If you’ve collected any of his superb recordings on the BIS label (and I can seriously recommend his Korngold and his Barber), Latvian-born, American-based violinist Vadim Gluzman is a known quantity to set the mouth watering pre-concert. Korean maestro Shiyeon Sung on the other hand is a less familiar prospect. She’s won plenty of awards – first ever woman to win the Solti Competition, for example – but her discography is virtually non-existent and this was her Australian debut. So let’s nail some colours to the mast from the get go – this was a remarkable evening of music making. Any sense of ennui on glancing at the conventional programme of Tchaikovsky and Berlioz were soon dispelled as soloist and conductor wrangled a pair of big Romantic beasts and taught them, if not entirely new tricks, then at least reminded us of why they deserve their place at the top of the food chain.

According to legend, Shostakovich’s sparkling Festive Overture was reportedly tossed off in a few short hours to save the Bolshoi from disappointing the Soviet authorities on the 37th anniversary of the October Revolution. It may not be his...