Friday, February 18, 2011
2011 Programme!!
Alexander Borodin: String Quartet No 2 in D major
Vocal Recital
One of the finest New Zealand sopranos of her generation, Lexus Song Contest Winner Aivale Cole presents a stunning programme of song, including Robert Schumann’s shattering song cycle Frauenliebe und Leben and songs by Debussy, Tosti and Hahn. She is accompanied by renowned Australian accompanist Sharolyn Kimmorley.
Violin Recital
JS Bach: Sonata in C BWV 1005
Nicolai Paganini: ‘In cor piu non mi sento’
Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata No 5 ‘L’ Aurore’
Béla Bartók: Sonata for Solo Violin
New Zealander Dr Martin Riseley is a violinist of vast international experience and his extraordinary feat of playing all 24 of Paganini’s Caprices for Solo Violin will live long in the memory of those who attended last years St Andrew’s Season of Concerts. This year he returns with an equally brilliant programme
Elios Ensemble
Martin Jaenecke (violin, soprano saxophone)
Victoria Jaenecke (viola)
Max Reger: Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola Op 141a
Alberto Ginastera: Duo for Flute and Violin
Tigran Mansurjan: Lachrymae for Soprano Saxophone and Viola
André Jolivet: Cinq Incantations for Alto Flute
Béla Bartók: Duos
Ludwig van Beethoven Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola Op 25
New Zealand Guitar Quartet
Owen Moriarty
Christopher Hill
Cheryl Grice-Watterson
Andrew York: Lotus Eaters
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 6
Georges Bizet: Carmen Suite
Scott Tennant: Celtic Fare
Peter Warlock: Capriol Suite
Kaiser Beech (young New Zealand composer): The Storm
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol
Vocal Recital
Each year the NZ Opera Society presents a concert showcasing outstanding New Zealand singers. This year they are proud to present two New Zealanders enjoying prominent international careers – mezzo-soprano Sarah Castle and bass Martin Snell. Joining them is an up-and-coming young singer, soprano Bryony Williams. Accompanied by pianist Bruce Greenfield, they will perform an exciting programme of operatic arias and duets by
Wagner, Richard Strauss, Verdi, Handel and others. This will be an unmissable event for all who have an interest in the vocal arts.
(NZ Opera Society members: $20 admission.)
The Pangea Piano Project
Antonín Dvorák: Slavonic Dance Op 46 No 1
Tolga Zafer Özdemir: Mesopotamia Suite
Franz Liszt: Après une lecture de Dante: Fantasia quasi sonata
György Ligeti: Sonatina
Carlos Guastavino: Romance del Plata
Jack Body: Three Rythmics
Dr Ya-Ting Liou (Taiwan) and Blas González (Argentina) have performed widely internationally, including the Kennedy Center in New York and throughout South America, Asia, Canada and Australasia. The Pangea Piano Project aims to combine standard piano music with less conventional repertoire for solo, duet and duo. Ya-Ting and Blas have commissioned, premiered and recorded works by composers world-wide.
Donald Armstrong (Violin)
Robert Ibell (Cello)
Kirsten Eade (Flute)
Robert Weeks (Bassoon)
Richard Strauss (arr Franz Hasenohrl): Till Eulenspiegel einmal anders (‘Till Eulenspiegel differently for once!’)
WA Mozart: Oboe Quartet in F K370 (oboe, violin, viola, cello)
Louis Spohr: Nonet in F major Op 31
The return of a favourite ensemble, Cornucopia – all principal members of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – which presents another exciting programme. Let off the leash, this
group always makes brilliant music together.
Richard Mapp,
Anna van der Zee
Paul Mitchell
Leos Janácek: Sonata for Violin and Piano
Bohuslav Martinu: Sonata for Cello and Piano No 2
Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio No 2 in C Major
Pianist Richard Mapp joins with violinist Anna van der Zee, then with cellist Paul Mitchell, and then with both, to bring us three monumental works of the chamber music repertoire.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
2010 Programme
Firstly let me say that doing a blog is a very new thing for me and I hope that over the coming month I'll be able to develop it a lot and fashion a worthwhile site for all artists and concert-goers to visit.
Marjan and I are thrilled so far at the response from such a wide spectrum of people to the idea of the St Andrew's Season. It obviously strikes a chord(!) with a huge number of folk who feel the need for the intimate surroundings of St Andrew's to be part of the excitement of Wellington at Festival time. We feel strongly that the musicians of Wellington, who are some of the most prominent professionals in NZ, should contribute to and be a part of the buzz of the city. For those of you who have only seen a poster and want to know more, what follows is a list of the programs for the fortnight.
Remember it's 'door sales only' for these concerts and the Lunchtimes are at 12:15 and the Evenings at 6:30pm.
Monday 8th March
Lunchtime: 12:15pm - 'Klezmorphology-new and old Klezmer music' - Kugeltov
As the title of the concert suggests Kugeltov inhabits the amazing Jewish sound-world of klezmer, taking the genre in new and exciting directions. As well as much loved classics there will be brand new music including the world premier of a new work by Ross Harris entitled 'Klezmorphology'
Tui Clark (clarinet), Robin Perks (violin), Ross Harris (accordion) and Malcolm Struthers (bass).
Tuesday 9th March
Lunchtime: 12.15pm - Tessa Quayle - Jazz Trio
Tessa performs well-known loved vocal jazz standards, and jazz
tunes of the bop era. Her youthful sound and energy combined
with the mellow but swinging bass and piano, gives this trio a
unique yet distinctive jazz style. With pianist Ben Wilcock and
bassist Alastair Isdale, Tessa takes the opportunity to improvise,
using scat and word as a vehicle for her musical thoughts.
Evening: 6.30pm -Festiva Piano Quartet
Catherine McKay, piano; Cristina Vaszilcsin, violin;
Peter Garrity, viola; Robert Ibell, cello
This highly talented group of musicians has a pedigree of
international experience second to none. In this concert they
perform three cornerstones of the Piano Quartet repertoire.
W.A. Mozart: Piano Quartet No 1 in G minor, K478
Gustav Mahler: Piano Quartet in A minor
Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor, Op 60
Raised in Nelson, Buz has a BMus (Hons) from the New Zealand
School of Music where he studied under Diedre Irons and Richard
Mapp. He won the Kapiti Coast Piano Competition 2005, and has
performed in USA and Europe, and across New Zealand.
Haydn: Sonata in B minor, HobXVI:32
Chopin: Sonata in Bb minor, Op 35
Liszt: Ballade No 2 in B minor
Evening: 6.30pm - Nexus / Poles Apart - The SMP Ensemble
Directed by Andrzej Nowicki, the SMP Ensemble began in 2008 as
a forum for Wellington-based composers and performers, many
studying at the New Zealand School of Music. In a short time it has
built an impressive reputation for innovative and exciting concerts.
Jack Body: Turtle Time (narrator, piano, harp, organ, harpsichord)
Anton Killin: A Priori (electroacoustíc)
Gorecki: Piano Sonata
Lera Auerbach: Cetera Desunt - String Quartet No 4
John Adams: John Philip Sousa - for ensemble
plus works by Richard Robertshawe, Andrzej Nowicki, Simon
Eastwood, Karlo Margetic, Charles Ives and Carol Shortis
Thursday 11th March
Lunchtime: 12.15pm - Claude Bolling: Concerto for Classical Guitar and Jazz Piano Trio
Matthew Marshall (classical guitar), Paul Dyne (bass),
Anita van Dijk (piano), Roger Sellers (drums)
Prominent classical guitarist Matthew Marshall teams up with
three of Wellington’s finest jazz musicians to perform this
wonderfully colourful 1975 work by the legendary French jazz
pianist and band leader Claude Bolling.
Evening: 6.30pm - Amici Ensemble 2010
Led by Associate Concertmaster Donald Armstrong, the Amici
Ensemble are mostly principals with the NZSO. Their concerts are
always exciting and not to be missed. In a varied programme they
perform the sublime Schubert Octet and contemporary works
including one by New Zealand composer Anthony Ritchie.
Jean Françaix: Octet “A Huit” (1972)
Anthony Ritchie: ‘Octopus’ Octet, Op 129
Franz Schubert: Octet in F Major, Op 166 D803
Karen Batten (flute), Madelaine Sakofsky (oboe),
Margaret Guldborg (cello)
An exciting trio of internationally experienced players, the Nikau
Trio perform a concert of classical and modern works that will
delight the lunchtime audience.
J J Quantz: Trio Sonata in C minor
Edwin Carr: Petit Concert
Hector Villa-Lobos: Assobio A Jato (The Jet Whistle)
Joseph Haydn: Trio No 1 in C major
G Powning: Trio
Evening: 6.30pm - Forza d’Amore (The Power of Love) - The Chanterelle Early Music Ensemble
Pepe Becker (soprano), Don King (Renaissance lute), Stephen Pickett (Renaissance lute,
Baroque theorbo), Robert Oliver (Baroque bass viol)
Music of love and passion from the golden age of the Italian
Renaissance and early Baroque. The programme ranges from lute
songs and lute duets of the rich and cultured late 15th century
court of Isabella d’Este in Mantua, to the sublime music of Claudio
Monteverdi in early 17th-century Venice.
Haihong Liu (violin), Beiyi Xue (violin), Zhongxian Jin (viola),
Robert Ibell (cello)
Founded in 2004, the Aroha Quartet are one of the finest chamber
music ensembles in New Zealand. This programme features one of
the greatest of Shostakovich’s quartets as well as the atmospheric
'Moon, Tides and Shoreline' by Dame Gillian Whitehead.
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in F, Op 77 No 2
Dimitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No 7 in F# minor, Op 108
Gillian Whitehead: Moon,Tides and Shoreline
Szymanowski: String Quartet No 2 Op 56
New Zealander Dr Martin Riseley is Head of Strings at the
New Zealand School of Music. A violinist of vast international
experience he performs this extraordinary virtuosic work for solo
violin in it’s complete form. A treat for all lovers of the violin.
Taylor, Ursula Evans (violin); Brian Shillito, Belinda Prentice (viola);
Sally Pollard(cello); Vicky Jones (double-bass)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sextet
Louis Spohr: Octet
Franz Schubert: Quartetsatz
Tuesday 16th March
Lunchtime: 12.15pm - New Zealand Music for Woodwinds
Ben Hoadley (bassoon); Luca Manghi (flute); Tui Clark,
Anna McGregor (clarinet)
New chamber works by New Zealand composers Alexandra Hay,
Pieta Hextall, Dylan Lardelli and Ben Hoadley, and the world
premier of David Farquhar’s Serenade for Woodwind Quartet (1950).
Evening: 6.30pm - The Alfred Hill String Quartets - Dominion String Quartet
Yury Gezentsvey (violin), Rosemary Harris
(violin), Donald Maurice (viola), David Chickering (cello)
Professor Donald Maurice has made a deep study of late 19th - early 20th-century
New Zealand composer Alfred Hill, and the Dominion String
Quartet are recording all of his string quartets in a best-selling
series of CDs for Naxos. Donald will give a short talk on Alfred Hill
before the performance of String Quartet Nos 8, 10 and 11.
Wednesday 17th March
Lunchtime: 12.15pm - South American Tangos - Three 2 Tango
Catherine McKay (piano), Slava Fainitski (violin), Brenton Vietch (cello),
Chill out or dance in the aisles with the sensually provocative South American flavours of the tang and Astor Piazzolla.
Evening: 6.30pm - The Leprechaun Ensemble
Anne Loeser, Cristina Vaszilcsin (violin), Peter Garrity (viola), Rowan Prior (cello), Philip Green (clarinet),
Tom McGrath (piano)
Another three towering works for chamber group from a bunch of
musos who may or may not be Irish!
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A Major K581
Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes Op 34
Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor Op 34
Thursday 18th March
Lunchtime: 12.15pm - Works for Cello and Piano
Paul Mitchell (cello), Richard Mapp (piano)
Wellington audiences know and love the playing of these two
experienced and expressive musicians. Together they perform
a programme of duets and piano solos including the virtuosic
Fantasiestücke by Robert Schumann and the soulful ‘From Jewish
Life’ by Ernst Bloch.
Robert Schumann: Fantasiestücke
Ernst Bloch: From Jewish Life
Samuel Barber: Sonata for Cello and Piano
Evening: 6.30pm - Scaramuccia
Directed by Greg Squires, Scaramuccia is one of New Zealand’s
leading early music ensembles. With a combination of voice and
early stringed and wind instruments Scaramuccia presents an
eclectic mix of serious and light hearted music – from Scottish
Pibrochs and the bawdy rounds of Purcell to the beauty of Corelli
and Vivaldi. Go back in time and experience the edginess of this
wonderful period of European history.
Friday 19th March
Lunchtime: 12.15pm - Gustav Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Linden Loader (mezzo soprano), Roger Wilson (baritone), Prof. Terence Dennis (piano)
Three of New Zealand’s finest exponents of Lieder perform
Mahler’s great song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Youth’s
Magic Horn). The wonderful melodies in this group of songs run
like a thread through Mahler’s entire composing life and the
artistry of these performers will bring the magic of this vocal
music to life.
Evening: 6.30pm - Recital: Tenor Michael Gray with Bruce Greenfield (piano)
A recital from brilliant young New Zealand tenor Michael Gray and
the doyen of Wellington accompanists Bruce Greenfield presenting
Benjamin Britten’s song cycle based on the poems of John Donne.
This masterwork, written at the same time as Peter Grimes, is
framed by the brilliant Italian baroque arias of Antonio Vivaldi and
the Romantic and well loved Italian songs of Paolo Tosti.
Antonio Vivaldi: Four arias
Benjamin Britten: The Holy Sonnets of John Donne
Paolo Tosti: Four songs