Signum Saxophone Quartet & Kristian Winther Program Guide

SIGNUM
SAXOPHONE QUARTET
& KRISTIAN WINTHER

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Musica Viva Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the many lands on which we
meet, work and live. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present – people who have
sung their songs, danced their dances and told their stories on these lands
for thousands of generations, and who continue to do so.
SIGNUM SAXOPHONE QUARTET
& KRISTIAN WINTHER Violin
B L A Ž
KEMPERLE
Soprano Saxophone
JACOPO
TADDEI
Alto Saxophone
ALAN
LUŽAR
Tenor Saxophone
GUERINO
BELLAROSA
Baritone Saxophone
ADELAIDE
Adelaide Town Hall
Thursday 10 November, 7:30pm
Recorded for broadcast by ABC Classic
• Pre-concert talk: 6:45pm,
Prince Alfred Room
• Meet the Artists after the concert
BRISBANE
Conservatorium Theatre,
Griffith University, South Bank
Thursday 24 November, 7pm
• Pre-concert talk: 6:15pm,
Boardroom, Qld Conservatorium,
Griffith University
CANBERRA
Llewellyn Hall,
ANU School of Music
Thursday 17 November, 7pm
• Pre-concert talk: 6:15pm,
Larry Sitsky Room
• Meet the Artists after the concert
MELBOURNE
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall,
Melbourne Recital Centre
Saturday 12 November, 7pm
• Pre-concert talk: 6:15pm,
Salzer Suite, Level 2
Tuesday 22 November, 7pm
Milan and Anne Kantor Tribute Concert
• Pre-concert talk: 6:15pm,
Salzer Suite, Level 2
• Meet the Artists after the concert
NEWCASTLE
Newcastle City Hall
Tuesday 8 November, 7:30pm
• Pre-concert talk: 6:45pm,
Mulubinba Room
• Meet the Artists after the concert
PERTH
Perth Concert Hall
Monday 14 November, 7:30pm
• Pre-concert talk: 6:45pm,
Corner Stage Riverside, Terrace Level
• Meet the Artists after the concert
SYDNEY
City Recital Hall
Saturday 19 November, 2pm
• Pre-concert talk: 1:15pm,
Function Room
Monday 21 November, 7pm
This concert will be livestreamed
• Pre-concert talk: 6:15pm,
Function Room
• CD Signing after the concert
With special thanks to the Producers’ Circle
and Amadeus Society for their support
of the 2022 Concert Season.
Cover photo: Copyright Gary Heery
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FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
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© Keith Saunders
Kurt Weill was that rarest of 20th-century
beasts, simultaneously the creator of hugely
popular theatrical works and the composer
of a slew of distinctive art-music scores. His
Violin Concerto is the product of his concert
persona, with barely a nod to his theatrical life
– a gritty work, with a dark beauty that befits
its times. (It was written in 1924 in a matter of
weeks.) ‘The work is inspired by the idea –
one never carried out before – of juxtaposing
a single violin with a chorus of winds,’
Weill told his publisher. It is played all too
infrequently, which is why we commissioned
this arrangement from Jessica Wells for the
outstanding violinist Kristian Winther and the
phenomenal Signum Saxophone Quartet, the
latter making its Australian debut.
Though perhaps Weill wasn’t that rare: by
happenstance the century produced a worthy
successor to him – the composer, conductor,
pianist and pedagogue Leonard Bernstein.
What a drab century it would have been
without Bernstein! He burst onto the scene in
1943 and remained there until his death 49
years later. Symphonies, ballets, Broadway
shows, operettas poured out of him. His
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story have
taken on a life every bit the equal of the show
itself, and here are a vehicle for the Signum’s
breathtaking style and virtuosity.
And then there was Gershwin, Weill’s elder
by two years. He too had a foot in each camp
– his piano concerto is a work of genius –
though he’s arguably better known for his
jazz. How satisfying, then, to welcome this
crack ensemble to the country with these three
giants of the 20th century, and to pair it with
such a great Australian soloist. Buckle up!
Paul Kildea
Artistic Director
Musica Viva Australia

PROGRAM
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685–1750)
Italian Concerto, BWV971 (1735, transcr. Katsuki Tochio)
I Allegro (Fast)
II Andante (At an easy walking pace)
III Presto (Quick)
12 min
Kurt WEILL (1900–1950)
Concerto for Violin and Wind Orchestra, Op. 12
(1924, arr. Jessica Wells) 28 min
Arrangement commissioned for Musica Viva Australia under the auspices of the Hildegard Project
I
IIa
b
c
III
Andante con moto (At a walking pace, moving along)
Notturno (Nocturne)
Cadenza
Serenata (Serenade)
Allegro molto un poco agitato (Very fast, a little agitated)
INTERVAL
George GERSHWIN (1898–1937)
Three Preludes (1926, arr. Signum Saxophone Quartet)
I Allegro ben ritmato e deciso (Fast, very rhythmic and decisive)
II Andante con moto e poco rubato
(At a walking pace, moving along with a little give and take)
III Allegro ben ritmato e deciso (Fast, very rhythmic and decisive)
8 min
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Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918–1990)
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (1961, arr. Sylvain Dedenon) 18 min
Prologue
Something’s Coming
Tonight
America
Cool
Somewhere
I Feel Pretty
Mambo
Chick COREA (1941–2021)
Spain (1971, arr. Izidor Leitinger)
5 min

ovolohotels.com
Experience Wonder. Full.
Ovolo Nishi

REGIONAL TOURING
Signum Saxophone Quartet and Kristian Winther
will perform at Macquarie Conservatorium in Dubbo, NSW
on Sunday 6 November as part of Musica Viva Australia’s
Regional Touring Program.
For further details visit:
musicaviva.com.au/regional
MASTERCLASSES
Signum Saxophone Quartet and Kristian Winther will
present the following masterclasses as part of this tour:
• Saturday 5 November: Dubbo
Macquarie Conservatorium
• Monday 14 November: Perth
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
− Kristian Winther
• Thursday 17 November: Canberra
Marist College
− Kristian Winther (closed to public)
• Friday 18 November: Sydney
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
− Signum Saxophone Quartet
• Wednesday 23 November: Melbourne
Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)
− Kristian Winther
• Wednesday 23 November: Brisbane
Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University
− Signum Saxophone Quartet (closed to public)
• Thursday 24 November: Brisbane
Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University
− Kristian Winther (closed to public)
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For further details visit:
musicaviva.com.au/masterclasses
Musica Viva Australia’s Masterclass program is supported by:
Nicholas Callinan AO & Elizabeth Callinan, Caroline &
Robert Clemente, Allan Myers AC QC & Maria Myers AC,
The Patricia H Reid Endowment Fund, Andrew Sisson AO
& Tracey Sisson, Mick & Margaret Toller, Anonymous (2)
Musica Viva Australia Masterclasses in Western Australia
are supported by Wesfarmers Arts.

MEET THE ARTISTS
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SIGNUM SAXOPHONE QUARTET
The four musicians Blaž Kemperle, Hayrapet
Arakelyan (replaced for this tour by new
member Jacopo Taddei), Alan Lužar and
Guerino Bellarosa met in Cologne where
they founded the Signum Saxophone Quartet
in 2006. The saxophonists have studied in
Cologne, Vienna and Paris; they have been
influenced and inspired by Quatuor Ébène, the
Artemis Quartet and Gábor Takács-Nagy.
An award winner at international competitions
including Lugano and Berlin, Signum
nowadays plays in concert halls and at
festivals all over Europe. In 2013 the ensemble
made its debut in New York’s Carnegie Hall.
Selected for the European Concert Hall
Organisation (ECHO) Rising Stars series
in 2014/2015, Signum performed in such
prestigious concert halls as the Barbican
Centre in London, the Vienna Konzerthaus,
Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Palais des
Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Gulbenkian
Foundation in Lisbon, Baden-Baden’s
Festspielhaus and Philharmonie Luxembourg.
Recently Signum was named Best Ensemble
at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival in
Germany.
Signum is constantly searching for new ideas,
ground-breaking challenges and intriguing
artistic encounters, creating extraordinary
programs and inspiring soundscapes
that reflect the quartet’s sheer joy and
experimental versatility. Recent collaborations
have included Starry Night with percussionist
Alexej Gerassimez, BACHianas with cellists
Tanja Tetzlaff and Konstantin Manaev;
Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Lukas Geniušas,
Goldberg Nights with Kai Schumacher on
piano and prepared piano, and a new project
with violinist Daniel Hope. Signum also
continues to perform with orchestras, including
Philip Glass’s Concerto for Orchestra and
Saxophone Quartet and Bob Mintzer’s The
Rhythm of the Americas with the Mozarteum
Orchestra Salzburg, Münster Symphony
Orchestra and with the Duisburg Philharmonic,
with whom Signum has recently completed
a season as Artist in Residence. Signum also
cares deeply about the audience of tomorrow,
and has devised its own educational family
concert SIGNUM4kids.
Following its first two albums, Debut
(2011) and Balkanication (2014), Signum
Saxophone Quartet released its first
Deutsche Grammophon album, ECHOES, in
2021. Featuring inventive arrangements by
composers from Dowland, Fauré and Albinoni
to Peter Gregson, as well as Guillermo Lago’s
Sarajevo, an original work for saxophone
quartet, the album also includes standout
tracks by Max Richter and Joep Beving.
© Andrej Grilc

KRISTIAN WINTHER
Kristian Winther is widely recognised for his
ability to perform both as a virtuosic violin
soloist and as an energetic and brilliant
chamber musician, seeking musical challenges
performing classic, contemporary and rare
works.
As violin soloist, Kristian has appeared with the
Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Christchurch
and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the
Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra
Victoria, Auckland Philharmonic, Gruppo
Montebello and Orchestra Romantique. He
has performed under the batons of conductors
including Jessica Cottis, Olli Mustonen, Miguel
Harth-Bedoya, Marcus Stenz, Oleg Caetani,
David Robertson and Fabian Russell.
In the role of leader / director, he has
performed as Guest Concertmaster of the
Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Melbourne
and West Australian Symphony Orchestras,
and as leader / director of ACO Collective.
A devoted chamber musician, Kristian was
formerly violinist in the Tinalley String Quartet,
winning first prize at the Banff International
String Quartet Competition, which was
followed by tours of the USA, Canada and
Europe. He has also performed chamber music
with Anthony Romaniuk, Daniel de Borah,
Anne Sofie von Otter, Angela Hewitt, Steven
Osborne, Anna Goldsworthy, Richard Tognetti,
Brett and Paul Dean, Konstantin Shamray,
Hue Blanes and Joe Chindamo. As an original
musician of the Play On series since 2016,
Kristian has performed music from the 16th to
the 21st centuries at diverse venues including
an underground car park in Melbourne’s
Collingwood and a night club in Berlin. Other
recent solo / chamber music highlights include
performing all of JS Bach’s unaccompanied
sonatas and partitas at the Canberra Festival
in a single day, the complete Schumann String
Quartets in one concert on raw gut strings, and
Reger’s monumental Violin Concerto at the
Orlando Festival in the Netherlands.
Committed to performing new repertoire,
Kristian gave the world premiere of Olli
Mustonen’s Sonata for Violin and Orchestra
(with the composer conducting the Melbourne
Symphony Orchestra), as well as the
Australian premieres of works by Andriessen,
Knussen, Kurtág, Salonen, Rihm, Widmann,
Kelly-Marie Murphy and numerous Australian
composers. Kristian also gave the Australian
premiere of John Adams’ concertante work
for string quartet and orchestra Absolute Jest
with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and
the Australian and New Zealand premieres
of Brett Dean’s violin concerto The Lost Art of
Letter Writing.
Kristian performs on a violin crafted by
Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, Paris, 1859, on
generous loan from UKARIA Cultural Centre.
© Anthony Browell
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JESSICA WELLS
Jessica Wells is a versatile composer,
orchestrator and arranger for concerts,
films, theatre and album recordings.
Since obtaining her Master of Music in
Composition (Sydney Conservatorium
of Music) and Master of Arts in Screen
Composition (Australian Film Television
and Radio School), her career has gone
from strength to strength. Her business of
over 15 years, Jigsaw Music, provides music
preparation services for clients all over the
country and overseas.
Jessica has orchestrated over 70 films and
wrote the theme for ABC TV’s Q&A program –
which makes her kids think she’s famous. Her
orchestral music and arrangements have been
performed by many of the major Australian
orchestras, including the Sydney, Melbourne,
Tasmanian, West Australian and Queensland
Symphony Orchestras. She was commissioned
to write two pieces for Victorian Opera’s Seven
Deadly Sins project, which was performed in
2015 featuring seven singers and full orchestra,
and acclaimed as a highlight of the year in
Melbourne’s art scene.
She was a finalist in the 2017 APRA Art Music
Awards in the category of Instrumental
Work of the Year for her piece Moon Fire, for
the National Carillon and electronic track.
Jessica was previously nominated for an Art
Music Award in 2001 for her orchestral work
Ainulindale.
From 2017 to 2020 she was the Musical Director
of the APRA Screen Music Awards, and she
is the current Vice President of the Music
Arrangers Guild of Australia.
UNEARTH
CREATIVITY
2023 PROGRAMS AVAILABLE NOW
musicavivainschools.com.au

WAGNER’S RING CYCLE IN DRESDEN
4–11 FEBRUARY 2023
Join Wagner expert Professor Heath Lees on Hayllar Music Tours’ exclusive trip to Dresden
in February 2023 for Wagner’s complete Ring Cycle at the historic Semperoper.
Wagner specialist and legendary German conductor Christian Thielemann leads an all-star
cast including Lise Lindstrom, Andreas Schager, John Lundgren and Christa Mayer.
Learn more about this remarkable operatic work with four exclusive private talks from
Tour Leader Professor Heath Lees and enjoy private guided tours of the Dresden Royal Palace,
the Semperoper Dresden and the Old Masters Gallery located in the Zwinger Palace.
www.hayllarmusictours.com/dresden 02 9669 9181

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ABOUT THE MUSIC
When Adolphe Sax began experimenting
with adaptations to his bass clarinet, he was
not looking for the ultimate jazz instrument;
his intention was to augment the timbral
possibilities of classical music. He wanted to
develop something with the projection of a
brass instrument and the agility of a woodwind
instrument. The result was the saxophone,
a keyed brass horn (like a trumpet) with a
single-reed mouthpiece (like a clarinet). In
1846 he applied, successfully, for a patent for
14 different versions of the new instrument –
E-flat and B-flat models each in seven sizes
from basso to sopranino.
Soon after that the saxophone began to
appear in orchestral scores: Bizet wrote for
saxophone in L’Arlésienne, Delibes included
a part for saxophone in Sylvia, and Richard
Strauss, Mussorgsky, Glazunov and Ravel
all experimented with its versatile timbre.
However, the saxophone did not achieve
widespread popularity until the advent of
vaudeville, dance band music and jazz.
So where does the saxophone fit best?
Within notated classical and dance music, or
improvised jazz, or none of the above? For the
four musicians of Signum Saxophone Quartet
the question is irrelevant. None of the works
on this program were originally written for
saxophone but the Signums have made all of
them their own.
© HARRIET CUNNINGHAM
JS Bach
The music of JS Bach has been the subject of
countless transcriptions, arrangements and
improvisations (not least, Paul Grabowsky’s
recent Goldberg Variations). Katsuki Tochio’s
arrangement of Bach’s Italian Concerto here
is an arrangement of a work which is already
a version of a version. Strictly speaking,
Bach’s Italian Concerto is neither Italian nor a
concerto. In its original form Bach’s Concerto
nach italienischen Gusto, ‘in the Italian style’,
is the first half of his 1735 Clavier-Übung, a
book of keyboard exercises for double manual
keyboard. ‘In the Italian style’ is a nod to the
orchestral concertos of Vivaldi, many of which
Bach arranged for keyboard, and whose
characteristic fast-slow-fast pace he uses here.
The outer movements, two spritely ritornellos,
wrap around the stark beauty of an arioso in
the relative minor key.
© HARRIET CUNNINGHAM
Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill’s musical output during the ‘Golden
Twenties’ in post-World War One Berlin was
heavily influenced by his teacher Ferruccio
Busoni, a sought-after pianist and teacher
of composition who had connections with
Stravinsky, Varèse and Schoenberg. Busoni’s
own compositions had moved well towards
atonality, and this is reflected in Weill’s 1924
Concerto for Violin and Wind Orchestra.
Weill composed this concerto in a lull after
working on the opera Der Protagonist with
playwright Georg Kaiser, which opened in
1926 to great acclaim and set him on the
path towards becoming a well-established
composer of songs and stage works. ‘I am
working on a concerto for violin and wind
orchestra that I hope to finish within two or
three weeks,’ Weill wrote to Universal. ‘The

work is inspired by the idea – one never
carried out before – of juxtaposing a single
violin with a chorus of winds.’
Indeed this ensemble was completely unique
for its time and even almost a century later
very few works for this instrumentation exist.
Weill expects the winds and brass to perform
at an extraordinary level of dexterity, and uses
percussion such as xylophone, snare drum
and bass drum to punctuate the incessant
rhythms of the score. The violin soloist must
wrangle with ever-morphing arpeggios,
difficult double-stops and explore the extreme
high register of the instrument, as well as
characterising quirky waltz or march-like
passages interrupted with constant meter
changes.
Creating a new arrangement of the concerto
utilising a saxophone quartet rather than a
wind orchestra presented many challenges
and obstacles to be overcome in order to
preserve the character of the work and open
up the music to a new angle of interpretation.
Double bass (though not a wind instrument)
was used throughout Weill’s score to give
a pizzicato accompaniment, to which the
staccato baritone saxophone was well-suited
as a substitute. Xylophone and snare drum
hits were translated into pitched rhythms, and
when faced with a heavily voiced chord of
more than four notes, many hours were spent
listening and deciding which four-note voicing
would best suit the character of the harmony,
or whether adding tremolos or trills could
realise the chord more fully, adding texture
and depth.
The unique quality of saxophone tone colours
and techniques allowed a large range of
dynamics to be achieved, and each size of
saxophone paired with the violin created
timbres different from the original oboe,
trumpet and flute pairings the composer used
in the centre movements.
Overall this incredibly detailed and
challenging work is a thrilling showpiece,
showing off the virtuosic capabilities of all
the performers and bringing a new light to a
century-old gem.
© JESSICA WELLS
George Gershwin
On a wintry morning in New York early last
century George Gershwin sat down at his
desk with a new manuscript book and wrote at
the top of the first page, ‘Preludes, Jan 1925’.
He then sketched out the first eleven bars of
what was to be a major piano work, a set of
24 preludes, in the grand tradition. The book
still exists but the front four pages are torn out
and the remaining scribbles are workings for
his Cuban Overture. So much for New Year’s
resolutions…
Gershwin only ever published three preludes
but, as you will hear, they turned out to be
three fragments of explosive brilliance, played
here in the quartet’s own arrangement. The
first, Allegro ben ritmato e deciso, opens
with a provocation, answered by a question,
prompting a playful back and forth. The
second, Andante con moto e poco rubato,
could be the soundtrack to a clandestine
rendezvous in a smoky downtown bar. The
third, again Allegro ben ritmato e deciso, is
like a brief but dazzling star turn before the
curtain goes down.
© HARRIET CUNNINGHAM
Like the music of JS Bach, the plays of William
Shakespeare have been adapted, reworked
and reimagined innumerable times, and
none more so than Romeo and Juliet. Jerome
Robbins’ 1957 version, West Side Story, recasts
the Montagues and the Capulets as rival
street gangs who fight and dance and fall
in love to the music of Leonard Bernstein.
In 1960 Bernstein created a nine movement
suite, Symphonic Dances from West Side
Story, expanding the forces on stage from the
original 31-piece pit band to a full symphony
orchestra. The arrangement you’ll hear tonight
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packs Bernstein’s symphonic scoring plus
some bonus hit songs from the musical into a
20-minute showcase for saxophone quartet.
The appeal of the music of Leonard Bernstein,
says Alan Lužar of the Signum Saxophone
Quartet, is that he can combine a jazz and
classical aesthetic simultaneously: West
Side Story is full of jazz and Latin-American
inspired dance rhythms, and yet it is driven
by sublime arias, leitmotifs and counterpoint.
This meeting of musics makes it the perfect
playground for a cross-genre group like
Signum.
Their choice of numbers from the suite and
the musical is designed to show off the
expressive range of their instruments. It
does, however, remain at all times faithful to
Bernstein’s score. Listen out, for example for
the distinctive tritone figure of C–F-sharp–G,
instantly recognisable as the opening of the
song Maria, but appearing, like a persistent
echo, throughout. As Bernstein later wrote:
‘The three notes pervade the whole piece,
inverted, done backwards. I didn’t do all this
on purpose. It seemed to come out in Cool
and as the gang whistle [in the Prologue]. The
same three notes.’
Leonard Bernstein
Signum’s West Side Story begins with the
Prologue, an edgy scene-setter. Something’s
Coming introduces the idealistic Tony, our
romantic hero. Tonight is Tony’s duet with
Maria in the musical’s equivalent of the play’s
balcony scene. The next number is driven
by the irresistible rhythmic pattern of (I like
to be in) America. Cool shows off Bernstein
at his genre-hopping best, taking fragments
of melody and winding them into a complex
fugue which is, simultaneously, a classical
dance. Sylvain Dedenon’s arrangement
follows this with Somewhere, Maria and Tony’s
hopeful but, ultimately, tragic love duet. The
dazzling tour of West Side Story ends with
Maria’s ebullient I Feel Pretty.
© HARRIET CUNNINGHAM
Chick Corea
Chick Corea was a titan of the jazz world and
is widely considered to be one of the foremost
jazz pianists of all time. Across a recording
and performing career that spanned nearly
60 years (and more than 60 Grammy
nominations), Corea wrote several jazz
standards, of which Spain is undoubtedly his
most recognisable.
First appearing on Corea’s 1973 album Light
as a Feather, Spain was inspired by Miles
Davis’s recording of Concierto de Aranjuez
– an arrangement of Joaquín Rodrigo’s work
for guitar and orchestra, and the first track of
Davis’s tremendously influential 1960 album
Sketches of Spain. Corea had recorded and
toured briefly with Davis’s band, replacing
Herbie Hancock in 1968, and Davis’s influence
on Corea’s music cannot be overstated.
Spain opens with an arrangement of the
Adagio from the Concierto de Aranjuez,
before breaking into an energetic samba
denoted by the main theme, based on the
chord progression from the same movement.
Spain has been covered by several notable
artists since its release including Béla Fleck,
Jaco Pastorius, Stevie Wonder and James
Galway. The version you will hear today was
arranged for saxophone quartet by Izidor
Leitinger.
© JAMES MOUNTAIN

ALLAN CLAYTON & KATE GOLLA
A WINTER’S JOURNEY
Fresh from triumphant seasons as Hamlet (The Met) and Peter Grimes (Covent Garden),
tenor Allan Clayton joins pianist Kate Golla for Schubert’s immortal songs of love and loss.
Director Lindy Hume and video designer David Bergman weave a magical
Australian setting from Fred Williams’ wondrous landscapes.
THE BARBICAN, LONDON: WED 7 DECEMBER
ONLINE CONCERT: WED 7 DECEMBER, 7PM (AEDT)
musicaviva.com.au/a-winters-journey-online
1800 688 482
(Australian Book Review)
(Limelight Magazine)
(The Age)

INTERVIEW
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
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A good team meeting will start with a hot
cup of coffee – and it’s no different for the
members of Signum Saxophone Quartet.
Except once they’ve sipped their final drop,
they don’t sit around a boardroom table with
pen and paper in hand. They pick up their
instruments and dive straight into rehearsal,
preparing the music they’ll perform at
Carnegie Hall, at an international competition
– or on their Musica Viva Australia tour.
‘What I love most about rehearsing together
is that four strong and different opinions keep
the rehearsal exciting,’ Alan Lužar shares. He
plays tenor saxophone alongside his fellow
ensemble members Blaž Kemperle (soprano),
Jacopo Taddei (alto) and Guerino Bellarosa
(baritone).
Through caffeine-fuelled gatherings, the
young saxophonists indulge in music and
conversation, conjuring the creative vision that
has landed them record deals with labels as
big as Deutsche Grammophon.
This Australia tour is no less substantial: it’s
the first time an arts organisation has brought
Signum Saxophone Quartet to the country.
Alan describes this Musica Viva Australia
opportunity as ‘an enormous pleasure’. To him,
the brightest drawcard is playing beautiful
music for people he’s never met – and ‘having
a lot of fun’ along the way.
Signum was founded in Cologne back in
2006; not a decade later, the players were
named Rising Stars by the European Concert
Hall Organisation – an award that sent
them touring through the continent’s most
prestigious venues. The group may be closeknit
behind the scenes, but with open arms
(and trademark charisma), these players
welcome audiences to join them as they
‘discover secret messages that music is full of.’
The versatile saxophone has proven capable
of playing almost any genre of music since
its creation. It’s old, in the sense that it was
invented in the 1840s. It’s also new, having
been designed centuries later than most other
instruments you’d typically find in a chamber
ensemble. As such, it’s a desirable outcast of
the music world: it’s rarely invited to sit with an
orchestra, yet it’s often given the solo on the
rare occasion it’s composed into a symphonic
work. It’s remained popular through the eras of
jazz, rock and K-pop, and it’s equally accepted
among art music crowds who meditate through
the repetition of a Philip Glass composition.
With Musica Viva Australia, the saxophone will
fly through music from composers as diverse
as Bach and Gershwin, Bernstein and Chick
Corea. Few instruments could so effortlessly
combine such an extraordinary range of works
into a single program.
Alan describes the saxophone as a
‘chameleon of music’ capable of awe-inspiring
tonal colours. Multiply its potential by the
players of his quartet – who sing through
soprano or boom through baritone – and
you arrive at ‘limitless possibilities to express
emotions through sound’.

‘Chameleon of music’
It’s enough to fuel the passion of these four
instrumentalists, and to attract audiences who
may be curious to hear the saxophone in a
classically inspired concert. It’s also drawn the
interest of Australian composer Jessica Wells,
who crafted a new arrangement of Kurt Weill’s
1924 Violin Concerto – reimagining the sound
of an entire wind orchestra and giving all its
themes to the saxophone family.
‘This was an opportunity to be creatively put to
the test, and I relished that,’ Jessica says.
‘Replacing a high flute part with soprano sax,
and a pizzicato double bass with a staccato
baritone sax, seemed like obvious choices.
But what to do with a snare drum? All of the
creative choices were actually rather fun to
work out!’
Musica Viva Australia commissioned her
arrangement under the auspices of the
Hildegard Project. Jessica reckons it’s been
an ‘unusual project’: an orchestra has tens of
players, and this ensemble has four. Luckily,
those four can ‘pack a punch and be brassy,
or can be mellow and round.’
‘Dynamic control allows for a huge range of
tones and timbres,’ Jessica says. ‘This all adds
to the excitement of exploring how to present
the contrasting movements of this work.’
Alan adds: ‘You can imagine what a great job
an arranger has to do – that four instruments
not only replace a whole orchestra, but also
give new, unknown colours to the piece.’
Through Jessica’s skilful arrangement, just
one instrument takes the same role it played
in Weill’s original – the violin. And Canberraborn
soloist Kristian Winther is tasked with
performing it.
In the past, this award-winning violinist has
taken to the stage with major orchestras – the
Melbourne, Tasmanian, Sydney and West
Australian among others. Naturally, Jessica
predicts ‘audiences are going to be really
wowed by this performance.’
‘I’m super excited to be working with Signum
and Kristian Winther to bring this score to
life… It requires virtuosity and high levels of
electricity between the musicians on stage,’
she says.
‘I’m thrilled to be giving some pre-concert
talks on this tour for Musica Viva Australia,
and seeing the audience’s reaction to this
incredible work from a century ago being
brought back to the concert stage with a new
perspective.’
Alan is bursting with similar enthusiasm,
revealing the group ‘cannot wait to play for
you.’
So let’s hear them!
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Musica Viva Australia’s Amadeus Society is
a small philanthropic circle of passionate music
lovers who help us to realise our bold artistic vision
and bring acclaimed international and local artists
to our stages throughout the country.
Since 2007, the Amadeus Society has enabled
Musica Viva Australia to further extraordinary
artistic initiatives and in 2022 will continue to do
so by celebrating the wealth and diversity of
Australian musical talent.
Annual membership of the Society includes
intimate private house concerts with our
mainstage artists, currently held in
Melbourne and Sydney.
If you are interested in joining the Amadeus Society or would like more information please contact:
SYDNEY
Caroline Davis, Individual Giving Manager
02 8394 6636 | cdavis@musicaviva.com.au
ADELAIDE
Zoë Cobden-Jewitt, Director of Development
1800 688 482 | zcobden-jewitt@musicaviva.com.au

PATRONS
CUSTODIANS
ACT Geoffrey & Margaret Brennan, Clive & Lynlea Rodger,
Ruth Weaver, Anonymous (4)
NSW Jennifer Bott AO, Catherine Brown-Watt PSM & Derek
Watt, Lloyd & Mary Jo Capps AM, Andrew & Felicity Corkill,
Peter Cudlipp, Liz Gee, Suzanne Gleeson, David & Christine
Hartgill, Annie Hawker, Elaine Lindsay, Trevor Noffke,
Dr David Schwartz, Ruth Spence-Stone, Mary Vallentine AO,
Deirdre Nagle Whitford, Richard Wilkins, Kim Williams AM,
Megan & Bill Williamson, Ray Wilson OAM, Anonymous (12)
QLD Anonymous (2)
SA Monica Hanusiak-Klavins & Martin Klavins,
Anonymous (5)
TAS
Kim Paterson QC, Anonymous
VIC Elizabeth & Anthony Brookes, Julian Burnside AO QC,
Ms Helen Dick, Robert Gibbs & Tony Wildman,
Helen Vorrath, Anonymous (8)
WA Graham Lovelock, Anonymous (4)
LEGACY DONORS
NSW The late Charles Berg, The late Janette Hamilton,
The late Dr Ralph Hockin in memory of Mabel Hockin,
The late Kenneth W Tribe AC
QLD
The late Steven Kinston, Anonymous
SA The late Edith Dubsky, The late John Lane Koch,
The late Lesley Lynn
VIC The late Raymond Brooks, In memory of Anita
Morawetz, The family of the late Paul Morawetz,
The late Dr G D Watson
ENSEMBLE PATRONS
Our artistic vision for 2022 is made possible thanks to the
extraordinary generosity of our Ensemble Patrons, each of
whom supports the presentation of an entire national tour
for our 2022 Season.
Ian Dickson AM & Reg Holloway (Van Diemen’s Band)
Anonymous (Paul Grabowsky & Andrea Lam)
Peter Griffin AM & Terry Swann, Susie Dickson,
and Ms Felicity Rourke & Justice François Kunc
as part of The Travellers – Giving Circle
(A Winter’s Journey)
Australian Music Foundation (Z.E.N. Trio)
Eleanore Goodridge OAM
(Avi Avital & Giovanni Sollima)
CONCERT CHAMPIONS
Adelaide Helen Bennetts & Tim Lloyd, Joan & Ivan
Blanchard, Helen Fulcher, The late Lesley Lynn,
Dr Susan Marsden & Michael Szwarcbord, Leonie Schmidt
& Michael Davis, Anonymous (2)
Brisbane Ian & Cass George, Andrew & Kate Lister, Barry
& Diana Moore, The Hon Justice A Philippides, Anonymous
Canberra The Musica Viva Australia ACT Committee
& Ruth Weaver, Andrew Blanckensee Music Lover,
Humphries Family Trust, Malcolm Gillies & David Pear in
memory of Stewart Gillies, Dr Sue Packer, Sue Terry
& Len Whyte, Anonymous
Melbourne Alexandra Clemens, Continuo Collective,
Peter Griffin AM & Terry Swann, Monica Lim & Konfir Kabo,
Peter Lovell, Rosemary & John MacLeod, The Morawetz
Family in memory of Paul Morawetz, Allan Myers QC AC in
honour of the 90th birthday of Barry Jones AC, Greg Shalit &
Miriam Faine (2), Dr Michael Troy, The Musica Viva Australia
Victorian Committee, Anonymous
Newcastle Megan & Bill Williamson, Gay Bookallil &
the Musica Viva Australia Newcastle Committee
Perth Dr Robert Larbalestier AO, Deborah Lehmann AO &
Michael Alpers AO, In memory of Stephanie Quinlan (2),
David Wallace & Jamelia Gubgub, Valerie &
Michael Wishart
Sydney Patricia Crummer, Pam Cudlipp, Dr Jennifer
Donald & Mr Stephen Burford, Charles Graham – in
acknowledgement of his piano teacher, Sana Chia,
Katherine & Reg Grinberg, Anthony Strachan, Kay Vernon,
Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey (2), Ray Wilson OAM
PRODUCERS’ CIRCLE
Darin Cooper Foundation, Stephen & Michele Johns
AMADEUS SOCIETY
Tony Berg AM & Carol Berg, Marc Besen AC & Eva Besen
AO dec., Ms Jan Bowen AM, Tom Breen & Rachael Kohn AO,
Dr Di Bresciani OAM, Julian Burnside AO QC (President,
Melbourne) & Kate Durham, Dr Helen Ferguson,
Ms Annabella Fletcher, Dr Annette Gero, Peter Griffin AM &
Terry Swann, Katherine & Reg Grinberg, Jennifer Hershon &
Russell Black, Penelope Hughes, Michael & Frederique Katz,
Ruth Magid & Bob Magid OAM, Prof. John Rickard,
Andrew Rosenberg, Ray Wilson OAM
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MASTERCLASSES
GIVING CIRCLE
The Masterclasses Giving Circle is a group of generous
donors whose collective support will enable the artistic
development of the next generation of Australian
chamber musicians.
Nicholas Callinan AO & Elizabeth Callinan, Caroline &
Robert Clemente, Ian & Caroline Frazer, Patricia H. Reid
Endowment Fund, Andrew Sisson AO & Tracey Sisson,
Mick & Margaret Toller, Anonymous (1)
COMMISSIONS
Musica Viva Australia is proud to support the creation
of new Australian works through The Ken Tribe Fund
for Australian Composition and The Hildegard Project.
We are grateful to the following individuals and
collectives for their generous support of this work:
In loving memory of Jennifer Bates, Christine Bollen &
Friends, Julian Burnside AO QC & Kate Durham, The Barry
Jones Birthday Commission, Michael & Fréderique Katz
in honour of Cecily Katz, Graham Lovelock & Steve Singer,
D R & K M Magarey, Vicki Olsson, The Silo Collective,
Tribe family in honour of Doug Tribe’s 75th birthday,
WA Commissioning Circle
The Barry Jones Birthday Commission ($500+)
Steve Bracks AC & Terry Bracks AM, Dr George Deutsch
OAM & Kathy Deutsch, Carrillo Gantner AC & Ziyin Gantner,
Professor Margaret Gardner AC & Professor Glyn Davis AC,
Naomi & George Golvan QC, Hon David Harper AM, Ellen
Koshland & James McCaughey, Miles Lewis, Barry McGaw,
Jeannette McHugh, Fiona McLeod AO SC, Peter & Ruth
McMullin, Julie & Ian Macphee, peckvonhartel architects,
Ralph & Ruth Renard, Anne & Robert Richter QC, Gianna
Rosica, Joy Selby Smith, Smith Family, Maureen & Tony
Wheeler, Lyn Williams, Dr Robyn Williams AO, Bob, Robyn,
Annie & Nick, Anonymous (3)
We thank all our audience
members who donated
the value of their cancelled
tickets towards the Artist
Fund and sincerely
appreciate the generous
support we receive from our
incredible community.
We encourage you to scan
the QR code to see a full
list of donors over $500 to
Musica Viva Australia.
MAJOR GIFTS
$100,000+
NSW The Berg Family Foundation,
Patricia H. Reid Endowment Fund
$50,000–$99,999
ACT Marion & Michael Newman
NSW J A Donald Family, Katherine & Reg Grinberg,
Tom & Elisabeth Karplus
$20,000–$49,999
NSW Tom Breen & Rachael Kohn AO,
Michael & Fréderique Katz, Vicki Olsson
QLD
Ian & Caroline Frazer, Andrea & Malcolm Hall-Brown
VIC The Morawetz Family in memory of Paul Morawetz,
Anonymous
WA
Anonymous
$10,000–$19,999
ACT R & V Hillman, Anonymous
NSW Anne & Terrey Arcus AM, Gardos Family,
Gresham Partners, Hilmer Family Endowment,
Nigel & Carol Price, Anthony Strachan
QLD
SA
Anonymous
Jennifer & John Henshall, Anonymous
VIC Roger Druce & Jane Bentley, Peter Griffin AM
& Terry Swann, Mercer Family Foundation, Monica Lim
& Konfir Kabo, Peter Lovell, Marjorie Nicholas OAM,
Anonymous
WA Team Legacy, Deborah Lehmann AO
& Michael Alpers AO
$5,000–$9,999
ACT Goodwin Crace Concertgoers, Craig Reynolds,
Sue Terry & Len Whyte
NSW Christine Bishop, Patricia Crummer,
Jo & Barry Daffron, Sarah & Tony Falzarano,
Iphygenia Kallinikos, Mrs W G Keighley,
D R & K M Magarey, Hywel Sims, David & Carole Singer,
Diane Sturrock, Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey
QLD
SA
Andrew & Kate Lister, The Hon Justice A Philippides
Aldridge Family Endowment, Anonymous
VIC In memory of Kate Boyce, Robert Gibbs &
Tony Wildman, Doug Hooley, Andrew Johnston,
Joy Selby Smith, Greg Shalit & Miriam Faine,
Stephen Shanasy, Anonymous
WA Anonymous (2)

ANNUAL GIVING
$2,500–$4,999
ACT Kristin van Brunschot & John Holliday,
Dr Andrew Singer, Ruth Weaver, Anonymous
NSW Penny Beran, Susan Burns, ADFAS Newcastle,
Andrew Rosenberg, Jo Strutt
QLD
SA
Greyhound Australia
DJ & EM Bleby, Peter Clifton
VIC Jan Begg, Alastair & Sue Campbell,
Anne Frankenberg & Adrian McEniery, Lyndsey &
Peter Hawkins, Ralph & Ruth Renard, Maria Sola,
Helen Vorrath, Igor Zambelli
WA David Cooke, Ros Kesteven, Zoe Lenard &
Hamish Milne, Mrs Morrell, Anonymous
$1,000–$2,499
ACT Andrew Blanckensee, The Breen/Dullo Family,
Odin Bohr & Anna Smet, Dudley & Helen Creagh, Martin
Dolan, Liz & Alex Furman, Olivia Gesini, Malcolm Gillies
AM, Kingsley Herbert, Margaret & Peter Janssens, Garth
Mansfield, Teresa Neeman, Margaret Oates, S Packer,
Clive & Lynlea Rodger, Hannah Semler, Anonymous (3)
NSW Judith Allen, David & Rae Allen, Maia Ambegaokar
& Joshua Bishop, Dr Warwick Anderson, Stephen Booth,
Vicki Brooke, Neil Burns, Hugh & Hilary Cairns, Hon J C
Campbell QC & Mrs Campbell, Lloyd & Mary Jo Capps AM,
Robin & Wendy Cumming, Thomas Dent, Nancy Fox AM &
Bruce Arnold, John & Irene Garran, H2 Cairns Foundation,
Annie Hawker, Robert & Lindy Henderson, Margaret Hicks,
Lybus Hillman, Dr Ailsa Hocking & Dr Bernard Williams,
Dorothy Hoddinott AO, Catharine & Robert Kench, Kevin
& Deidre McCann, Arthur & Elfreda Marshall, Dr Dennis
Mather & John Studdert, Mora Maxwell, Michael &
Janet Neustein, Paul O’Donnell, In memory of Katherine
Robertson, Ms Vivienne Sharpe, Dr Robyn Smiles, Tom &
Dalia Stanley, Geoff Stearn, Richard & Beverley Taperell,
Graham & Judy Tribe, Dr Elizabeth Watson, John & Flora
Weickhardt, Richard Wilkins, Megan & Bill Williamson,
Anonymous (6)
QLD George Booker & Denise Bond, Prof. Paul & Ann
Crook, John & Denise Elkins, Robin Harvey, Lynn & John
Kelly, Dr Helen Kerr & Dr John Ratcliffe, Jocelyn Luck, Barry
& Diana Moore, Keith Moore, Debra & Patrick Mullins,
Barbara Williams & Jankees van der Have, Anonymous
SA The late Peter Bailie & Ann-Maree O’Connor,
Ivan & Joan Blanchard, Richard Blomfield, Max & Ionie
Brennan, John & Libby Clapp, The Hon. Christopher Legoe
AO QC & Mrs Jenny Legoe, Joan Lyons, Fiona MacLachlan
OAM, Dr Leo Mahar, Geoff & Sorayya Martin, Ann & David
Matison, Diane Myers, H & I Pollard, Trish & Richard Ryan
AO, Anne Sutcliffe, Anonymous
VIC Joanna Baevski, Russ & Jacqui Bate, Marlyn Bancroft,
Peter Burch AM BM, Alison & John Cameron, Alex &
Elizabeth Chernov, Lord Ebury, Dr Glenys & Dr Alan French,
Virginia Henry, Dr Anthea Hyslop, Helen Imber, John V
Kaufman QC, Angela Kayser, Angela & Richard Kirsner,
Ann Lahore, Janet McDonald, Ruth McNair AM & Rhonda
Brown in memory of Patricia Begg & David McNair, June K
Marks, Christopher Menz & Peter Rose, Traudl Moon OAM,
The Myer Foundation, Sir Gustav Nossal, Barry Robbins,
Murray Sandland, Gary Singer & Geoffrey Smith, Darren
Taylor & Kent Stringer, Wendy R. Taylor, Ray Turner &
Jennifer Seabrook, Dr Victor Wayne & Dr Karen Wayne
OAM, Mark & Anna Yates, Anonymous
WA David & Minnette Ambrose, Dr S Cherian, Michael
& Wendy Davis, In memory of Raymond Dudley, Dr Penny
Herbert in memory of Dunstan Herbert, Anne Last & Steve
Scudamore, Hugh & Margaret Lydon, Olivier David &
Dr Bennie Ng, Mandy Loton OAM, Marian Magee & David
Castillo, John Overton, Margaret & Roger Seares, Vivienne
Stewart, Robyn Tamke, Anonymous (4)
$500–$999
ACT Geoffrey & Margaret Brennan, Christopher Clarke,
Peter Cumines, Jill Fleming, Robert Hefner, Mary Elspeth
Humphries, Claudia Hyles OAM, Margaret Lovell &
Grant Webeck, Margaret Millard, Robert Orr, Helen Rankin,
Dr Paul & Dr Lel Whitbread, Anonymous (2)
NSW Jock Baird in memoriam Annette McClure, Barbara
Brady, K Becker, Denise Braggett, Christopher & Margaret
Burrell, Robert Cahill & Anne Cahill OAM, Lucia Cascone,
Michael & Colleen Chesterman, Zoë Cobden-Jewitt & Peter
Jewitt, Rhonwen Cuningham, Trish & John Curotta, Professor
Zoltan Endre, Dr Arno Enno & Dr Anna Enno, Anthony
Gregg, Roland & Margaret Hicks, David & Sarah Howell,
Alicia Howlett, David & Jennifer Jacobs, Megan Jones, In
honour of Michael Katz, Cynthia Kaye, K P Kemp, Mathilde
Kearny-Kibble, Graham & Sue Lane, Olive Lawson, Dr Colin
MacArthur, Ian & Pam McGaw, Laura McDonald, Dr V Jean
McPherson, Robert McDougall, Alan & Rosemary Moore,
Donald Nairn, Professors Robin & Tina Offler, Kim & Margie
Ostinga, Christina Pender, Dr John Rogers, Penny Rogers,
Peter & Heather Roland, Professor Lynne Selwood, Andrew
Wells AM, Margaret Wright OAM, Anonymous (10)
QLD Geoffrey Beames, Janet Franklin, Marie Isackson,
Diana Lungren, Timothy Matthies & Chris Bonnily,
Anonymous
SA Daniel & Susan Hains, Elizabeth Ho OAM in honour
of the late Tom Steel, Dr Iwan Jensen, Helga Linnert &
Douglas Ransom, Ruth Marshall & Tim Muecke,
Linda Sampson, Tony Seymour, Anonymous (5)
TAS
Anonymous
VIC David Bernshaw & Caroline Isakow, Helen Brack,
John & Chris Collingwood, John & Mandy Collins, Ted &
Alison Davies, Beverley Douglas, Mary-Jane Gething, John
& Margaret Harrison, Irene Kearsey & Michael Ridley, Jane
Lazarevic, Eda Ritchie AM, Maureen Turner, Anonymous (5)
WA Joan Carney, Fred & Angela Chaney, Rachel & Bruce
Craven, Helen Dwyer, Jennifer L Jones, Paula Nathan AO &
Yvonne Patterson, Lindsay & Suzanne Silbert, Father Richard
Smith, Ruth Stratton, Christopher Tyler, Anonymous (6)
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CONCERT PARTNERS
Perth Concert Series Sydney Morning Masters Series Commissioning Partner
Legal
Chartered Accountants
Piano & Tuning
Media Partner
Wine Partners
Hotel Partners
|
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EMERGING ARTISTS PARTNERS
Strike A Chord
Principal Partner
Strike A Chord
Strategic Partner
Strike A Chord
University Partner
Strike A Chord
Key Philanthropic Partner
Strike A Chord Partner
FutureMakers
Lead Partner
FutureMakers
Residency Partner
Key Philanthropic Partner
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
Musica Viva Australia is assisted by the
Commonwealth Government through the
Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Musica Viva Australia
is supported by the
NSW Government
through Create NSW.
Musica Viva Australia is a
Not-for-profit Organisation endorsed
by the Australian Taxation Office
as a Deductible Gift Recipient and
registered with the Australian
Charities and Not-for-profits
Commission (ACNC).

EDUCATION PARTNERS
National
J A Donald Family
Marion & Mike Newman
WA
• Legacy Unit Trust
NSW
• Margaret Henderson Music Trust
VIC
• Godfrey Turner Memorial Music Trust
Western Sydney & Melbourne
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• The Benjamin Fund • The Marion & E.H. Flack Trust
• In memory of Anita Morawetz • Keith McKenzie Will Trust
SA
• Aldridge Family Endowment • Carthew Foundation • Day Family Foundation
• FWH Foundation • Jennifer & John Henshall • Lang Foundation • Marsden Szwarcbord Foundation
ACT
NT
QLD
Perpetual Foundation –
Alan (AGL) Shaw
Endowment
Perpetual Foundation –
Alan (AGL) Shaw
Endowment

STORIES TO INSPIRE
BY SUSAN ELDRIDGE
Jazz Masterclass with Paul Grabowsky at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University.
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SUPPORTING AUSTRALIAN CREATIVITY
‘I’m extremely thankful that I was able
to move past any nervousness during the
class, and just enjoy the music-making –
Konstantin Shamray was such an engaging
communicator of his musical ideas, and
he offered so much new information that
I am eager to apply.’
– Participant, Konstantin Shamray Masterclass
The Musica Viva Australia Masterclasses
Giving Circle is a group of generous donors
whose collective support will enable the
artistic development of the next generation of
Australian chamber musicians. Through their
vision, our masterclasses provide an essential
opportunity for young musicians around
the country to encounter new ideas and
approaches to music-making.
Musica Viva Australia masterclasses support
emerging artists around the country to learn
from world-class musicians. In many ways,
mentoring through masterclasses is at the
heart of what Musica Viva Australia does.
Hosted in partnership with a national network
of high schools, universities and industry
partners, masterclasses allow Australian and
international artists to share their knowledge
with young musicians. A national network
of hosts means that we can deliver on our
commitment to free, world-class professional
development for emerging Australian
musicians, regardless of their geography or
circumstances.
‘Being a cellist and cello teacher in Perth,
I was thrilled that Narek Hakhnazaryan
presented his masterclass in my city. Again, it
was phenomenal. I have participated in and
attended very many masterclasses during my
career, both in Australia and overseas, and
rank this as one of the best. Narek’s advice
to the young cellists was very considered,
articulate and helpful.’
– Dr Rebecca Meegan-Lowe, Narek Hakhnazaryan
(Z.E.N. Trio) Masterclass audience member

During a Musica Viva Australia Masterclass,
outstanding artists from national concert series
tours work with advanced students and early
career musicians in front of a live audience.
‘There’s a river that elite musicians must
cross to succeed. On one bank there is their
musical education. They’ve reached the point
where our education programs have delivered
everything they can. On the other bank lie
their career paths as successful even
pre-eminent musicians. Musica Viva
Australia’s masterclasses are unique in this
country in that they offer elite musicians
an opportunity to rub shoulders musically
with not only the best Australian musicians
but the best the world can offer too. To
audit a masterclass is to watch a musical
transformation in real time. I have seen
again and again wonderful young musicians
improve their interpretation out of sight
by following the advice of their teachers in
masterclasses.’
– Rob Clemente, Masterclass Giving Circle
Teachers, performers and listeners take
a deep dive into the music as a collective
experience, discovering not only new ways to
play but new ways to teach and new ways to
listen.
Students specifically note that the expert
advice is beneficial as they are supported to
understand the relevance and application of
the feedback to their individual development.
‘Jean had a lot of helpful advice especially for
stylistic changes and interpretation. He also
gave us advice in just all areas of music, for
example he talked a bit on how to control
nerves and be a more confident performer.’
– Participant, NEVERMIND Masterclass
Through the support of our Masterclass
Giving Circle, young musicians come to
understand their place within a community
of global performers and music educators.
They value differences as well as similarities,
feel connected to others, accept and embrace
their own musical traditions, and become
empowered to change those things that should
be changed and embrace new perspectives.
You can experience the impact and joy of a
Musica Viva Australia Masterclass in person or
through our livestream events.
musicaviva.com.au/masterclasses
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Narek Hakhnazaryan with students at the University
of Western Australia, Conservatorium of Music.
In 2021 the Musica Viva Australia Masterclass
Giving Circle supported 13 live and digital
masterclasses with ten inspiring artists
including Konstantin Shamray, Diana Doherty,
Dene Olding and Julian Smiles, which reached
728 people.
‘As young musicians we all benefit hugely
from the teaching and mentorship of our
elders, which is why when we become those
elders we are all hugely passionate about
returning the favour. That’s the joy – indeed
the fuel – of masterclasses.’
– Paul Kildea, Artistic Director, Musica Viva Australia
To support the next generation of
Australian musicians through our Musica
Viva Australia Masterclass Giving Circle,
please contact Zoë Cobden-Jewitt,
Director of Development
zcobden-jewitt@musicaviva.com.au
1800 688 482

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Performing nationally in Adelaide, Brisbane,
Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle,
Perth and Sydney.
Karin Schaupp & Flinders Quartet
Among the Birds and the Trees
Garrick Ohlsson
Chopin’s Piano
Silk, Metal, Wood
Vision String Quartet
Wildschut & Brauss
+ The Cage Project,
Morning Masters, Viva Edge,
Masterclasses & more
SUBSCRIBE
BEFORE 27 NOV TO
SAVE AN EXTRA 20%
musicaviva.com.au
1800 688 482

As Australia’s flagship music education and non-profit
touring company, we continuously strive to provide more
for all music lovers – more music education and teacher
professional development opportunities to help feed
young imaginations everywhere; more exceptional artists
on stage performing on metropolitan and regional stages
and online to bring audiences together across the country;
and more creative projects to promote a continuously
evolving and vibrant music sector.
Help us to continue to keep doing more so that everyone,
regardless of age, location or circumstance, can access
and share the very best live music.
For more information contact our Individual Giving Manager:
Caroline Davis, cdavis@musicaviva.com.au