What's On: January - March 2013

January March 2013 Orchestre National de Jazz 19 January

PP320258/0121

principal partner

January, February & March 2013 Monday

14 21 28 04 11 18 25

Tuesday

Wednesday

15 16 22 29 05 06 13 19 20 26 27 05 06 11 12 13 18 19 20 25 26 27

FROM 25 JANUARY 2013

Lost to the World 6pm – p9 Paul Lewis 7.30pm – p10

Mostly Mozart: Mozart & Son 11am – p12

MusicPlay p4-5

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19 26 02 07 09 12 16 21 23 28 02 07 09 14 16 21 22 23 28 29 30

Rokia Traoré 7.30pm – p6

6.30pm – p8

T H E G A R D E N P A R T Y. I N F O

The Tallest Man on Earth 7.30pm – p15

SHE: Seven Harp Ensemble 11am – p20

Influences from the East 6pm – p21

Spirit of India 7.30pm – p20

Brahms 7pm – p21

The Prophet 6pm – p24

Penelope Thwaites 6pm – p24

1863 – The Paris Connection 6pm – p27

Temptation: Faust and Schubert 7pm – p28

Ears Wide Open 6.30pm – p28

All information in this brochure is correct at the time of printing.

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • January

Half the Sky 7.30pm – p19

London Klezmer Quartet 8pm – p18

Orchestre National de Jazz 7.30pm – p7

The Garden Party (Australia Day)

The Garden Party

The Garden Party

The Garden Party

The Garden Party

Happy Birthday Melbourne Recital Centre

French Connections 3pm & 6pm – p8

Chinese New Year's Day Concert 3pm – p9

The Garden Party

The Garden Party

Alexander Gavrylyuk 8pm – p11

The Garden Party

VCE Top Class 2013: Music 11am, 3pm & 6.30pm – p13

Phronesis 7.30pm – p17

Karin Schaupp & Pavel Steidl 8pm – p14

Dhafer Youssef Quartet 7.30pm – p19

Soweto Gospel Choir 8pm – p20

Philippe Jaroussky 7pm – p23

Jordi Savall & Andrew Lawrence-King 7.30pm – p22

Australian Voices: Elena Kats-Chernin 6pm – p24

Sunday

The Garden Party

The Garden Party

David Jones Plus Two Brothers 7pm – p16

This Mirror has Three Faces 7pm – p17

18 25 01 08 15 22 01 08

Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells for Two 7pm – p11

The Spanish Collection 6pm – p16

Glen Hansard 7.30pm – p25

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MusicPlay p4-5

Karin Schaupp & Pavel Steidl 7pm – p14

Kronos Quartet 7.30pm – p18

The Poet 7pm – p27

MusicPlay p4-5

S T U R T S T, S O U T H B A N K ( R I G H T N E X T D O O R T O M E L B O U R N E R E C I T A L C E N T R E ) SUPPORTED BY ARTS VICTORIA AND THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.

VCE Top Class 2013: Dance 10am & 1.30pm – p13

Empire of the West 6pm – p23

Saturday

MUSIC BLOOMS IN AN UNEXPECTED PLACE Shostakovich & Beethoven

Eroica 7pm – p12

Labour Day

Friday

ART OF SLEEPING • THE BAMBOOS • THE CACTUS CHANNEL • HUSKY J O N T I • J E N S L EK M A N • 6pm K A S H M E–R Ep8 STAGE BAND MIA DYSON • OSCAR + MARTIN • SASKWATCH • DJ SOFTWAR Mozart &•Handel TINPAN ORANGE • THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON • VAN SHE AND MORE

Sylvia Plath in the Domestic Sublime 6pm & 8pm – p9

Ligeti Morphed 6pm – p13

Thursday

Joyce Yang 7.30pm – p26

In Memoriam 3pm & 6pm – p27 Glen Hansard 7.30pm – p25

Glen Hansard 7.30pm – p25

Good Friday

27 03 10 17 24 03

The Garden Party

Eroica 2.30pm – p12

The Garden Party

Ode to Margaret 5.30pm – p13

Philippe Jaroussky 5pm – p23

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The Best Place to Hear

Welcome to a new year of the most eclectic and electrifying live concerts at Melbourne’s home of music. 2013 is going to be a huge year, starting from late-January when we launch The Garden Party, our outdoor summer music festival. We’re reclaiming a piece of empty space next to the Centre and transforming it into an urban oasis, equipped with a stage where great local and international acts will perform, a bar, food and some surprises.

Visit thegardenparty.info for full details.

Indoors, you’ll see artists like Rokia Traoré. She’s one of Africa’s most adventurous singers, blending the bluesy sound of her electric guitar with traditional Malian instruments. Glen Hansard, the Oscar-winning singer-songwriter showcases his new album, with the help of his band, The Frames. Three great performers visit – Paul Lewis concludes his epic Schubert Cycle, Jordi Savall plays music from the golden age of the viola da gamba and pianist Joyce Yang makes her Melbourne debut. Many of our ensembles and companies begin their seasons also. We can’t wait to see you at Melbourne Recital Centre soon.

Uwe Hagen Managing Director, Audi Australia

Audi is a proud supporter of Melbourne Recital Centre, and now in our fourth year of partnership, we are delighted that our relationship has added to the rich cultural life of Melbourne. Through our unique pairing with the Centre, we have been able to offer our customers exceptional experiences.

From a world-class design to world-class performances, Melbourne Recital Centre mirrors Audi’s commitment to progressiveness and sophistication. The ongoing partnership between our two successful brands is a great way to give back to the Australian community through cultural endeavours that can be enjoyed and accessed by all Australians.

Orchestre National de Jazz

LUISA PASTRELLO Country General Manager Australia & New Zealand, Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is a proud supporter of Melbourne Recital Centre. We share a commitment to exceptional performance and inspired customer service experiences.

Etihad Airways is delighted to bring the Centre’s superb international artists to Melbourne to enrich the cultural life of the city and its people. We invite you to experience the luxury, convenience and modern Arabian hospitality of Etihad Airways when next you fly.

Audi Australia and Melbourne Recital Centre are proud winners of the AbaF Victorian Partnering Award in 2012

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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The Kookaburra Who Stole the Moon This delightful Australian bush story is an ideal introduction for young children to instruments of the orchestra and Indigenous culture. The Dreamtime myth is explored through narration, dance, didgeridoo and orchestra, and tells the story of a greedy Kookaburra who falls in love with the moon and steals it from the night sky. The other animals, Frog, Snake, Emu, Wombat and Kangaroo try to make the Kookaburra laugh in order to make him release his grip and allow the moon to escape and return to the sky.

Peter Winkler composer Brett Kelly conductor Mark Atkins didgeridoo The Kookaburra Orchestra

Thu 17 January 11am (40 mins no interval) Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Tickets $18 This concert is appropriate for children age 4 and older

See page 29 for ticketing details

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • January

Invisible me Are you black with white stripes?

Or white with black stripes?

Invisible Me follows the adventures of Stripey, a baby Emu, as he searches for his place in the vast Australian bush. Based on Wendy Binks's awardwinning and hugely popular story book, renowned chamber ensemble the Southern Cross Soloists blend narration and music in an interactive exploration of a land filled with strange and wonderful animals.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Thu 17 – Sat 19 January 11.45am, 1.15pm & 3.15pm (40 mins no interval) Salon Tickets $18 This concert is appropriate for children age 4 and older A QPAC and Southern Cross Soloists production commissioned for Out of the Box 2012.

Carnival of the Animals – Australian Style There is no greater introduction to classical music than the humorous suites of Carnival of the Animals. Visit the musical zoo, where kangaroos, lions and elephants come to life through this musical frolic performed live on stage. Saint-Saëns’ buoyant melodies will whisk you away to a fantastical world of zoological wonder.

Daniel Carter conductor The Carnival Orchestra

Sat 19 January 11am (40 mins no interval) Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Tickets $18 This concert is appropriate for children age 4 and older

See page 29 for ticketing details

MusicPlay is an exciting summer holiday music festival for children and families. Over several days MusicPlay aims to encourage young music lovers and their families to immerse themselves in music through an array of interactive concerts and musical activities.

Aussie Babes Aussie Babes celebrates all things Australian with fun-filled interactive concerts for babies and toddlers by Baby Love Music Fun. Join opera singer Melanie Maslin and her team as she leads you and your baby or toddler through key music and movement-based activities that babies find fun and stimulate their development. Incorporating well-known tunes and fun Australian themes, these concerts feature live singing, puppets, props and facilitated movement to enhance you and your baby or toddler's experience of music.

Thu 17 – Sat 19 January 9.45am (40 mins no interval) Salon Tickets $20 per child (includes one accompanying adult) This concert is appropriate for babes up to 3 years of age (all children must be accompanied by an adult)

Making music with Mark Atkins Would you like to learn how to play a didgeridoo? Learn about this ancient art and indigenous musical culture with Mark Atkins, one of Australia's most celebrated didgeridoo artists. Make your own didgeridoo, learn to play clap-sticks and have fun!

Mark Atkins didgeridoos & percussion

Thu 17 January 1pm & 2.30pm (60 mins) Salzer Suite Tickets $20 This workshop is appropriate for children aged 5-11 years old See page 29 for ticketing details

Peter Combe's Great Australian Songs Join Australia's own ‘King of the Kids’ for an intimate show full of Peter's favourite songs. As one of Australia's most celebrated songwriters for children, Peter brings his gorgeous melodies and fun and quirky lyrics to MusicPlay.

Fri 18 January 10am & 11.30am (45 mins no interval) Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Tickets $18 This concert is appropriate for children age 3-8 years

See page 29 for ticketing details

FREE FOYER FUN The Great Australian Dream VISIT:

melbournerecital.com.au/musicplay for a complete program MusicPlay is supported by The Hugh Williamson Foundation and the City of Melbourne

Melbourne Recital Centre’s foyers come alive with a range of free, fun and interactive experiences all about Australia.

Discover the Great Australian Dream and visit our collection of houses – ring the door bell, move them about and create a new town. The Sound of Drawing records the sounds created as children draw. Sticks and Bells allows you to use your own body to create a unique sound as you wander through 100 suspended bells or sticks. And the Bubble Path invites you to jump and pop our trail of bubble wrap leading up the stairs.

Thu 17 – Sat 19 January 10am–4pm

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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Rokia Traoré Mali’s Rokia Traoré is ‘the finest and most adventurous female singer in Africa’ according to London’s Guardian newspaper. The daughter of a diplomat, Traoré grew up immersed in both African and European traditions, and her music reflects this, blending guitar-driven rock and blues with Mali’s mellow harps and lutes.

Mali’s musicians are storytellers (griots) and Traoré takes inspiration from them, but she’s equally likely to pick up her Gretsch jazz guitar and croon a Gershwin standard.

West Africa has a powerful and living musical identity and Mali is a particularly fertile source of superstars – Ali Farka Touré, Toumani Diabaté and Tinariwen to name just three.

Traoré takes her place in this company, but with a voice and sound that’s entirely hers.

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • January

On her haunting 2009 album, Tchamantché, she works at the intersection of 50s American blues and African roots. Whether singing in Bamana, French or English, there’s a simple directness to her delivery and her playing that catches you right in the heart. This has brought Traoré fame outside of world music circles; she’s collaborated with theatre director Peter Sellars on a retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello from Desdemona’s perspective.

Typically, it was a project that explored the intersection between art-forms, between eras and between cultures.

Rokia Traoré is one of the essential voices of our global village, deeply personal yet universally resonant.

INFORMATION Thu 17 January 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (90 mins no interval) Rokia Traoré vocals Premium $90 A reserve $75 ($65 concession) B reserve $65 ($55 concession) C reserve $55 Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre

‘ Traoré’s rich and mesmerizing voice, regal bearing and fluid movement has enchanted critics.’ The New York Times

Orchestre National de Jazz Around Robert Wyatt

‘ A gorgeous piece of exquisitely orchestrated pop music, a modern variant of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds.’ All About Jazz Robert Wyatt is a truly unique artist.

Ever since Rock Bottom, his 1974 masterpiece, invariably listed among the most outstanding albums in the history of rock, the singer has inspired nothing but respect and passion.

France’s brilliant 10-piece National Jazz Orchestra (ONJ) was established to push the boundaries of jazz, and under the leadership of Artistic Director Daniel Yvinec has explored bold new worlds of sound in daring concerts and recordings. Conceived as part of a collaboration between prog-rock pioneer Robert Wyatt and Daniel Yvinec especially for the ONJ, Around Robert Wyatt pays homage to the protean personality of the singer and his haunting sonic world. Around Robert Wyatt allows us to rediscover these enchanting melodies (Shipbuilding, Alifib…) in another light, painting Wyatt's music with the luscious and glowing colours of the ONJ. Filmmaker Antoine Carlier has created a dreamlike and poetic play of projected images fully in keeping with the music, a poetic backdrop to this orchestral journey.

INFORMATION Sat 19 January 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (90 mins no interval) Orchestre National de Jazz Daniel Yvinec artistic director Tickets $60 ($50 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre

‘ It seems like a match made in Heaven—or somewhere: There's no ensemble in the world like France's Orchestre National de Jazz, which, especially under the direction of bassist Daniel Yvinec, is committed to the new and experimental.’ Wall Street Journal (US)

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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Shostakovich & Beethoven Daniel de Borah (piano) and Kristian Winther (violin) join Melbourne Recital Centre’s Local Heroes program with two momentous works for violin and piano by two titans among composers. The C-minor Sonata

by Beethoven is a masterpiece of symphonic proportions, full of passion and restlessness, epitomizing the composer's works in that key.

Dmitri Shostakovich's austere yet highly expressive Sonata Op.134 was written for the 60th birthday of Russian violinist, David Oistrakh and immediately took its place among the great sonatas of the 20th century.

INFORMATION Thu 7 February 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) BEETHOVEN Sonata for piano & violin No.7 in C minor, Op.30 No.2 SHOSTAKOVICH Sonata for violin & piano in G, Op.134 Kristian Winther violin Daniel de Borah piano Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Two concert package $63 ($45 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre, Daniel de Borah & Kristian Winther Local Heroes 2013

Kristian Winther

French Connections The Benaud Trio take you on a French vacation with some of the most wonderful chamber music ever written. Saint-Saëns' first trio was inspired by the terrain and folk music of the French Pyrenees. It has a breezy simplicity and charming youthfulness which is contagious. Ravel's wartime trio is a tour de force for all three instruments. Nonchalant, sublime and cataclysmic, Ravel's masterpiece is an unforgettable musical experience.

INFORMATION Chamber Orchestra at St Paul's

Mozart & Handel: A celebration from St Martin’s in the Fields Award-winning English conductor, Peter G Dyson directs the Chamber Orchestra at St. Paul’s, as they perform a marvellous program of Baroque and early Classical delights by Mozart and Handel. Maestro Dyson is Director of the premier house ensemble at St. Martin’s in the Fields in London, conducting more than 200 performances a year. Come and hear why this maestro is internationally praised for his enterprise and vision.

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Sat 9 February 3pm & 6pm Salon (70 mins no interval) SAINT-SAËNS Piano Trio No.1 in F, Op.18 RAVEL Piano Trio in A minor Benaud Trio Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Three concert package $90 ($64 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Benaud Trio Local Heroes 2013

INFORMATION Thu 7 February 6.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) MOZART Symphony No.10 in G, K.74 HANDEL Concerto Grosso Op.6 No.11 in A, HWV.329 MOZART Piano Concerto No.12 in A, K.414 HANDEL Overture from Theodora, HWV 68 MOZART Symphony No.29 in A, K.550 The Chamber Orchestra at St Paul’s Peter G Dyson guest conductor Tickets $44 ($24 concession) Presented by Down-Under Concert Direction

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • February

Benaud Trio

Chinese New Year’s Day Concert Four of China's leading tenors are coming to Melbourne to sing up a storm and welcome in the new Chinese Year of the Snake. Supported

by Orchestra Victoria, under the baton of China National Opera House conductor Zhu Man, this afternoon concert will feature popular songs and arias from east and west.

Gu Xin, Chi Liming, Xue Haoyin and Yang Yang are stars of China's leading opera houses and regularly appear on Chinese television.

This is the first time that the China Shanghai International Arts Festival, China's leading international arts festival, has presented a concert outside of China.

INFORMATION Sun 10 February 3pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) Program includes works by Rossini, Puccini, Mozart, Gounod, Zheng Lu and Ma Hongye, Zuo Yijian and Huang Hai, Lei Zhenbang, Zhao Xinshui and Lei Zhenbang, Lu Zaiyi, Zhang Hongxi, Zheng Qiufeng and Qu Zong, Donizetti, Verdi and Liu Zhi. Greta Bradman soprano Gu Xin, Chi Liming, Xue Haoyin & Yang Yang tenor China National Opera Zhu Man conductor Orchestra Victoria Premium $88 A reserve $68 ($60 concession) B reserve $58 ($50 concession) C reserve $48 ($40 concession) Presented by China Shanghai International Arts Festival

Gu Xin

Sylvia Plath in the Domestic Sublime Danaë Killian’s poetry-infused performance of J S Bach’s Goldberg Variations celebrates the unique voice and rich visionary gifts of Sylvia Plath, on the 50th anniversary of her death on February 11 1963. Like Plath’s late poems, Bach’s Goldberg Variations are at once intimate, personal, domestic; and macrocosmic, baring the deep architecture of the universe.

From the sublime polyphonically woven body of the Goldberg, Plath’s words of domestic apocalypse bloom like stigmata; bleeding into the beautiful, post-apocalyptic world and abyss of Schoenberg’s Klavierstücke.

INFORMATION Mon 11 February 6pm & 8pm Salon (75 mins no interval) BACH Goldberg Variations BWV988 SCHOENBERG Drei Klavierstücke Op.11 SCHOENBERG Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke Op.19 PLATH Kindness, Totem, Cut, Nick and the Candlestick, Mary's Song, Child, Contusion, Words, and Balloons from Ariel (1965) and Winter Trees (1971) Danaë Killian pianist & speaker Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Presented by New Music Lighthouse

Danaë Killian

Lost to the World Melbourne Art Song Collective presents some of Mahler's most dramatic and heartrending songs, together with Liszt's virtuoso transcription of Wagner's Grail March.

Mahler evokes the journey of the aching soul through the metaphor of ever changing nature. The progression of the seasons is emblematic of the evolution of the poet's emotions; from joy to desolation. This is echoed in Liszt's transcription of the Grail March from Wagner's Parsifal. Epic, mystical splendour is transmuted into pessimism.

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

INFORMATION Wed 13 February 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) LISZT Solemn March to the Holy Grail from Parsifal, S.450 MAHLER Rückert-Lieder MAHLER Songs of a Wayfarer Melbourne Art Song Collective Tickets $40 ($30 concession) Three concert package $102 ($76.50 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & MASC Local Heroes 2013

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Paul Lewis 10

Paul Lewis concludes his three-year journey through the late piano works of Franz Schubert with the final triptych of sublime piano sonatas.

Composed in the last spring, summer and autumn of the composer’s short life, the three masterpieces share a complex web of motifs and moods. Woven through the sonatas are hints and echoes of Schubert’s last songs, where youthful joy is clouded by loneliness and despair. These works call for a pianist of remarkable sensitivity and intelligence, one who eloquently enables Schubert’s music to tell its own story. Paul Lewis is the ideal exponent of Schubert’s piano works, and via his mentor Alfred Brendel, heir to a great tradition of profound and lyrical playing.

This is serious music performed by a serious musician, but it is also full of life and humour, and finally, peace.

MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • February

INFORMATION Wed 13 February 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) Free pre-concert talk 6.45pm SCHUBERT Sonata for piano No.19 in C minor, D958 Sonata for piano No.20 in A, D959 Sonata for piano No.21 in B flat, D960 Paul Lewis piano Premium $110 A reserve $90 ($50 concession) B reserve $70 ($50 concession) C reserve $50 Nine concert series package from $441 Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre Program partners The Langham Melbourne, Limelight & ABC Classic FM Great Performers 2013

Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells for Two Two very ambitious musicians take up more than 20 instruments to present Mike Oldfield’s Celtic-folk-rock opus Tubular Bells in a unique musical – and often acrobatic – performance.

Multi-instrumentalists Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts have arranged the entire score of Tubular Bells played live, bringing the influential masterpiece to life in all its multi-layered madness and subtle beauty.

Oldfield’s beautiful and sprawling progressive Tubular Bells shot to number one in charts around the world in 1973-74, throwing the young composer into the international spotlight and kick-starting Richard Branson’s Virgin music empire as its inaugural album.

INFORMATION Fri 15 February 7pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (60 mins no interval) Aidan Roberts multi-instrumentalist Daniel Holdsworth multi-instrumentalist A reserve $59.90 ($54.90 conc) B reserve $49.90 ($44.90 conc) Presented by Kay & McLean Productions in association with places + spaces

Daniel Holdsworth & Aiden Roberts

Alexander Gavrylyuk in recital Ukranian-born Alexander Gavrylyuk is one of the world’s most sought-after pianists.

He has dazzled audiences in major concert halls across the world and in two unforgettable performances at the Hollywood Bowl.

Gavrylyuk has performed with distinguished orchestras across the globe, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana.

In 2013, he returns to Melbourne with a vibrant recital program comprising Mussorgsky, Bach and Schumann.

INFORMATION Sat 16 February 8pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (75 mins incl. interval) MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition BACH Italian Concerto, BVW 971 SCHUMANN Fantasie in C minor, Op.17 Alexander Gavrylyuk piano Tickets $75 ($65 concession) Presented by Andrew McKinnon

‘ A world-class pianist performing at his absolute best.’ New York Times

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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Eroica Melbourne Chamber Orchestra presents two exciting and accessible rarities from the 20th century alongside one of the indisputable masterpieces of the orchestral literature. Best known for his evocative film scores, Nino Rota was also a prolific composer of orchestral and chamber pieces. The Concerto for Strings is a brilliant example of his melodious style and is a testament to the talents of a man whose music deserves widespread acclaim. Joined by soprano Merlyn Quaife, MCO celebrates 100 years since the birth of Benjamin Britten with a performance of his vivid and evocative song cycle, Les Illuminations. To conclude this exhilarating concert, experience Beethoven's Eroica Symphony as you've never heard it before as conductor, Graham Abbott, reveals the magnificent detail of the piece in a characteristically lean and athletic interpretation.

Merlyn Quaife

Graham Abbott

INFORMATION Sun 17 February 2.30pm & Mon 18 February 7pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (100 mins incl. interval) ROTA Concerto for strings BRITTEN Les Illuminations, Op.18 BEETHOVEN Symphony No.3 Eroica, Op.55 Merlyn Quaife soprano

Graham Abbott conductor William Hennessy director Melbourne Chamber Orchestra Premium $99 ($91 concession) A reserve $89 ($81 concession) B reserve $79 ($71 concession) Presented by Melbourne Chamber Orchestra Tickets on sale 10 December

Mostly Mozart: Mozart & Son The Mostly Mozart mid-week morning concerts are a great chance to enjoy an hour of wonderful music and catch up with friends over a cup of tea. Each concert features the music of Mozart performed by Orchestra Victoria and musicians and alumni from the Australian National Academy of Music. The Siegfried Idyll received the most intimate of premieres – the stairway of the Wagners’ home on Christmas Day, 1870.

The occasion was Cosima Wagner’s 33rd birthday and the piece is the best kind of present: warm and personal, a musical portrait of their family. Leopold Mozart was not just a famous stage parent, he was also a composer.

If his talent pales next to that of his son, that’s because his boy was the Mozart.

Leopold contributed a fine trumpet concerto, showcasing our soloist’s brilliant clarino sound.

Mozart Jr wrote few ballets, but this one is a delightful rococo confection featuring cross-dressing shepherds and shepherdesses confounded by Cupid and fashionably ‘rustic’ dances.

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • February

INFORMATION Wed 20 February 11am (morning tea from 10.15am) Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (60 mins no interval) WAGNER Siegfried Idyll LEOPOLD MOZART Concerto in D for trumpet W.A. MOZART Les petits riens, K.299b Josh Rogan trumpet Orchestra Victoria Colin Fox host Tickets $35 ($26 concession/senior) Four concert series package from $112 ($83.20 concession/senior) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre, Orchestra Victoria & Australian National Academy of Music

VCE Top Class 2013 Music & Dance As part of the VCE Season of Excellence, Top Class presents a concert series of works by outstanding VCE performing arts students who have completed VCE Music Performance, Drama, Theatre Studies, Dance and VET Dance.

Top Class 2013 runs from March to May. Concerts are compered by VCE Assessors in each study.

INFORMATION Music Performance Sat 23 February 11am, 3pm & 6.30pm Dance Tue 5 March 10am & 1.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Tickets $13.50 ($11.50 regional concession) Presented by the Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority

Ode to Margaret Join Clare Bowditch, Lior, Tinpanorange, Benjamin Martin, Louisa Breen, Tess Duddy, The Melbourne Musicians and other great artists in this one off celebration of one of Australia’s great educators. Margaret Lyttle, now 100 years old, was the famed Principal of Preshil, the Margaret Lyttle Memorial School, for 50 years. This concert draws together talented Preshilians and friends from the past and present to celebrate her birthday and honour her unique contribution to Australian education.

INFORMATION

Sun 24 February 5.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) Tickets $60 ($50 seniors/students, over 18, $30 concession & $150 family) Presented by the Margaret E Lyttle Foundation

Ligeti Morphed ‘ Razor-sharp precision... and thrilling virtuosity.’ The Australian

(with the permission of Lily Kahan)

What happens when you tackle the vast textures of Ligeti's masterwork Atmospheres with strings, percussion, electric guitar and turntables? Join Sydney's champions of contemporary classical music Ensemble Offspring and underground electronic duo Oren Ambarchi and Martin Ng to find out.

Drawing inspiration from the music of György Ligeti, the artists fuse the acoustic world with the electronic in a series of strikingly original works. These aural tapestries are interspersed with bold reinventions of the Ligeti canon, from a double marimba version of the classic Continuum to an ensemble rewrite of some of his Ètudes and finally the monolithic Atmospheres.

INFORMATION Mon 25 February 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) Ensemble Offspring Oren Ambarchi electric guitar Martin Ng turntables Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Ensemble Offspring

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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Karin Schaupp & Pavel Steidl

Karin Schaupp

Two of the world’s greatest guitarists perform together for the first time in this striking concert experience. Australian Karin Schaupp and Czech Pavel Steidl, both equally acclaimed for their technical brilliance, bring their renowned onstage warmth and emotional expressiveness to a program of the utmost intimacy and beauty.

Inspired by great guitar duos of the past, they perform a program of music that traverses a history of the guitar itself: from the delicacy of the tiny ‘Terz’ guitar, through the elegant 19th-century model beloved of Paganini, and on to the modern instrument found in so many homes today. ‘Pavel has incredible technique and sophistication, but much more than that, he plays from his soul…To be really moved by someone is a whole other level,’ says Karin. The connection between the artists’ musical imaginations was obvious from the first day of rehearsals, some months before the tour.

‘It is like she is my sister,’ Pavel says happily.

‘We already thought the same way.’ Throughout the concert, Karin and Pavel share the stories and context of the music to create an entertaining, engaging and unforgettable experience.

INFORMATION

Pavel Steidl

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • February

Tue 26 February 7pm & Sat 2 March 8pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) MERTZ Three movements from the collected duets: Mazurka; Am Grabe der geliebten; Standchen; Vespergang; Barcarole; Unruhe SOR L’Encouragement Op.34 GIULIANI Le Avventure di Amore Op.116 GRANADOS Spanish Dances Op.37 JANÁCEK On an Overgrown Path EDWARDS Djanaba HOUGHTON Brolga GNATALLI Suite Retratos Karin Schaupp & Pavel Steidl guitar Premium $116 ($101 concession) A reserve $97 ($84 concession) B reserve $68 ($59 concession) C reserve $46 ($40 concession) Presented by Musica Viva

The Tallest Man on Earth Kristian Matsson is The Tallest Man on Earth.

Since 2006, the acclaimed Swedish singersongwriter has embraced the heart of folk music with his arresting voice, acoustic guitar and deft lyrics. Cultivating a striking connection between voice and guitar, Matsson is praised for his charismatic stage presence and exquisite guitar technique which has seen him tour alongside Bon Iver. With an inescapable nod to Bob Dylan, The Tallest Man on Earth is a folk music marvel, with a wealth of beautiful recordings that are distinctly his own.

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

INFORMATION Thu 28 February 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (90 mins no interval) Kristian Matsson Tickets $58.70 Presented by Select Touring

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David Jones Plus Two

Brothers

The recipe for a vibrant world music album by The Brothers takes the jazz-influenced rhythm of David Jones and Evripides Evripidou and adds the 250-year-old classical Indian music heritage of bansuri master Vinod Prasanna.

Blend this collaboration with funky drum and bass and inject some sheer improvisational brilliance to create an evening of ambient groove, described by many as the ultimate chill out music. Melbourne musicians David Jones and Evripides Evripidou discovered the recipe for a new world fusion music when they met Vinod Prasanna at an Australia Day event in January 2010. The three musicians stumbled upon this surprising combination on stage during sound check and immediately resolved to record together. A month later they were in a recording studio and their album Brothers – first meeting, was born.

INFORMATION

Vinod Prasanna, David Jones & Evripides Evripidou

Tue 26 February 7pm Salon (60 mins no interval) David Jones percussion Vinod Prasanna bansuri Evripides Evripidou double bass Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & David Jones

The Spanish Collection ‘ La Compañia is one of Australia's finest and best-known early music ensembles.’ Gramophone (UK) La Compañia presents a tantalising selection of music from the famous collection 'El Cancionero de Palacio'. This Royal Spanish Songbook, a Renaissance manuscript spanning a 40-year period, celebrates Spanish music in all of its colourful and vibrant variations.

On diverse and expressive period instruments, this highly spirited music is breathtakingly beautiful.

INFORMATION Thu 28 February 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) La Compañia Danny Lucin director Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Four concert series package from $112 ($80 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & La Compañia Local Heroes 2013

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • February

Phronesis

Scandinavian/British jazz trio Phronesis excite, inspire and move people in a way that only a few bands are able. Led by London-based Danish double-bass player Jasper Høiby, their charismatic live performances have captured the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide and prompted Jon Newey (editor of Jazzwise Magazine) to describe them as ‘the most exciting and imaginative piano trio since EST.’ In 2010, Phronesis developed a fierce reputation as one of the most formidable trios in the UK

and in 2011 the trio received an outstanding reception on their first tour of North America, including the Rochester, Montreal and Ottawa International Jazz Festivals. This year the trio rose to the peak of their creative power with their fourth album, Walking Dark, described in a five-star review by BBC Music Magazine as ‘arguably the best disc yet from one of the best of the bunch of contemporary bands.’

INFORMATION Fri 1 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) Phronesis Tickets $50 ($40 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre

This Mirror has Three Faces Join the Sutherland Trio as they perform INFORMATION the Australian premiere of award-winning composer Lera Auerbach's alluring triptych, Wed 6 March 7pm This Mirror has Three Faces, which reflects the Salon (70 mins no interval) dynamic interplay between the three voices PÄRT Mozart Adagio for violin, cello & piano of the piano trio. Looking on from either side AUERBACH Triptych – This Mirror has Three of the Auerbach are two much-admired works Faces, Trio No.2

by Beethoven and Arvo Pärt. Named in honour BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in C Minor, Op.1 No.3 of the distinguished Australian composer, Sutherland Trio teacher and music pioneer, Margaret Sutherland, Tickets $35 ($25 concession) the Sutherland Trio brings together the talent Three concert series package from $90 of three of Australia’s most experienced ($64 concession) and distinguished musicians. Collectively, its Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & members are international prize-winners who Sutherland Trio have played with ensembles of the highest Local Heroes 2013 calibre, including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Duo Sol and the Academy of St Martin's in the Fields.

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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London Klezmer Quartet ‘ The real deal, to these ears.’

ABC's Weekend Planet

Kronos Quartet For nearly 40 years, the Kronos Quartet—David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola), and Jeffrey Zeigler (cello)—has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet. In the process, Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 45 recordings of extraordinary breadth and creativity, collaborating with many of the world's most eclectic composers and performers, and commissioning more than 750 works and arrangements for string quartet. Kronos has performed live with the likes of icons Allen Ginsberg, Zakir Hussain, Modern Jazz Quartet, Noam Chomsky, Rokia Traoré, Tom Waits, David Barsamian, Howard Zinn, Betty Carter, and David Bowie, and has appeared on recordings by such diverse talents as Nine Inch Nails, Amon Tobin, Dan Zanes, DJ Spooky, Dave Matthews, Nelly Furtado, Joan Armatrading and Don Walser.

Kronos performs an eclectic survey of state-of-the-art music from around the world – many of them Australian premieres – including the new string quartet by Valentin Silvestrov, a composer considered by luminary Arvo Pärt to be the world’s ‘greatest living composer’. It’s classic Kronos and will be ‘an intense, heady experience that could move a listener to the core.’ The New York Times

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • March

INFORMATION Wed 6 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) DESSNER Aheym (Homeward) – Melbourne premiere THIRLWELL Eremikophobia – Melbourne premiere LIZÉE The Golden Age of the Radiophonic Workshop [Fibre-Optic Flowers] – Australian premiere KIM SINH (trad) Lưu thủy trường (arr Jacob Garchik) – Melbourne premiere ALTER YECHIEL KARNIOL Sim Sholom (arr Judith Berkson) – Australian premiere WAGNER (arr Aleksandra Vrebalov) Prelude from Tristan und Isolde – Australian premiere SILVESTROV String Quartet No.3 – Australian premiere Café Tacuba 12/12 (arr Osvaldo Golijov) – Melbourne premiere Kronos Quartet A reserve $70 ($60 concession) B reserve $55 ($45 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Arts Projects Australia

Join the London Klezmer Quartet on a rollicking journey from Eastern Europe to Australia via the Balkans, Turkey, the US and London.

Following 2012's sell-out tour with Butterfield Green N16, the quartet bring their much-loved sound, technical prowess, humour and exuberance back to Australia. Featuring both original and traditional tunes, Ilana Cravitz (fiddle), Susi Evans (clarinet), Carol Isaacs (accordion) and Indra Buracewska (double bass) celebrate the highs and lows of life.

INFORMATION Thu 7 March 8pm Salon (90 mins no interval) London Klezmer Quartet Tickets $35 ($25 conc) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre

Half the Sky

The International Women's Development Agency (IWDA) invites you to a special evening of celebration and affirmation to mark International Women's Day. IWDA is the only Australian development organisation entirely focused on women's rights and gender equality.

Join prominent artists from the Australian music scene such as Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier and help support the efforts to ensure the rights, equality and empowerment of women across Asia and the Pacific.

INFORMATION Thu 7 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall A reserve $79 B reserve $49 Presented by International Women's Development Agency

Dhafer Youssef Quartet Tunisian-born vocalist and oud virtuoso Dhafer Youssef delivers achingly beautiful music for the modern world. Joined by Youssef's talented jazz ensemble of piano, bass and drums, ancient Middle Eastern traditions merge with contemporary European-style jazz to create a heady mix that is truly original.

Gently twisting melodies, rich, warming harmonies and intricate, pulsing rhythms are combined with Youssef's stirring vocals.

Youssef's quartet is a jazz ensemble that never ceases to surprise and delight, transporting audiences with their blended magic.

INFORMATION Fri 8 Mar 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (90 mins no interval) A reserve $65 ($55 conc) B reserve $45 ($35 conc) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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Soweto Gospel Choir 10th Anniversary The acclaimed Soweto Gospel Choir return to Australia to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Since their first ever paid performance in Frankston in 2003 this extraordinary choir have travelled the world, won an Emmy, two Grammys plus an Oscar nomination and have just completed their 6th album. Their 10-yearanniversary concert features some recent songs as well as the favourites that have made them one of the world’s most popular choirs.

INFORMATION Sat 9 Mar 8pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (90 mins) Soweto Gospel Choir Tickets $89 ($79 concession) Presented by Andrew Kay & Associates

Only Melbourne Concert

SHE: Seven Harp Ensemble Led by the renowned Alice Giles, the heavenly sounds of SHE open the 2013 Melbourne Coffee Concert Season. A rich and diverse program shows off the extraordinary talents of seven of Australia’s finest harpists in this unusual and spectacular ensemble.

INFORMATION Tue 12 March 11am (morning tea from 10am) Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (60 mins no interval)

DOWLAND Lachrimae WESLEY-SMITH Seven Widows at the Gates of Sugamo SITSKY Fantasia No.13: Perpetuum Mobile EDWARDS Arafura Arioso RAVEL Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs LECUONA Malagueña SHE – Seven Harp Ensemble Tickets $45 Presented by Musica Viva Tickets on sale 14 January

Spirit of India: Songs of the North & South Two of India’s finest singers showcase the vital yet ancient classical music traditions of their vast and diverse country.

Sudha Ragunathan performs the dazzlingly virtuosic devotional songs of southern India.

Unlike the stately classical music of the north (Hindustani), Carnatic music alternates moments of calm with thrilling displays of vocal dexterity, when singer, violinist and drummer fire off rapid busts of intricate melody and rhythm in perfect synchronisation.

Sudha’s powerful voice, brilliant improvisatory skill and refined technique have made her one of the most highly regarded Carnatic musicians in India. A celebration of life, love and spirituality, Carnatic music is moving way into an exploration of one of the great musical traditions of the world, an art that is said to have been bequeathed to humanity by the gods.

Sudha Ragunathan

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • March

In the north, classical music absorbed influences from Persia and the Middle East, in an exquisite synthesis of Islamic and Hindu

Alice Giles

traditions. The Hindustani vocal style or Khyal was inspired by medieval Persian music.

In deeply emotional improvisations on a raga (scale), the singer expresses the profound feeling of the words, poetic responses to faith or love. In India, what we call ‘improvisation’ is better translated as ‘imagination’. As these songs unfold, first slowly and then with increasing energy, the singer demonstrates their imagination in cascades finely-wrought melody. Manjiri Kelkar has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best singers in India, combining a melodious voice with depth of understanding and meticulous attention to the spirit of the ragas she sings.

INFORMATION Tue 12 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours 30 mins incl. interval) Sudha Ragunathan vocals Neyveli Skanda Subramanian mridangam (hand-drum) B V Raghavendra Rao violin Manjiri Kelkar vocals Vishwanath Shirodkar tabla Seema Shirodkar harmonium Tickets $50 ($40 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre

Influences from the East

Ironwood travels east with Haydn, Hindson and Lex Marinos, exploring the spicy influences of folk and gypsy music of the Classical period. An evening to tantalize your senses with the stories behind the music brought to life by Australian stage legend Lex Marinos.

INFORMATION

Ironwood

Brahms

Australian String Quartet

Wed 13 March 6pm Salon (70 mins no interval) With movements from: HAYDN String Quartet Op.20 No.4 (Minuet Alla Zingarese) Hob.III:34 HAYDN String Quartet Op.76 No.3 Kaiserquartett HINDSON Balkan Connection (arr for string quartet) Ironwood Lex Marinos spoken word Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Three concert series package from $90 ($64 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Ironwood Local Heroes 2013

Brahms’ first two string quartets share a long development period, which after fervent polishing and fine attention to musical detail, resulted in a radiant finish with two of Brahms’ most acclaimed works still performed today.

The second quartet in A minor shows an assured professional at work. Brahms takes liberties with form and tempo, contrasting lyrical calm with dramatic twists and moments of turbulence – beauty emerging from struggle.

Mozart’s quartet K.499 was specifically composed for intimate private performances before the age of the grand concert hall.

Imagine an audience of the lucky few in an ornate rococo salon, hearing for the very first time the sublime aria for the violin in the quartet’s slow movement. Louis Andriessen, the most famous Dutch composer of our time, is perhaps best known in Australia for his opera with Peter Greenaway, Writing to Vermeer.

In Facing Death (1990), the composer dares four string instruments to imitate Charlie Parker’s alto saxophone. The result is bebop for strings; astringent, exhilarating and very fast.

INFORMATION

Stephen King

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

Wed 13 March 7pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Free pre-concert talk 6.10pm MOZART String Quartet in D, K.499 ANDRIESSEN Facing Death BRAHMS String Quartet in A minor, Op.51 No.2 Tickets $72.60 ($53.10 concession) Presented by Australian String Quartet

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Jordi Savall & Andrew Lawrence-King Jordi Savall is an adventurer in time and space.

For more than three decades he has devoted himself to recreating the sound of the past, taking listeners on grand tours of discovery into remotest antiquity and distant lands.

With his blend of scholarship, imagination and intuition, Savall has forged a legendary career as the world’s leading exponent of the exquisitely expressive viola da gamba and as leader of three acclaimed ensembles – they’re more like families, really – of virtuoso period musicians. This ‘performer of genius’ (The New Yorker) is joined by another: frequent concert partner, harpist Andrew Lawrence-King, in a journey across Europe, from Spain to England,

Jordi Savall

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • March

from the Renaissance to the Baroque. The viola da gamba was the poet-prince of a flourishing and polyglot artistic world, prized for its human-like voice and ability to convey a rainbow of moods, and as at home in the court of Versailles as on the streets of London.

Savall and Lawrence-King survey the works from the height of the viol’s reign, by Diego Ortiz, Jean-Baptiste Lully and especially Marin Marais, subject of the film Tous les matins du monde (for which Savall provided a soundtrack of both peerless beauty and historical accuracy).

Jordi Savall and Andrew Lawrence-King’s art transcends the boundaries of genre and period.

This is music for everyone and every era.

INFORMATION Thu 14 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) Free pre-concert talk 6.45pm Pieces and improvisations from the golden age of the viola da gamba in Spain, France and England Jordi Savall viola da gamba Andrew Lawrence-King harp Frank McGuire percussion Premium $110 A reserve $90 ($50 concession) B reserve $70 ($50 concession) C reserve $50 Nine concert series package from $441 Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre in association with Arts Projects Australia Program partners The Langham Melbourne, Limelight & ABC Classic FM Great Performers 2013

Philippe Jaroussky In the early 18th century, two of the greatest castrati of the Baroque period, Carestini and Farinelli, created wild scenes of rivalry in London. Maestro Handel and Maestro Porpora also duelled for supremacy, with two separate opera companies – Farinelli in one camp, Carestini in the other. The London crowd loved it. The contemporary French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky is a much-loved Brandenburg guest artist. He thrills audiences worldwide with his pure, agile voice: the tone of an angel and the virtuosity of a devil. This singer of unrelenting brilliance will melt your heart and send your spirit soaring as he performs arias made famous by the duelling Farinelli and Carestini. Brandenburg virtuoso violinist and winner of the 2007 ABC’s Young Performer Award, Shaun Lee-Chen is the soloist in Locatelli’s Violin Concerto in D major, together with the capriccio for unaccompanied violin.

This young violinist will take your breath away as he navigates these brilliant works with skill and virtuosity.

Philippe Jaroussky

‘ Jaroussky’s luscious tones sail up from the stage below with heart-rending precision.’ New York Times

INFORMATION

Sat 16 March 7pm & Sun 17 March 5pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) HANDEL Overture to Deborah, HWV 51 Aria Agitato da fiere tempest from the pasticcio Oreste, HWV A11, HG 48/102 Recitative Oh patria & aria Sol ristoro di mortali from Arianna in Creta, HWV 32 Water Music Suite in D, HWV 349 PORPORA Aria Nel già bramoso petto from Ifigenia in Aulide Aria Mira il ciel from Arianna a Nasso Aria Dall’amor più sventurato from the pasticcio Orfeo Aria Alto giove from Polifemo LOCATELLI Violin Concerto Op.3 No.1 in D Philippe Jaroussky countertenor Shaun Lee-Chen Baroque violin Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Paul Dyer artistic director & conductor Premium $140 A reserve $120 B reserve $95 ($65 conc) C reserve $60 ($46 conc) Presented by Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Tickets on sale January 2013

Empire of the West Latitude 37, named after the latitudinal position which links Melbourne to New Zealand, is an exciting Baroque trio whose members Julia Fredersdorff (Baroque violin), Laura Vaughan (viola da gamba) and Donald Nicolson (harpsichord) were drawn together by their passion for historically informed performance of 16th, 17th and 18th century music. Empire of the West features music from the heartland of the Holy Roman Empire with some of the most beautiful sonatas composed for violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord accompanied by the noble theorbo, and rousing dance tunes by Praetorius.

INFORMATION Mon 18 March 6pm Salon (60 mins without an interval) HEINRICH Sonata No.8 DIETERICH Trio in D & Dances BUXTEHUDE Sonata in D minor BUXTEHUDE Sonata in G minor PRAETORIUS Suite of Dances from Terpsichore Latitude 37 Simon Martyn-Ellis theorbo Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Three concert series package $90 ($64 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Latitude 37 Local Heroes 2013 Latitude 37

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

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Penelope Thwaites

London-based Australian pianist and composer Penelope Thwaites has performed and broadcast in over 25 countries on five continents. Since her Wigmore Hall debut in 1974, she has appeared regularly as recitalist in London's major concert halls and has built a reputation as an intensely communicative artist in a wide repertoire. Penelope is recognised as a leading exponent of the music of Percy Grainger, and like Grainger, she grew up in Melbourne.

Penelope surveys music which inspired Grainger as pianist and composer and his own idiosyncratic compositions.

This recital is part of Salon: Solo, a new series showcasing leading musicians in the intimacy of the Salon.

The Prophet

INFORMATION Wed 20 March 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) Penelope Thwaites piano Tickets $35 ($25 conc) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre Salon: Solo 2013

Beautiful music inspired by a literary classic.

Kahlil Gibran’s much-loved book, The Prophet, has inspired the singers of The Song Company and oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros, to collaborate on a new work which explores The Prophet’s themes of love, pain, work, reason and passion, children and friendship.

First published in 1923, The Prophet is one of the most widely read books and still touches hearts across cultural divides and generations.

The Song Company has developed into one of the most vibrant and extraordinary vocal ensembles in the world. Under the leadership of Roland Peelman, Artistic Director since 1990, the six-voice ensemble is unique in its stylistic diversity. Oud virtuoso and composer, Joseph Tawadros has risen to prominence in Australia by successfully developing the ancient traditions of Arabic music in a Western environment. This new collaboration with the singers of The Song Company delves into the origins of musical and spiritual expression, guided by the writings of Gibran.

Australian Voices Elena Kats-Chernin

INFORMATION Tue 19 March 6pm Salon (70 mins no interval) TAWADROS settings of The Prophet HILDEGARD selected chants KRESTYANIN Gospel Sticheron Coptic Hymn: Golgotha And other ancient chants and early organum The Song Company Joseph Tawadros oud Tickets $59 ($54 concession) Three concert series package $150 ($135 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & The Song Company Local Heroes 2013

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • March

In affirming our country's significant musical lineage, Melbourne Recital Centre and ANAM continue to celebrate the work of leading Australian composers in this chamber series directed by ANAM faculty and special guests, performed alongside ANAM musicians.

With selected works bearing close affinity to their own musical sensibility, ANAM faculty and special guests will provide a unique insight into the breadth and significance of the Australian musical landscape. In the first concert of the series, ANAM faculty pianist Timothy Young presents the music that reflects Elena’s distinctive idiom and her unique personal history.

INFORMATION Thu 21 March 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) KATS-CHERNIN Blue Silence for cello & piano KATS-CHERNIN Selection of Piano Rags KATS-CHERNIN Velvet Revolution for horn, violin & piano Timothy Young piano/director ANAM musicians Tickets $25 ($15 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Australian National Academy of Music Australian Voices 2013

Glen Hansard, portrait by Colin Davidson

Glen Hansard with The Frames Glen Hansard is an intense and electric live performer, famous for digging deep and giving everything in concert to rapturous receptions.

He is well known for his work for more than two decades with his incendiary band The Frames and as half of The Swell Season, the duo he created with Czech singer Markéta Irglová. In 2007, The Swell Season took home the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Falling Slowly from the Once film-sensation soundtrack. Hansard's visit coincides with his debut solo release – the acclaimed Rhythm and Repose – which is his first album of new

material since Strict Joy with The Swell Season.

Long-time fans will also be thrilled to learn that The Frames will be Hansard's band for the tour. The New York Times has said of a 2012 live show: ‘His voice is elastic and strong, a many-timbre instrument, and he uses them all, from a clear tenor to an anguished, grungy roar. He commits himself to every song with a scary intensity, draping the melody almost recklessly over the driving rhythm from his right hand.’ Artists with the emotional conviction of Glen Hansard are indeed rare and magical.

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

‘ Glen Hansard is a gifted, emotive front man who sings as if he must, with a heart on his sleeve that is constantly throbbing.’ The New York Times INFORMATION Wed 20, Thu 21 & Sat 23 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours 30 mins incl. interval) Glen Hansard The Frames Lisa Hannigan special guest Premium $95 A reserve $85 B reserve $75 C reserve $65 Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre in association with Gaynor Crawford

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Joyce Yang When Joyce won silver at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at the age of 19, the arrival of a major new talent was announced to the world. The South Korean pianist was the youngest entrant that year but dazzled the jurors with her maturity and astonishing technical command. Now, at 25, Yang has established a globe-trotting career as a concert artist, performing with the LA Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony, electrifying audiences with her ‘million-volt stage presence.’

While Yang has the fingers and nerves of steel to take on the most challenging repertoire, it’s her refined musical sensibility and free-wheeling imagination that sets her apart from the many other young virtuosi on the circuit. Colour and emotion take precedence over mere display in renditions of familiar repertoire and intriguing rarities, polished, as always, to a scintillating gleam. Fantasies, passions and dreams – the night’s music – are the themes of Yang’s recital.

Chopin’s nocturnes are the perfect music for dreaming, naturally, but how does the tenderly humorous Beethoven sonata fit in? With the questioning shape of its opening – Liebst du mich? (Do you love me?), the melody says – its nostalgic minuet and joyously galloping finale, it seems to be a courtship (and elopement?) in miniature. Night-time is made for romance.

At the heart of Bela Bartók’s Out of Doors suite is an impression of a summer evening in the Hungarian countryside, alive with insects and frogs. Schumann was the archetypal Romantic figure, both dreamy and passionate, as depicted in his eight fantasy-pieces where the two sides of his personality – which he named Eusebius and Florestan – strut, sigh, banter and bicker.

Encoded within is a love letter from Robert to his future wife, Clara.

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INFORMATION Fri 22 March 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (2 hours incl. interval) Free pre-concert talk 6.45pm BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat, Op.31, No.3 CHOPIN Nocturne No.4 in F, Op.15 No.1 CHOPIN Nocturne No.15 in F minor, Op.55 No.1 BARTÓK Szabadban (Out of Doors) RACHMANINOV Dreams, Op.38 No.5 (arr. WILD) RACHMANINOV The Little Island, Op.14 No.2 (arr. WILD) RACHMANINOV Vocalise, Op.34 No.14

(arr. WILD) SCHUMANN Fantasiestücke, Op.12 Joyce Yang piano Premium $110 A reserve $90 ($50 concession) B reserve $70 ($50 concession) C reserve $50 Nine concert series package from $441 Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre Program partners The Langham Melbourne, Limelight & ABC Classic FM Great Performers 2013

In Memoriam

The Poet

Benaud Trio

Personal loss inspires music of great power and sadness. Both Tchaikovsky and Suk chose the piano trio to express their deepest emotions after the loss of close friends. Suk's yearning Elegy is beautiful in its simplicity whereas Tchaikovsky's grief produced a tragic edifice on a scale that is yet to be surpassed.

1863 –

The Paris Connection

INFORMATION Saturday 23 March 3pm & 6pm Salon (80 mins no interval) SUK Elegie for piano, violin & cello Op.23 TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Trio in A minor, Op.50 Benaud Trio Tickets $35 ($25 concession) Three concert package $90 ($64 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Benaud Trio Local Heroes 2013

Paris 1863: 150 years since the first Salon des Refusés. ‘Impressionism is only direct sensation. All great painters were less or more impressionists. It is mainly a question of instinct,’ said Claude Monet. French painting, poetry and music intertwine in this program to commemorate one of art history's most important dates, the opening of the exhibition that triggered the Impressionist movement.

Songmakers Australia begins Melbourne Recital Centre’s year-long celebration of the great Francis Poulenc on the 50th anniversary of his death.

INFORMATION

Songmakers Australia

Tue 26 March 6pm Salon (60 mins no interval) Songs by Debussy, Fauré, Duparc and Poulenc's Le travail du peintre.

Songmakers Australia Tickets $40 ($30 concession) Three concert package $102 ($76.50 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Songmakers Australia Local Heroes 2013

For bookings visit melbournerecital.com.au or phone 03 9699 3333

Seraphim Trio

Seraphim Trio celebrates the distinctive musical world of Schubert, ‘the most poetical musician who ever lived’ according to Franz Liszt. This performance of classical favourites locates Schubert in the great Viennese tradition.

Haydn’s poignant Trio in F sharp minor is performed alongside Beethoven’s irrepressible Gassenhauer Trio Op.11. The concert concludes with one of the masterworks of Schubert’s last year; his great Trio in E flat, a summit of the chamber repertoire.

INFORMATION Mon 25 March 7pm Salon (2 hours inclu. interval) HAYDN Trio in F sharp minor, Hob XV:26 BEETHOVEN Gassenhauer Trio Op. 11 in B flat SCHUBERT Trio No.2 in E flat, D 929 Tickets $45 ($35 concession) Three concert package $115 ($89 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Seraphim Trio Local Heroes 2013

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Ears Wide Open: Introducing Mozart's Jupiter Symphony

Richard Gill

Ears Wide Open is an interactive 80-minute journey into music, live on stage conducted and presented by Australia’s most charismatic musical personality, Richard Gill. Join thousands of other Melbourne music lovers who take their listening enjoyment to a new level.

If you love great classical music, and want to know more, don’t miss Ears Wide Open.

Temptation: Faust and Schubert

INFORMATION Tue 26 March 6.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall (80 mins no interval) Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Richard Gill conductor Tickets $20 ($15 concession) Presented by Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

In 2013 Firebird Trio's demonic side simmers through works inspired by Goethe's Faust.

An arrangement of three trio sonatas by Corelli is followed by the ever-fascinating Tony Gould's take on Girl of my Dreams, the theme of which was used as a leitmotif in director Alan Parker's depiction of the Faust legend, Angel Heart.

The dark and sinister program continues with a paraphrase by Martin on Busoni's chilling opera Doctor Faustus and finishes with Schubert's life-affirming Trio in E flat.

INFORMATION Wed 27 March 7pm Salon (1 hour 40 mins incl. interval) CORELLI Three Trio Sonatas GOULD Girl of My Dreams BUSONI Paraphrase from Doktor Faustus SCHUBERT Piano Trio No.2 in E flat, Op.100 Firebird Trio Tickets $45 ($35 concession) Three concert package $115 ($90 concession) Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre & Firebird Trio Local Heroes 2013

Firebird Trio

MON–FRI 7AM TIL LATE, SAT 8AM–LATE, SUN OPEN BEFORE AND AFTER PERFORMANCES ONLY

mymexicancousin@gmail.com (03) 9686 3389 Melbourne Recital Centre Cnr of Sturt St & Southbank Boulevard, Southbank

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MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE • March

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(Please tick as many as applicable) Popular: includes pop, rock, jazz, film music and musical theatre Choral: music for the voice including choral music, opera and song Instrumental: orchestral music including chamber, concerto, early music and Baroque World Music: music from around the world including folk Contemporary: modern music that stretches traditional musical boundaries Children & Families: musical performances and activities for the entire family Please return this entire sheet to us In Person: Hand to our Box Office staff

Fax: 03 9207 2662

Mail (No Stamp Required): Marketing Melbourne Recital Centre Reply Paid 85302 SOUTHBANK VIC 3006 Our Privacy Commitment To You Preserving your privacy is important to us. Information concerning the way Melbourne Recital Centre handles personal information can be viewed at our web site at melbournerecital.com.au

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The pulse of progress.

Introducing the innovative new Audi A4.

It’s a model of progressive performance. A new and improved expression of a car already a leader in its class – with sophisticated new design highlights, leading edge driving dynamics and next generation driver assist and infotainment systems. A model so advanced, one of its powerfully efficient engines – the 3.0 TDI multitronic® – is acknowledged as Australia’s most efficient 6-cylinder diesel*.

This is the pulse of progress. This is the new Audi A4.

To experience the pulse of progress for yourself, visit your preferred Audi Dealer or audi.com.au

Audi, proud partner of the Melbourne Recital Centre. *ADR 81/02 fuel consumption combined cycle - Source: JATO, 5 June 2012.

Overseas model shown. AUDI5451/A4/MRC/FPC/OCT

MUSIC BLOOMS IN AN UNEXPECTED PLACE ART OF SLEEPING • THE BAMBOOS • THE CACTUS CHANNEL • HUSKY J O N T I • J E N S L EK M A N • K A S H M E R E S T A G E B A N D MIA DYSON • OSCAR + MARTIN • SASKWATCH • DJ SOFTWAR TINPAN ORANGE • THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON • VAN SHE • AND MORE FROM 25 JANUARY 2013

T H E G A R D E N P A R T Y. I N F O

S T U R T S T, S O U T H B A N K ( R I G H T N E X T D O O R T O M E L B O U R N E R E C I T A L C E N T R E ) SUPPORTED BY ARTS VICTORIA AND THE CITY OF MELBOURNE.

Our Partners Melbourne Recital Centre acknowledges the generous support of its business and philanthropic partners Patron Dame Elisabeth Murdoch ac dbe Board of Directors Kathryn Fagg, Chair Peter Bartlett Tommas Bonvino

Stephen Carpenter Des Clark Joseph Corponi

Margaret Farren-Price John Higgs Julie Kantor

Founding Benefactors

Principal Government Partner

The Kantor Family Helen Macpherson Smith Trust The Calvert-Jones Family Robert Salzer Foundation Lyn Williams am The Hugh Williamson Foundation Business Partners Principal Partner

International Airline Partner

Supporting Partners

Program Partners

Encore Bequest Program Jim Cousins ao & Libby Cousins

Ken Bullen

Mary Vallentine ao

Music Circle Patrons Program Magnum Opus Circle Betty Amsden oam* Annamila Pty Ltd* The Playking Foundation Virtuoso Circle Colin Golvan sc & Dr Deborah Golvan* Melbourne Recital Centre Board of Directors Kathryn Fagg Tommas Bonvino Stephen Carpenter &

Leigh Ellwood Des & Irene Clark Margaret Farren-Price Mr John Higgs & Mrs Betty Higgs Julie Kantor* Composers Circle Anonymous (1) Andrew & Theresa Dyer Richard Gubbins* Harold Mitchell ac J.A. Westacott & T.M. Shannon

Dr Garry Joslin & Prof Dimity Reed am* Melbourne Recital Centre Senior Management Message Consultants Australia Pty Ltd Youth Music Foundation Australia* Musicians Circle Ms Nina Friedman Dr Richard Mills am* Mrs Margaret S Ross am

MELBOURNERECITAL.COM.AU BOX OFFICE 03 9699 3333 Cnr Southbank BLVD & Sturt St, Southbank ABN: 46 118 617 619

Dr Cherilyn Tillman & Mr Tam Vu*

Penelope Hughes Darvell Hutchinson am Alan Kozica & Wendy Kozica Prelude Circle Mr Pierre Mercier Anonymous (3) Eva Besen ao & Marc Besen ao Rob & Philippa Springall Drs Victor & Karen Wayne The Hon Mary Delahunty* Sally Webster William J Forrest am Lyn Williams am Nance Grant mbe Jan & Robert Green Stuart & Sue Hamilton Hans & Petra Henkell* *Donations directed to the Elisabeth Barbara Higgins Murdoch Creative Development Fund