Various Composers - Australian Clarinet Trios (Francesco Celata; Roger Benedict; Daniel Herscovitch)

Information

• Margaret Sutherland - Trio in C Major for Clarinet, Viola and Piano
• Andrew Schultz - Stick Dance No. 2, Op. 22b
• Roger Smalley - Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano
• Peter Dart - Peripheral Visions
• Richard Vella - Tango
• Brett Dean - Night Window

Francesco Celata, clarinet

Roger Benedict, viola

Daniel Herscovitch, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Heritage Records

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This recording of Australian clarinet, viola, and piano trios was prompted by the rediscovery of Margaret Sutherland’s long-lost Clarinet Trio in uncatalogued materials at the University of Melbourne, as noted by researcher Katherine Howarth. The program brings together newly written and previously recorded works, including Peter Dart’s Peripheral Visions, Roger Smalley’s Trio, and Brett Dean’s Night Window, alongside shorter pieces by Andrew Schultz and Richard Vella. Curated by Daniel Herscovitch, the selection highlights both historical recovery and contemporary creativity, showcasing the stylistic diversity of Australian chamber music while underscoring ongoing gaps in the recorded repertoire.

Frank Celata is a distinguished Australian clarinetist celebrated for his virtuosity, versatility, and long-standing orchestral and pedagogical career. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, where he studied with Phillip Miechel and Pamela Bloom, he further refined his artistry in Amsterdam with Piet Honingh and in Siena with Giuseppe Garbarino. He has held major orchestral positions, including Principal Clarinet with the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and Associate Principal Clarinet with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Celata has appeared as a soloist in works by Mozart, Bernstein, and Krommer, as well as contemporary concertos by composers such as Gordon Kerry and John Adams. Alongside his performance career, he is a dedicated educator at the Sydney Conservatorium and an influential chamber musician and artistic director.