Australian String Quartet National Season 2014
ADELAIDE BRISBANE MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY
Welcome
Welcome to the Australian String Quartet’s (ASQ) National Season 2014. I am personally really excited about the program under the leadership of the hugely talented Kristian Winther and Stephen King. With four fabulous programs presented in premium venues around the country, regional and international touring, education and outreach initiatives and intimate festivals in the Southern Grampians and Margaret River, the ASQ is set to make 2014 a special year. The ASQ Board, which is typical of most arts organisations, not only provides time on a pro bono basis, but also strong financial support. This allows us to dedicate every dollar we receive to support the Quartet and their vibrant artistic program. Like most premium organisations in the arts sector our funding comes broadly from one third government support, and here we are very grateful to the Government of South Australia through Arts SA and the Australia Council for the Arts. Another third is from our wonderfully loyal sponsors, donors and supporters, with particular recognition of the University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium, where the Quartet is based. But the final third comes from your decision to purchase tickets for our National Season. Frankly, this makes you the critical factor. Not only does the money you spend provide a key part of our revenue, it is your participation that makes our music meaningful.
We believe that the ASQ will give you a marvellous experience and we encourage you to join us by taking out a subscription, recommending us to your friends and colleagues or supporting the ASQ with a donation. The key of course is a wonderful musical program and an enormously talented quartet. All of this awaits you in 2014, not to mention the four extraordinary Guadagnini instruments so generously provided by our donors. As a recent review said “those Guadagninis sing”. The Board and all of us at the ASQ look forward to welcoming you to our 2014 season.
P aul C litheroe
Chair, Australian String Quartet
Australian String Quartet With a rich history spanning 28 years, the Australian String Quartet (ASQ) has established a strong national profile as an Australian chamber music group of excellence, performing at the highest international level. From its home base at the University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, the ASQ delivers a vibrant annual artistic program encompassing performances, workshops, commissions and education projects across Australia and abroad. One of Australia’s finest music exports, the ASQ has appeared at international music festivals and toured extensively throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and Asia in recent years. The Quartet is frequently broadcast on ABC Classic FM and records regularly for public release. The Quartet’s 2014 projects begin with John Adams’ Australian premiere of Absolute Jest with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in February. Other annual projects beyond the National Season include its own flagship festivals in the Southern Grampians and Margaret River, regional touring and invitations to perform at leading festivals across Australia. As advocates for Australian music, the Quartet delivers an annual
forum for emerging composers and regularly commissions, showcases and records new Australian work. Its education program extends beyond workshops and masterclasses to include the Quartet Project – a national mentoring program for emerging quartets. The members of the ASQ are privileged to perform on a matched set of Guadagnini instruments. Hand crafted by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini between c.1743-1784 in Turin and Piacenza, Italy, these exquisite Italian instruments were brought together through the vision of Ulrike Klein. The instruments are on loan to the ASQ for their exclusive use through the generosity of Ulrike Klein, Maria Myers and a group of donors who have supported Ngeringa Arts to acquire the viola. The ASQ is on the cusp of an exciting new era as it seeks to appoint a new violinist and cellist to join continuing members, first violinist Kristian Winther and violist Stephen King, ahead of its National Season 2014.
Season overview Welcome to the Australian String Quartet’s 2014 season where you’ll find that the 21st century string quartet is a versatile, dynamic ensemble, equally at home presenting an informed performance of Boccherini or Brahms on raw gut strings, as it is playing electric instruments, wine glasses and gongs. Rediscover the rarely heard string-quartet adaptation of Mozart’s Requiem, paired with the unrequited love expressed in Alban Berg’s Lyric Suite. Emerging from the shadow of her brother’s genius is Fanny Mendelssohn’s beautifully luminescent Quartet in E flat. Listen in awe as Beethoven’s compact Serioso quartet proves that it can hold its own surrounded by the towering Bartók String Quartet no 5 and Haydn’s great op 77 no 1 quartet. Soprano Greta Bradman joins us in Australian works for quartet and soprano by Peter Sculthorpe and a new co-commission from Brett Dean. We look forward to playing a year of diverse, challenging and sumptuous music for you. A ustralian S tring Q uartet
Continuum String Quartet in G minor op 32 no 5 String Quartet in C minor op 51 no 1 S t e p h e n W h i t t i n g t o n Windmill GEORGE CR U M B Black Angels Boccherini Brahms
The string quartet is a vital, intimate genre that is constantly reinvented. Tracing the thread of this evolution we begin with early Boccherini from the mid-18th century, the same era our wonderful set of Guadagninis were made. We’ll perform using raw gut strings, rather than modern synthetic and steel, and with an understanding of the early classical performance style. This is followed by Brahms’ finely crafted first string quartet, as he would have heard it in the late 19th century, still using gut. We then take up modern electric instruments for the evocative Australian work, Windmill, by Stephen Whittington, and George Crumb’s groundbreaking work for electric quartet, Black Angels. Crumb quotes from Tartini’s Devils Trill, the Dies Irae from Mozart’s Requiem and Schubert’s Death and The Maiden, creating a darkly moving response to the Vietnam War. The versatility of the medium comes to the fore in this program of turbulent sonic adventure spanning three centuries. Tue 4 Mar Thu 6 Mar P e r t h Mon 10 Mar A d e l a i d e Tue 11 Mar M e l b o u r n e Thu 13 Mar Brisbane Sydney
Presented in association with
Speechless S c h ub e r t
Quartettsatz
B e r g Lyric Suite Mozart
Requiem
In the days of Mozart and Haydn, chamber-scale reductions of symphonies and masses gave musicians who couldn’t assemble an entire orchestra and choir together, the opportunity to play and perform larger masterpieces in their own homes. After Mozart’s death, Peter Lichtenthal distilled his idol’s Requiem into a wordless, pristine string quartet masterwork, transforming it from profoundly religious into a beautiful, abstract work of art. Berg’s Lyric Suite is a similar song without words; there are quotes from Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde and Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony, and the last movement is a secret, wordless setting of a poem by Baudelaire. It’s a work borne of a doomed love affair, set against the backdrop of a fin de siecle Vienna. At the heart of any Schubert work is song, and it is with his frantically scurrying and carefree singing Quartettsatz that we open this program; an unfinished work that somehow feels as if nothing more could be said. Wed 21 May Fri 23 May A d e l a i d e Mon 26 May M e l b o u r n e Tue 27 May S y d n e y Fri 30 May Brisbane Perth
Boundless String Quartet in G major op 77 no 1 String Quartet op 95 Serioso B a r t 贸 k String Quartet no 5 H ay d n
Beethoven
Here are three masterpieces, from arguably the three greatest composers for the string quartet. Haydn’s op 77 no 1 is the grand, crowning achievement of a life inventing, exploring and perfecting the genre. Written ten years later, in Beethoven’s middle period, the Serioso quartet is all fire and crystal whilst remaining compositionally one of the strictest and most tightly structured works he ever wrote. In Bartók’s fifth quartet we hear the master of the 20th century quartet adding another dimension of emotional depth to his already highly sharpened, perfectly constructed middle period works. Ever since its first performance in 1935, it has been hailed as one of the ultimate challenges for string quartets. Mon 11 Aug Wed 13 Aug A d e l a i d e Fri 15 Aug M e l b o u r n e Mon 18 Aug S y d n e y Thu 21 Aug Brisbane Perth
Relativity String Quartet in E-flat major D e a n Ophelia Scene* (Australian premiere) S c u l t h o r p e String Quartet no 13 Island Dreaming M e n d e l s s o h n String Quartet in A minor op 13
Fanny Mendelssohn Brett Peter felix
With guest artist Greta Bradman, soprano
*New co-commission by the Australian String Quartet, Britten Sinfonia and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.
The Mendelssohn family were pioneers in the presentation, preservation and creation of music. The most modern works imaginable and the most newly revived older works were performed side by side in their house concerts in the early 19th century. Not only were Felix and Fanny’s extraordinary gifts as performers, composers and programmers discovered and developed in these performances, but the revival of the then-forgotten JS Bach began there too. It is in their spirit of adventure and preservation that we bring you works by the Mendelssohn family. These sandwich two compositions for string quartet and soprano from our own time and place, with guest Greta Bradman — a new co-commission from Brett Dean, and Peter Sculthorpe’s 13th quartet, Island Dreaming. Like the Mendelssohns, both composers have helped shape the cultural identity of a nation and of countless individual artists. Mon 10 Nov Wed 12 Nov S y d n e y Thu 13 Nov B r i s b a n e Mon 17 Nov A d e l a i d e Wed 19 Nov P erth
Melbourne
Greta Bradman soprano Greta Bradman is an awardwinning Australian soprano, known for her unique sound, extraordinary range and captivating, effortless performances on the concert and opera stage. She has recorded for Sony Music, ABC Classics and independently, is an ARIA nominee and a 2013 recipient of the Australian International Opera Award. Other recent awards include being second prize winner at the 2013 Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition (NYC), critics’ choice awards including APRA/ AMCOS and Limelight awards. Greta has completed a Bachelor of Music Degree at the Elder Conservatorium, a fellowship from the Australian National Academy of Music and will study at the Wales International Academy of Voice under the tutorage of Dennis O’Neill. Alongside a passion for grand opera and symphonic and ensemble works and with a vast existing repertory, Greta is an ardent supporter of contemporary Australian composers; many have chosen to write for her including Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards, Betty Beath, Paul Stanhope, Katy Abbott, Calvin Bowman, Carl Crossin and Quentin Grant.
Greta Bradman photo by albert comper (2013)
About the artwork The lush visual images presented in this brochure are the work of Australian visual artist, Sue Ninham and were commissioned by the ASQ in response to its National Season 2014 program. Sue paints primarily in oil on canvas and watercolour on paper, concentrating on form and colour through abstraction. Through constant experimentation with these materials and techniques, her work is continuously enriched through abandonment and exploration. Winner of the Adelaide Fringe Poster 2012, Sue is represented by BMGART and has work held in collections nationally and internationally. Sue’s inspiration for the collection was drawn from conversations with the musicians. She writes “The connection between music and my art practice has always been strong. Throughout the process of making these works I listened to musical recordings that were given to me by a quartet member relating specifically to the themes of the ASQ’s 2014 program, for inspiration and interpretation. The resulting paintings with their colours, sweeping marks and movement of forms are snapshots capturing my physical and emotional responses to those beautiful pieces.” www.sueninham.com www.bmgart.com.au
Own your part of the ASQ’s National Season 2014 with an exclusive Sue Ninham artwork and part of the proceeds will go towards supporting the Quartet. For more information visit asq.com.au or contact 1800 040 444. Continuum, 2013 Acrylic on canvas 2m x 1.5m Speechless, 2013 Acrylic on canvas 2m x 1.5m Boundless, 2013 Acrylic on canvas 2m x 1.5m Relativity, 2013 Acrylic on canvas 2m x 1.5m
Sue Ninham photo by Matt Turner, Adelaide Now
Season overview 2014 Continuum March 2014 String Quartet in G minor op 32 no 5 B r a h m s String Quartet in C minor op 51 no 1 S t e p h e n W h i t t i n g t o n Windmill g e o r g e C r u m b Black Angels Boccherini
Speechless
May 2014
Quartettsatz B e r g Lyric Suite M o z a r t Requiem S c h ub e r t
Boundless
August 2014 String Quartet in G major op 77 no 1 B e e t h o v e n String Quartet op 95 Serioso B a r t ó k String Quartet no 5 H ay d n
Relativity
November 2014 String Quartet in E-flat major B r e t t D e a n Ophelia Scene (Australian premiere) P e t e r S c u l t h o r p e String Quartet no 13 Island Dreaming f e l i x M e n d e l s s o h n String Quartet in A minor op 13 Fanny Mendelssohn
With guest artist Greta Bradman, soprano
Venues and dates A d e l a i d e Adelaide Town Hall 7pm: Tue 11 Mar – Mon 26 May – Fri 15 Aug – Wed 19 Nov
Conservatorium Theatre, South Bank 7pm: Tue 4 Mar – Wed 21 May – Mon 11 Aug – Mon 17 Nov
B r i s ba n e
Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank 7pm: Thu 13 Mar – Tue 27 May – Mon 18 Aug – Wed 12 Nov
Melbourne
Perth Concert Hall 7pm: Mon 10 Mar – Fri 23 May – Wed 13 Aug – Mon 10 Nov
Perth
City Recital Hall Angel Place 7pm: Thu 6 Mar – Fri 30 May – Thu 21 Aug – Thu 13 Nov
Sydney
Ticket packages SU B S C RI P TION
F LE X I s av e r V OU C HERS
ASQ subscribers enjoy a range of exclusive benefits across the National Season including great savings, priority seating, complimentary concert programs and bonus tickets.
(New)
G reat savings
Savings of up to 17% off single ticket prices. B onus tickets
Two bonus tickets to a National Season 2014 concert of your choice. F ree concert program
A program voucher for each concert. P riority S eating
Subscribers access the best seats in the house. Renewing subscribers can take up their seating from 2013. New subscriber tickets are processed prior to single tickets going on sale on 1 December 2013. T icket e x change
Free ticket exchange to any city of your choice within the National Season 2014. L ost ticket replacement
No fees to replace your lost ticket. E A RLY B IRD S A V IN G S
Get in quick with an early bird subscription before 1 December 2013 and take advantage of an additional saving of $25 per subscription for standard, concession and under 30 ticket prices.
The ASQ’s Flexi Saver Vouchers offer a minimum 10% saving off standard single ticket prices and can be exchanged at venue box offices for any National Season 2014 concert. Available in a four-pack, the Flexi Saver Vouchers can be used in any combination Australia-wide. An ideal gift or perfect for your own use if you prefer a more flexible ticketing option than a subscription package. For full details visit asq.com.au
The gift of music The Australian String Quartet’s annual program of activity delivers world-class musical performances to audiences in Australia and abroad. Through the generous support of our valued donors, we are privileged to be able to share our passion for musical excellence with diverse audiences ranging from international festivals, to regional and remote Australian communities, from the concert stage to intimate school performances and tertiary masterclasses. In partnership with our donors, the ASQ proudly invests in the future of Australian music through our new work commissioning fund, which supports the ASQ to commission, premiere and showcase new Australian works both nationally and internationally. Through the generosity of our donors, the ASQ gifts in excess of 100 student subscriptions annually and its Quartet Project provides further opportunities for music lovers to support the next generation of Australian music makers. We invite you to share our passion by making a tax deductible donation or gifting a student subscription. To make a donation freecall 1800 040 444, or complete the enclosed booking form.
ASQ National Season 2014 Booking form Step 1: Subscriptions
Select your city and indicate in the boxes how many of each subscription you require. Add required service fee and any extra options and calculate the total.
Subscription Adelaide Brisbane Melbourne Perth Sydney Standard
@$240
@$240
@ $260
@ $260
@ $260
Standard Early Bird*
@$215
@$215
@ $235
@ $235
@ $235
Concession
@$175
@$175
@ $190
@ $190
@ $190
Concession Early Bird*
@$150
@$150
@ $165
@ $165
@ $165
Under 30
@$100
@$100
@ $100
@ $100
@ $100
@$75
@$75
@ $75
@ $75
@ $75
1 @$6.60
1 @$10.00
N/A
1 @$6.95
1 @$8.00
Under 30 Early Bird* Plus Subscription Fee Subtotal
$ $ $ $ $
Pensioners, Healthcare Cards (including Seniors Health Cards) and full-time students are eligible for concession. We regret that Seniors Cards are not eligible for a concession. Please include photocopied proof of your status. S t e p 2 : f l e x i s av e r v o u c h e r s
Flexi Saver Vouchers Subtotal
@$260
(Pack of four)
@$260
@ $260
@ $260
@ $260
$ $ $ $ $
Step 3: Gifts / donations
I wish to gift an Under 30 subscription to a student
@$100
@$100
@ $100
@ $100
@ $100
I wish to make a tax deductible donation
$ $ $ $ $
Subtotal
$ $ $ $ $
Grand Total
$
$
$
$
$
(Subscriptions only) Please indicate your seating preferences (ie aisle, centre, near stage), and please advise if you use a wheelchair, have hearing difficulties or have any other seating requirements. Step 4: seating preference
Step 5: Subscriber Bonus Tickets
(Subscriptions only)
Each subscriber household is entitled to receive two bonus tickets to introduce a guest/s to the ASQ. You can request two tickets for one concert or one ticket for each of two concerts. Concert Continuum Speechless Boundless Relativity Date
March May August November
No of tickets These tickets will be processed and sent in early December 2013. Please send the Subscriber Bonus Tickets to
Self
Guest
guest name address
Step 6: Your details Title name surname Address Suburb preferred contact number
State Postcode Email
Would you like to receive E-News updates from the ASQ? Would you like to receive information about ASQ festivals? S t e p 7 : Pay m e n t M e t h o d
Please choose your payment method: Made payable to the Australian String Quartet Cheque/Money Order Mastercard Visa Credit Card card number name on card expiry date signature
S t e p 8 : S u bm i t t i n g y o u r b o o k i n g f o r m
Mail: Fax: Phone:
Reply Paid 60687, Australian String Quartet Bookings The University of Adelaide, SA 5005 08 8313 4389 Freecall 1800 040 444 to book using your credit card or for any queries
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Savour the moment Escape to the truly magical surrounds of Dunkeld in the Southern Grampians of Victoria or the Margaret River region in Western Australia for three days of exquisite chamber music, indulgent dining and fine wines.
Du n k e l d F e s t i v a l o f Mu s i c
Fri 11 – Sun 13 April 2014 Sun 13 – Tue 15 April 2014
The ASQ’s flagship regional festivals present the Quartet alongside leading guest artists in a diverse program of chamber music. Set in charming regional venues and complemented by the regions finest fare, these festival events are a highlight in the Australian String Quartet’s calendar. Make an ASQ festival part of your travel plans for 2014 and savour the music.
M a r g a r e t R i v e r W e e k e n d o f Mu s i c
Fri 3 – Sun 5 October 2014
For more information visit asq.com.au or call on 1800 040 444
Single tickets Available from 1 December 2013 Adelaide
Standard – $72 Concession – $52 Under 30 – $30 (Transaction fee included) BASS 131 246, bass.net.au B r i s ba n e
Standard – $72 Concession – $52 Under 30 – $30 (Transaction fee included) QTIX 136 246, qtix.com.au Melbourne
Standard – $75 Concession – $57 Under 30 – $30 (Transaction fee may apply) Melbourne Recital Centre (03) 9699 3333, melbournerecital.com.au Perth
Standard – $75 Concession – $57 Under 30 – $30 (Transaction fees may apply) Ticketek 1300 795 012, ticketek.com.au Sydney
Standard – $75 Concession – $57 Under 30 – $30 (Additional fees may apply) City Recital Hall Angel Place 1300 797 118, cityrecitalhall.com Student Rush
$15 tickets are available one hour prior to concert start on presentation of a full-time student card.
o ff i c i a l pa r t n e r s Major Sponsor
Government Supporters
Major Patrons
Leader Sponsor
Violist Sponsor
Cellist Sponsors
INSTRU M ENT P A RTNERS
N A TION A L SE A SON P A RTNERS National Wine Sponsor
Melbourne Accommodation Sponsor
Sydney Accommodation Sponsor
Perth Accommodation Sponsor
P RO J E C T P A RTNERS
Thyne Reid Foundation
Ian Potter Foundation
Robert Salzer Foundation
OTHER P A RTNERS
Photography by jacqui way
AS Q B OARD
Paul Clitheroe AM (Chair) Nicholas Callinan Angela Flannery Janet Hayes Ulrike Klein Paul Murnane Maria Myers AO Susan Renouf Jeanette Sandford-Morgan OAM Angelina Zucco – Executive Director
Quartet-in-Residence The University of Adelaide SA 5005 Australia T 1800 040 444 (Freecall) F +61 8 8313 4389 E asq@asq.com.au W asq.com.au Facebook.com/AustralianStringQuartet Twitter.com/ASQuartet