astra chamber music society

New World Records has released 'Sticky Melodies: choral and chamber music of Johanna Beyer, featuring the Astra Choir, soloists and ensemble conducted by John McCaughey. This double-CD set, featuring world premiere recordings of all the works, is the first ever devoted entirely to the music of Johanna Magdalena Beyer (1888-1944). Several of the works received their world premiere performances at Astra concerts.
Read The New Yorker music critic and author Alex Ross' blog posting on this recording.
See full CD details at New World Records.

The CD will be launched at the September concert and we expect to have stock available soon.

Astra concert archive

Ever wondered how many times Astra has performed Schoenberg's Friede auf Erden? When did Astra first perform works by Hildegard von Bingen? What did Astra perform in the State Library reading room?
Details of all works performed by Astra from 1978-2007 are now available on this website. This covers the first thirty years of John McCaughey's musical direction of Astra, during which Astra has performed 1280 works by 430 composers in 240 concerts at 64 different venues. Follow the concerts tab to the Astra concert archive.

Elliott Carter at 100 (1) - choir & percussion

Sunday 28th Sept, 5 pm, Gasworks Theatre
The Astra Choir conducted by John McCaughey with guests including Speak Percussion (Eugene Ughetti, director).

The first of two concerts celebrating the centenary of Elliott Carter, still actively composing in his 100th year.