as they progressed. Fortunately, these strings did not stand in the way of the crisp brass fanfare moments that blazed through the orchestra, injecting moments of energy into what was otherwise a steady and measured take on...