Internationally-renowned pianist and composer, Joe Chindamo, has dazzled residents, and their family and friends at Aveo’s retirement community, Redmond Park, in Melbourne’s Princes Hill.
Melbourne-born Mr Chindamo has enjoyed a remarkable career that includes 23 albums, the composition of concertos, chamber and film scores, and performances alongside the likes of Shirley Bassey, Kiri Te Kanawa and Olivia Newton-John.
In 2018, he conducted his own string orchestra composition before the then Prince Charles at the Centenary of Australia House in London.
Mr Chindamo returned to his love of intimate venue performances to the delight of an appreciative Redmond Park audience of 42 last week.
“I just like this Redmond Park venue, it’s small, intimate and feels like home. I love that the residents and guests appreciate good music,’’ he said.
“I enjoy performing meaningful, people pleasing music. When I perform it’s jazz and when I compose it’s classical, almost like two different brains.’’
He entertained with a mix of Gershwin and Bernstein, movie theme favourites and classics
composed as far back as 1717.
Redmond Park resident and music lover Judy Frazer-Jans (pictured with the pianist) has organised more than 100 concerts at the retirement living community as part of a music series since 2012.
“I began the series to provide a performance experience for music students from the Melbourne Conservatorium and Victorian College of the Arts,’’ Ms Frazer-Jans said.
“As a former piano student myself I was aware there were too few performance opportunities and through word of mouth the series has grown.
“The original students have moved on in their professional lives although some still return. Now more experienced performers have also joined us.
“Several of the highly accomplished performers say they keep coming back to Redmond Park because of its beautiful atmosphere with wonderful acoustics. One says they delight in the experience because they can almost hear the audience breathe.’’
