April begins with Easter and an intriguing composition by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins promises to be an inspiring way to engage with the mystery of the season. Jenkins’ Requiem will be performed (Good Friday April 3rd) at Trinity Uniting Church directed by Jangoo Chapkhana. Listen out for Japanese haiku and hip hop rhythms within the traditional liturgical formant.

The other big date this month is of course ANZAC Day with celebrations of the 100 years since Gallipoli reaching a climax. Personally I’m not excited about the plethora of war stories finding outlets in government-funded emotion-laden musical reflections. If the tributes helped us seek non-violent solutions I would be more interested….

Hopefully these two concerts will bring us to a place of greater enlightenment: on April 23rd the WA Symphony Orchestra’s ANZAC tribute concert includes Purcell’s When I am laid in Earth and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending; on April 25th Collegium Musicum will present  Mozart’s Requiem at the Government House Ballroom.

WASO’s activities this month also include a Russian flavour (on April 17th) with Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 2,  (on April 10th) songs from James Bond movies with Kate Ceberano and (on April 20th) Vivaldi’s Four Seasons led by violinist Shaun Lee-Chen.

On April 12th an interesting concert at St Catherine’s College, Crawley will showcase the compositions of the lat Derek Moore Morgan, former critic for The West Australian. Also on April 12th pianist Piers Lane will be the star of Music on the Terrace where he will perform piano duo music in collaboration with local pianists.

The WA Academy of Performing Arts have put together a fascinating program for April 16th including Shostakovich’s Piano Trio and Martinu’s one-act ballet La Revue de Cuisine. The performers include the dynamic new Head of Strings Alexandre da Costa and friends. Also at WAAPA on April 30th is a Defying Gravity concert with Kaboom Percussion featuring the premiere of Joshua Webster and Catherine Hall’s superman-inspired Doomsday.

And I must make mention of the Mace Francis Orchestra which is celebrating its 10th birthday on April 30th at the Ellington Jazz Club. What better way to celebrate International Jazz Day than with an all-original, all-local jazz band at Perth’s best jazz venue!