Last night’s launch of Omega Ensemble’s 10th year of concertising in Sydney was a perfect chance to reflect on what has made them one of the more individual musical offerings in the city’s cultural calendar. With a tantalising mix of offbeat Hindemith, a dollop of whacky Ligeti, some Mozart to headline plus a rare bit of Louise Farrenc, the group proved once again that the programme’s the thing if you really want to engage and expand minds, and of course entertain a crowd.

Five excellent wind players were at the heart of the evening. At the top of the tonal spectrum was Lisa Osmialowski on flute and piccolo playing with attractive tone and great manual dexterity. Alexandre Oguey was the oboist, one of Sydney’s finest and a musician blessed with grace, style and timbral charm. He was matched note for note by a stylish David Rowden on clarinet, their regular duetting one of the evenings highlights. Ben Hoadley really made his bassoon sing showing the instrument to be far from just an accompanier. The other lower voice belonged to Michael Dixon who had the occasional hairy moment on horn but otherwise fitted into the blend with unobtrusive sensitivity. And what...