Musica Viva Australia Season Brochure | 2024

2O24

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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many lands 

on which we meet, work and live and we pay our respects to 

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. 

04 

Long Lost Loves 

(and Grey Suede Gloves) 

06 

Esmé Quartet 

08 

Kirill Gerstein 

12 

The Choir of King’s College, 

Cambridge 

14 

Pekka Kuusisto & Gabriel Kahane 

16 

Ensemble Q & William Barton 

18 

Musica Alchemica 

20 

Concert dates 

22 

Meet our commissioned 

composers 

24 

Sydney Morning Masters 

26 

The Edge, Melbourne 

28 

Subscriber benefits 

30 

Choose your subscription 

32 

Frequently asked questions 

33 

Experience Musica Viva Australia 

36 

Support Musica Viva Australia 

Welcome 

2

Welcome to Season 2O24 

A child looking through a kaleidoscope 

will turn the lens quickly, impatient for the 

transformation, greedy for the image that 

sits at the farthest point from the original. 

An adult will savour the subtlest shift, able to 

keep the two images in mind long enough to 

marvel at the refractions. 

I went into planning for 2024 thinking about 

such subtle refractions. What happens if 

we make our great love, chamber music, 

the focus as we turn ever so slightly the 

kaleidoscopic lens aimed at it? 

By pure chance, in sitting down to write 

this introduction I read a blog post from 

the American composer and songwriter 

Gabriel Kahane, whose national tour for us 

in August/September 2024, with the brilliant 

and charismatic violinist Pekka Kuusisto is 

a cherished component of our season. He 

was writing about a concert he curated 

some months back: ‘The basic conceit of the 

evening is to present a series of collages, 

mosaics, jump-cuts, and juxtapositions that 

occur within, as well as across, multiple 

works.’ Sometimes it’s thrilling to look at 

familiar works sideways, Gabriel seemed to 

be saying. 

So, choose your image or analogy; I’m happy 

with either kaleidoscope or mosaic. To bring 

the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge 

back to Australia is a privilege, but to have 

it perform great twentieth-century religious 

works alongside a commissioned work 

from Damian Barbeler and Judith Nangala 

Crispin, is an intimate way for the choir to 

engage with Australian history. 

Photo by Ben Fon. 

Kirill Gerstein is an astonishing performer, 

and here undertakes a new work by Liza Lim 

in an already distinctive program. There’s 

similar bounty in the tour of Lina Tur Bonet, a 

Baroque violinist visiting Australia for the first 

time with her ensemble Musica Alchemica. 

The songs of William Bolcom have always 

been close to my heart, with their hints 

of Brecht and Bernstein; here they are 

assembled into a touching show by director 

Con Costi, performed by Anna Dowsley with 

Michael Curtain on piano. 

The tour by Ensemble Q is an opportunity 

to hear the world’s oldest wind instrument 

alongside Australia’s best wind players in a 

new commission from William Barton. And 

how great to include the young prize-winning 

Esmé Quartet, whose Mendelssohn you just 

have to hear. 

I look forward to seeing you in concert halls 

throughout the country! 

Paul Kildea, Artistic Director 

With special thanks to the MVA Director’s Circle and 

the Amadeus Society for their support of Musica Viva 

Australia’s 2024 Concert Season. 

3

20 Feb.–10 Mar. 

Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, 

Melbourne, Newcastle, 

Perth and Sydney 

Photo by Jasmin Simmons, courtesy of Pinchgut Opera. 

Program 

Selections from 

William BOLCOM Cabaret Songs 

Lyrics by Arnold WEINSTEIN 

Concept by Ian Dickson and 

Paul Kildea 

Artists 

ANNA DOWSLEY mezzo-soprano 

MICHAEL CURTAIN piano 

CONSTANTINE COSTI writer 

and director 

MATTHEW MARSHALL 

lighting design 

4

‘Anna Dowsley’s luxuriant mezzo has an 

almost infinite range of shades . . .’ 

Concerto Net 


(and Grey Suede 

Gloves) 

Join mezzo-soprano Anna Dowsley and pianist Michael 

Curtain for an evening of storytelling over the piano, inspired 

by the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer William 

Bolcom, devised by Paul Kildea and Ian Dickson, and written 

and directed by Constantine Costi. 

William Bolcom, who just celebrated his 85th birthday, 

occupies a unique place in the repertoire. Not quite art song, 

not quite cabaret, his settings of Arnold Weinstein’s deliciously 

dry lyrics continue a grand tradition stretching from Schubert 

to Sondheim of making words dance, fly and sing. 

Hear some of their best-loved songs, from Amor to At the last 

lousy moments of love, woven into a poignant meditation on 

life, love and living in the moment. 

‘[Bolcom’s songs are] colourful, brash. 

dreamy, light, sassy, catchy, overwrought, 

ethereal, folksy, soothing and sometimes 

several of these things at once.’ 

Classical Net 

With special thanks to Ensemble Patrons Peter Griffin AM and Terry Swann 

for their support of this tour, with additional support from Ms Felicity Rourke 

and Justice François Kunc. Presented in association with Adelaide Festival. 

‘Long Lost Loves (and Grey Suede Gloves) is almost a metaphor for the 

season – an examination of interior and exterior worlds, represented here 

by offstage and onstage. It’s a program in which the brilliant songs of 

William Bolcom are juxtaposed to create a funny and profound story of a 

young woman’s life and loves.’ 

Paul Kildea 

5

‘The lyricism and airy limpidity of the 

four performers give these movements a 

profundity and unexpected allure.’ 

Diapason 

Esmé Quartet 

Eloquent. Spellbinding. Monumental. Exquisite. How else 

can we describe the Esmé Quartet? Based in Germany, this 

ensemble launched its international career by winning first 

prize at the 2018 International String Quartet Competition at 

London’s Wigmore Hall. The ensemble then embarked on 

a whirlwind year of concerts in North America, Hong Kong 

and Japan. 

For their Australian debut the musicians play works which are 

the epitome of youth: an early work of Webern overflows with 

romantic invention, while Mendelssohn’s second String Quartet 

blazes with the heart-on-sleeve emotion of a teenage 

genius; and emerging Australian composer Jack Frerer’s 

Spiral Sequences is an exhilarating roller-coaster ride. Add 

to this Claude Debussy’s only string quartet, brimming with 

rhythmic and harmonic exuberance. 

Esmé comes from the medieval French word for ‘beloved’. Be 

among the first to discover why everyone loves Esmé. 

‘The quartet has such tenderness, such virtuosity, such musicality, that I have 

tried to keep them as a strictly traditional offering – except that I’ve asked 

them to include a piece by Australian composer Jack Frerer which is fast, 

furious and then gentle, a wonderful way for the quartet to engage with 

Australian music and audiences.’ 

Paul Kildea 

6

29 April–14 May 




Photo courtesy of Tongyeong International Music Festival. 

Program 

WEBERN Langsamer Satz 

(‘Slow Movement’) 

MENDELSSOHN String Quartet 

No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13 

FRERER Spiral Sequences 

DEBUSSY String Quartet in 

G minor, Op. 10 

Artists 

WONHEE BAE violin 

YUNA HA violin 

DIMITRI MURRATH viola 

YEEUN HEO cello 

7

11–23 June 




Photo by Marco Borggreve. 

Program 

CHOPIN Polonaise-Fantaisie in 

A-flat major, Op. 61 

FAURÉ Nocturne No. 13 in B minor, 

Op. 119 

POULENC Three Intermezzi, 

FP71/118 

LISZT Polonaise in E major, S. 223 

No. 2 

SCHUMANN Carnival of Vienna, 

Op. 26 

LIZA LIM Transcendental Etude 

(2023)* 

GODOWSKY Symphonic 

Metamorphoses, No.2: 

Die Fledermaus 

*World premiere performances. 

Commissioned for Musica Viva 

Australia with funds from the 

Hildegard Project, championing 

the work of female composers. 

Artist 

KIRILL GERSTEIN piano 

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‘A peerless performer, with so much to express’ 

Guardian 

‘Uncanny delicacy in one episode and 

gnashing power the next’ 

The New York Times 

Kirill Gerstein 

Kirill Gerstein is a showman, a philosopher, and a poet of the 

piano. He grew up playing jazz, switched to classical and won 

the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition 

at just 22. Since then he has carved out a formidable 

reputation as a fearless artist who makes the impossible 

sound easy. 

For this seven-city solo recital tour he is scaling new heights 

of virtuosity: Liszt’s powerhouse Polonaise in E, Schumann’s 

Viennese romp, Carnival of Vienna, and the wildly difficult, 

wildly entertaining transcriptions of eccentric piano nerd, 

Leopold Godowsky. In the same program, he dives deep into 

the profundity of Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantaisie, and gives the 

world premiere of Transcendental Etude, a new commission 

from Australian Liza Lim. 

9

The Choir of 

King’s College, 

Cambridge 

Every year on Christmas Eve listeners around the world tune in 

to hear The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge celebrate the 

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in a glorious display of the 

British choral tradition. Now this unique and precious sound 

returns to Australia. 

The Choir will perform soaring anthems and sacred works 

alongside two touchstones of the choral repertoire: Stravinsky’s 

Mass for choir and double wind quintet (ten of Australia’s best 

instrumentalists); and Maurice Duruflé’s magnificent Requiem, 

a radiant meditation on life and death for choir and organ. 

It’s not all top hats and heavenly voices: just as boys grow 

up and voices break, the Choir’s work evolves across the 

generations. Which is why Daniel Hyde, Director since 2019, 

asked us what The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge might 

learn from us. Integral to their performance is a new work 

commissioned from Australian composer Damian Barbeler, 

working with a text by Judith Nangala Crispin (a descendent 

of the Bpangerang people), which weaves a new tapestry from 

the threads of history. 

With special thanks to Ensemble Patrons Ian Dickson AM and Reg Holloway 

for their support of this tour. 

Photo by Leon Hargreaves. 

12

21 July–5 August 


Melbourne, Perth and Sydney 

Program 

HANDEL Zadok the Priest 

BAINTON And I saw a 

new Heaven 

DURUFLÉ Requiem, Op. 9 

Damian BARBELER (music) & 

Judith Nangala CRISPIN (poem) 

Charlotte (2023)* 

OR 

GABRIELI O magnum mysterium 

BULL Almighty God, which by the 

leading of a star 

TALLIS Videte miraculum 

WEIR Vertue 

STRAVINSKY Mass 

Damian BARBELER (music) & 

Judith Nangala CRISPIN (poem) 

Charlotte (2023)* 

Artists 

DANIEL HYDE director of music 

THE CHOIR OF KING’S COLLEGE, 

CAMBRIDGE 



Australia by Richard Wilkins. 

‘“Where did you go girl, with your 

made-up history, your ever whiter 

babies?” I say to her – Charlotte, 

Grandmother of my Grandfather, 

I am Judith, and these are 

my scars.’ 

On finding Charlotte in the 

Anthropological Record 

13

6–17 August 

Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, 

Newcastle and Sydney 

Photo by Sam Gehrke. 

Program to include 

Traditional Scandinavian folk 

music; works by KUUSISTO 

and KAHANE; Nico MUHLY; 

J. S. BACH; and others. 

Artists 

PEKKA KUUSISTO violin, electric 

violin, loops, piano, vocals 

GABRIEL KAHANE piano, electric 

guitar, keyboards, vocals 

*Co-commissioned by Musica 

Viva Australia, San Francisco 

Performances, Chamber Music 

Northwest, Schubert Club, and 

The 92nd St Y New York 

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‘Pekka Kuusisto . . . surely has the most 

personal sound of any classical violinist 

now alive.’ 

The Telegraph 

‘Kahane’s work . . . is, first and foremost, an 

exercise in lyric beauty. He sings in a warm, 

resonant, melancholic baritone, which coasts 

upward into a plaintive falsetto. He plays the 

piano with a poetic touch . . . and his music 

is suffused with idiosyncratic, enriched tonal 

harmony . . . he is one of the finest, most 

searching songwriters of the day.’ 

The New Yorker 

Pekka Kuusisto & 

Gabriel Kahane 

Pekka Kuusisto is an acclaimed violinist. Gabriel Kahane is a 

composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist. Both classically 

trained, both comfortable inside and outside the box, they 

wander those sometimes strange, sometimes quirky, but 

always beautiful borderlands where creativity thrives. 

They come together in a new collaboration, commissioned for 

recording and performance by an international partnership 

including Musica Viva Australia. The relaxed, intimate evening 

is an exploration of what it means to be artists in the 21st 

century; artists for whom honouring a classical heritage is as 

important as chasing the new. Be fascinated, entertained, 

moved and changed by what they make. 

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‘The possibilities are extraordinary. 

[William Barton] is a great man. He radiates.’ 

Sir Simon Rattle 

‘[Ensemble Q was] quite possibly the best 

performance I’ve seen all year, and an 

astonishing feat of music-making . . . Frankly, 

this was a jaw-dropping performance.’ 

Limelight 

Ensemble Q 

& William Barton 

What are the sonic possibilities when the oldest wind 

instrument in the world – the didgeridoo – teams up with 

instruments that found their final form only two centuries ago? 

And who better to explore them than distinguished artist and 

composer William Barton? 

Ensemble Q is a group powered by the passion and fizz of 

curiosity and underpinned by the virtuosic integrity of some 

of Australia’s finest musicians. It might just be the perfect 

playground for making music. Their ear-catching program 

includes works by William Barton and Paul Dean alongside 

hand-picked masterpieces by Brahms and Ligeti which 

promise to wrap audiences in a multi-faceted kaleidoscope 

of sound. 

With special thanks to Ensemble Patrons Ian and Caroline Frazer for their 

support of this tour. 

16

30 Sept.–12 Oct. 




Photo by Lyndon Mechielsen. 

Program 

WILLIAM BARTON New work 

(2024)* 

BRAHMS Cello Sonata No. 1 in 

E minor, Op. 38 (arr. Breuer) 

LIGETI Six Bagatelles 

Paul DEAN Concerto for Cello and 

Wind Quintet 

Artists 

Ensemble Q 

ALISON MITCHELL flute 

HUW JONES oboe 

PAUL DEAN co-artistic director 

and clarinet 

DAVID MITCHELL bassoon 

PETER LUFF horn 

TRISH DEAN co-artistic director 

and cello 

PHOEBE RUSSELL double bass 

WILLIAM BARTON didgeridoo / 

composer 


Comissioned by Musica Viva 

Australia with the support of the 

Hon Anthe Philippides SC. 

Alison Mitchell, Huw Jones, David 

Mitchell and Phoebe Russell 

appear courtesy of Queensland 

Symphony Orchestra 

17

9–23 November 




Photo by Klaus Feichtenberg. 

Program 

BIBER Sonata No. 1 in D minor 

‘The Annunciation’ 

CIMA Sonata à 2 

SCHMELZER Sonata Quarta in 

D major 

MUFFAT Passacaglia in G minor 

for harpsichord 

BIBER Sonata No. 10 in G minor 

‘The Crucifixion’ 

CORELLI Violin Sonata in G minor, 

Op. 5 No. 5 

TELEMANN Sonata for Cello in 

D major, TWV 41:D6 

PICCININI Toccata 

WESTHOFF Imitazione del liuto 

CORELLI Violin Sonata in D minor, 

Op. 5 No. 12 ‘La Folia’ 

Artists 

LINA TUR BONET artistic director 

& baroque violin 

MARCO TESTORI baroque cello 

GIANGIACOMO PINARDI 

theorbo 

KENNETH WEISS harpsichord 

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‘Bonet and her musicians capture it all: 

the lightness and gravity, the wit and the 

seriousness, the ardency and the soul.’ 

Gramophone 

Musica Alchemica 

Introducing Lina Tur Bonet, a fearless musical imaginista, and 

her crack team of period-instrument professionals. 

Regarded as one of the most exciting violinists of her 

generation, Tur Bonet has delighted and fascinated fans 

across Europe with her performances of repertoire ranging 

from Bach to Messiaen. Now she makes her Australian debut 

with Musica Alchemica, her hand-picked ensemble who bring 

honesty, and joyful sense of discovery to these works by Corelli, 

Telemann, Biber and other jewels of the Baroque. 

‘Lina Tur Bonet – the Kate Bush of early music – is a ferociously good player, 

but there is additionally a wonderful lustre to her presentation of works she 

inhabits so singularly and convincingly.’ 

Paul Kildea 

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2O24 

Concert Dates 

Adelaide Brisbane Canberra 

7.30pm 

unless indicated 

7pm 

7pm 

8 concerts 

Adelaide Town Hall 

6 concerts 

Brisbane Powerhouse 

QPAC 

Conservatorium 

7 concerts 

Playhouse Theatre 

Llewellyn Hall 


(and Grey Suede Gloves) 

Thu 7 March 

Thu 22 February 

Powerhouse 

Fri 1 March 

Playhouse 

Esmé Quartet Wed 1 May Mon 13 May Fri 10 May 

Kirill Gerstein Thu 20 June Wed 19 June 

QPAC 

Thu 13 June 

The Choir of King’s College, 

Cambridge 

Wed 31 July 

Lesley Lynn 

Tribute Concert 

Thu 25 July 

QPAC 

Sat 3 August 

Thu 1 Aug, 1pm 

Pekka Kuusisto & 

Gabriel Kahane 

Sat 17 August 

Thu 15 August 

Ensemble Q 

& William Barton 

Thu 3 October 

Sat 12 October 

Steven Kinston 


Sat 5 October 

Musica Alchemica Mon 18 November Wed 20 November Sat 9 November 

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Melbourne Newcastle Perth Sydney 

7pm 


7.30pm 

7.30pm 


7pm 


9 concerts 

Melbourne Recital Centre 

Hamer Hall, 

Arts Centre Melbourne 

6 concerts 

Newcastle City Hall 

6 concerts 

Perth Concert Hall 

*Venue TBC, 

dates confirmed 

8 concerts 

City Recital Hall 

Concert Hall, 

Sydney Opera House 

Tue 5 March Tue 20 February Sun 10 March, 6.30pm Mon 4 March 

Tue 14 May 

Graeme Watson 


Tue 7 May Mon 29 April Mon 6 May 

Ken Tribe 


Tue 11 June Fri 14 June Sun 23 June, 6.30pm Mon 17 June 

Charles Berg 


Sun 21 July, 5pm 

Hamer Hall 

Tue 23 July, 7pm 

Melbourne Recital Centre 

Mon 5 August 

Sun 28 July, 5pm 

CIty Recital Hall 

Mon 29 July, 7pm 

Sydney Opera House 

Tue 6 August Wed 14 August Mon 12 August 

Tue 8 October Thu 10 October Mon 30 September 

*Venue TBC 

Mon 7 October 

Tue 12 November 

Sat 23 November, 5pm 

Paul Morawetz 


Thu 21 November 

Fri 15 November 

*Venue TBC 

Mon 11 November 

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Liza Lim Damian Barbeler Judith Nangala Crispin 

Musica Viva Australia is passionate about bringing you the 

best new Australian music. Learn more about the composers 

whose works will be premiered in 2024. 

LIZA LIM 

Liza Lim is a composer, educator 

and researcher whose music 

focusses on collaborative 

and transcultural practices. 

Beauty, rage & noise, ecological 

connection, and female spiritual 

lineages are at the heart of recent 

works such as Sex Magic (2020) 

for Claire Chase; the orchestral 

cycle, Annunciation Triptych: 

Sappho, Mary, Fatimah (2019–22), 

and the piano concerto World as 

Lover, World as Self (2021). Her 

large-scale cycle Extinction Events 

and Dawn Chorus (2018) has 

found especially wide resonance 

internationally and highlights 

ecological listening to more-thanhuman 

realms. 


Australia by the Hildegard Project, 

supporting female composers. 

Liza Lim’s new work will be 

premiered by Kirill Gerstein on our 

national tour. 

Photo by Maria Sturm. 

DAMIAN BARBELER 

Damian Barbeler is an Australian 

composer and multimedia 

artist whose works have been 

performed and broadcast around 

the world. He is recognised for his 

lush, emotional creations inspired 

by the natural environment. 

His work frequently explores 

our personal relationship and 

connection to the landscape, 

through an awakening to elements 

of texture, light, and colour. He 

often hikes and travels in the bush 

for inspiration. Damian regularly 

collaborates with colleagues 

from diverse fields including film, 

architecture, media arts, and 

dance, and often incorporates his 

own visual, sculptural and lighting 

elements in musical projects. 

The new work with music by 

Damian Barbeler and words 

by Judith Nangala Crispin is 

commissioned for Musica Viva 

Australia by Richard Wilkins and 

will be premiered by The Choir of 

King’s College, Cambridge on our 


JUDITH NANGALA CRISPIN 

Judith Nangala Crispin is a 

Canberra-based poet and visual 

artist, with a background in music. 

She has published two collections 

of poetry, and a book of images 

and poems made while living 

with the Warlpiri people. She is a 

member of Oculi photographic 

collective and was Musica Viva 

Australia’s Artist in Residence 

from 2021. Her work includes 

themes of displacement and 

identity loss, a reflection on her 

own lost Aboriginal ancestry, 

but primarily it is centred on 

the concept of connection with 

Country. She traces her ancestry 

to the Bpangerang people of 

North-Eastern Victoria and the 

NSW Riverina; and to Ghana, 

the Ivory Coast, France, Ireland 

and Scotland. 

Photo by Kerrie Brewer. 

Commissions 

22

William Barton Owen Elsley Alice Chance 

WILLIAM BARTON 

For two decades, William Barton 

has forged a peerless profile as 

a performer and composer in 

the classical music world, from 

working with the Philharmonic 

Orchestras of London and 

Berlin to appearances at 

historic events at Westminster 

Abbey for Commonwealth Day 

2019, to Anzac Cove and the 

Beijing Olympics. 

His awards include Winner of Best 

Original Score for a Mainstage 

Production at the 2018 Sydney 

Theatre Awards and Winner of 

ARIA Best Classical Album for 

Kalkadungu in 2012. With his 

prodigious musicality and the 

quiet conviction of his Kalkadunga 

heritage, he has vastly expanded 

the horizons of the didgeridoo – 

and the culture and landscape 

that it represents. 

Commissioned by Musica Viva 

Australia with the support of 

the Hon Anthe Philippides SC, 

William Barton will be premiering 

his work with Ensemble Q on our 


Photo by Keith Saunders. 

OWEN ELSLEY 

Owen is an Australian singer, 

composer, conductor, and pianist 

currently based in Cambridge, UK. 

His music has been performed by 

ensembles including the Vienna 

Boys’ Choir; Gondwana Choirs; 

the Song Company; the Choir 

of St James’ Church, Sydney 

and the Choir of Trinity College, 

Melbourne. 

Owen has been a Choral Scholar 

and then Lay Clerk with the Choir 

of King’s College, Cambridge, 

where he was also Musical 

Director of The King’s Men. He 

has sung as an ensemble member 

and soloist with professional 

groups around the world including 

Voces8; the Amsterdam Baroque 

Orchestra and Choir; The Song 

Company; the Armonico Consort; 

Pinchgut Opera; and Cantillation. 

Owen’s new work will be 

premiered by The Choir 

of St James, King Street at 

Musica Viva Australia’s Sydney 

Morning Masters. 

ALICE CHANCE 

Alice Chance’s works span 

contemporary classical music, 

musical theatre and sound art. She 

grew up on the lands of the Darug 

people of the Eora Nation, where 

she has worked with ensembles 

including the Sydney Symphony 

Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring, 

Gondwana Choirs, Moorambilla 

Voices, and the Barangaroo 

Delivery Authority. 

A three-time finalist in the APRA 

AMC Art Music Awards, Alice is 

also original music director of the 

musical Fangirls, and wrote vocal 

arrangements for the Amazon 

Prime series Deadloch. Alice’s 

works have been performed 

in venues including the Sydney 

Opera House, Kennedy Center, 

City Recital Hall and Trinity 

Church, Wall St, New York City. 

Her music is also performed in 

sheds, paddocks, and showers all 

around Australia. 

Alice’s new work will be 

premiered by Affinity Quartet for 

Musica Viva Australia’s Sydney 

Morning Masters. 

23

SYDNEY 

MORNING 

MASTERS 

The Choir of St 

James’, King Street 

Wed 20 March 

Life ever after 

TAVERNER The Lamb 

TALLIS Videte miraculum 

Heather PERCY Holy Innocents 

BYRD Infelix ego 

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Rest 

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Sweet Day 

BYRD Domine quis habitabit 

Owen ELSLEY New work (2024)* 

*World premiere performances 

commissioned by 

Musica Viva Australia 

Australian Haydn 

Ensemble 

Wed 22 May 

MOZART Flute Quartet in D major, 

K.285 

HAYDN Symphony No 104 in 

D major ‘London’ (arr Salomon) 

Artists 

SKYE MCINTOSH artistic director 

and violin 

MELISSA FARROW flute 

MATTHEW GRECO violin 

KARINA SCHMITZ viola 

DANIEL YEADON cello 

Photo by (from left to right): 

Chris Shain; Oliver Miller; Jolanta Morgan; 

Anna Boychev; James Grant. 

Artists 

WARREN TREVELYAN-JONES 

director 

THE CHOIR OF ST JAMES’, 

KING STREET 

24

Sydney Morning Masters is our concert series 

dedicated to connoisseurs — of music, of 

course, but also of good coffee and great 

company. Come away from the crowds and 

into the beautiful setting of the Concourse to 

enjoy complimentary morning tea followed 

by an hour of music and lively conversation 

with some of Sydney’s finest artists. 

The Choir of St James was formed in the earliest 

days of the colony of New South Wales and is one of 

Australia’s longest serving church choirs. They will give 

performances of ravishing a capella works from Byrd, 

Tallis and Vaughan Williams which might just stop time. 

Next up the Australian Haydn Ensemble, Sydney’s 

bravura Classical-era specialists, perform Mozart’s 

Flute Quartet and Haydn’s ‘London’ Symphony in an 

intimate display of historically-informed performance. 

Audience favourite Andrea Lam presents ‘Fantasia’, an 

exquisite bouquet of piano music by Chopin, Liszt and 

Beethoven, alongside Gustave Le Gray, an intriguing 

work described by composer Caroline Shaw as ‘a multilayered 

portrait of [Chopin’s Mazurka] Op. 17 No. 4 

using some of Chopin’s ingredients overlaid and hinged 

together with my own’. 

Finally, winners of the Monash University Grand Prize 

in 2023’s Melbourne International Chamber Music 

Competition, the Affinity Quartet, bring their winning 

interpretation of Schubert’s glorious ‘Death and the 

Maiden’ quartet to Sydney. 

Make time for brilliant music at Sydney Morning Masters. 

Sydney Morning Masters is generously supported by the 

Wenkart Foundation. 

Jonathan Békés, Principal Cellist of the Tasmanian 

Symphony Orchestra, has been performing with 

Sydney pianist Ying Ho for over ten years. They bring 

their enduring musical friendship to cello sonatas by 

Beethoven and Shostakovich. 

Jonathan Békés & 

Ying Ho 

Wed 3 July 

BEETHOVEN Cello Sonata No. 3 in 

A major, Op. 69 

SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Sonata in 

D minor, Op. 40 

Artists 

JONATHAN BÉKÉS cello 

YING HO piano 

Andrea Lam 

Wed 4 September 

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 14 

‘Moonlight’ 

CHOPIN Mazurka Op. 17 No. 4 

Caroline SHAW Gustave Le Gray 

LISZT Après une lecture du Dante: 

Fantasia quasi sonata 

Artist 

ANDREA LAM piano 

Affinity Quartet 

Wed 23 October 

Alice CHANCE New work (2024)* 

SCHUBERT String Quartet No. 14 

in D minor, D.810 ‘Death and 

the Maiden’ 

*World premiere performances 

commissioned by 


Artists 

JOSEPHINE CHUNG violin 

NICHOLAS WATERS violin 

RUBY SHIRRES viola 

MEE NA LOJEWSKI cello 

25

MUSICA VIVA AUSTRALIA 

AT THE EDGE 

Musica Viva Australia at The Edge is 

Melbourne’s secret music treat, an always 

surprising, always lively series of three morning 

concerts, and a perfect prelude to lunch at 

Melbourne’s vibrant Fed Square. 

Guitarist Ken Murray treads a multi-faceted path as 

a performer, composer, educator and researcher, 

specialising in Spanish music from the early 20th-century 

and South American music styles. He has many treasures 

to share ranging from the Spanish Baroque to Paraguay’s 

irresistible Zamba to striking new work from First Nations 

composer Christopher Sainsbury. 

Next up, we welcome back Trio Bohémo, the charismatic 

ensemble from the Czech Republic that captured the 

audience’s heart at the 2023 Melbourne International 

Chamber Music Competition. And what better work 

to include than Dvořák’s ‘Dumky’ Trio, written as a 

love letter to his Czech homeland on the eve of his big 

American adventure? 

The Penny Quartet is no stranger to The Edge, but this time 

they’ve brought a friend. Jess Hitchcock is an Indigenous 

singer-songwriter who has stirred up the Australian music 

scene as a genre-defying force. Experience her gorgeous 

mezzo voice and uncanny knack for storytelling as she 

performs her own songs, arranged for voice, guitar and 

string quartet. 

26

Ken Murray 

Tue 21 May 

Program 

Spanish Baroque music by 

Gaspar Sanz, and selections 

by Falla, Barrios, Tárrega, 

Christopher Sainsbury and more. 

Artist 

KEN MURRAY guitar 

Photo by (from left to right): 

Pia Johnson; James Grant; 

Tessa Thames; WILK. 

Trio Bohémo 

Tue 24 September 

Program 

CHRISTOU Dvořák in Cyprus 

DVOŘÁK Piano Trio No. 4 in 

E minor ‘Dumky’ 

Artists 

MATOUŠ PĚRUŠKA violin 

KRISTINA VOCETKOVÁ cello 

JAN VOJTEK piano 

Jess Hitchcock & 

Penny Quartet 

Tue 29 October 

Program 

Includes a variety of Jess’s original 

songs, specially arranged for 

string quartet, paired with music 

by Eleanor Alberga for the 

Quartet alone. 

Artists 

JESS HITCHCOCK vocals 

AMY BROOKMAN violin 

MADELEINE JEVONS violin 

ANTHONY CHATAWAY viola 

JACK WARD cello 

Arrangements funded by 

the Musica Viva Australia 

Hildegard Project supporting 

female composers 

27

Why subscribe? 

28

Our 2024 Season makes the bold offer of creative innovation 

alongside tradition. We’re confident our range of work across 

the year will delight, inspire and enthrall. 

This is your chance to design your own Musica Viva Australia 

experience. 

What’s not to like? 

Choose three or more concerts in 2024, get your diary 

organised, make savings of up to 19% and benefit from splitting 

your payments. 

The best seats in the house 

Secure the best seats possible for the best 

price for each performance, with Gold 

subscribers retaining the same seats 

each year. 

The best price making 

great savings 

Subscribers save up to 19% off the cost 

of single tickets, with Gold subscribers 

receiving the most savings. If you’re under 

40 or have a concession card, you enjoy 

additional discounts. 

Split payments 

As a subscriber you can split the cost of 

your subscription over 4 instalments with 

our payment plan. Simply pay the first 

instalment at the time of purchase and the 

balance will automatically be deducted 

from the same card in three further 

installments on 19 January, 8 March and 

19 April. Please ensure that your credit 

card is valid through April 2024. 

Priority booking 

As a subscriber you have a priority 

booking period from 17 October before 

single tickets go on sale on 23 November, 

excluding the Choir of Kings College 

Cambridge which goes on sale 

26 March 2024, ensuring you get the 

best seats available. 

Flexibility 

We understand that sometimes plans 

change. As a subscriber you have access 

to unlimited free ticket exchanges if you 

can no longer make a performance. 

Ticket exchanges are available from 

23 November and can be made up to 

48 hours before the concert, subject 

to availability. 

Share the love 

Share your concert experience with your 

friends and family with a 10% discount on 

each additional ticket you purchase. 

Exclusive partner offers 

Enjoy a range of offers and discounts 

from other cultural organisations. 

Seven reasons to subscribe 

29

Choose your 

subscription 

Gold subscription 

Become a Gold Subscriber to 

enjoy all 7 concerts (6 in Brisbane, 

Newcastle and Perth) and receive 

the best benefits. 

Save 19% on single ticket prices 

Retain the same seats every year, 

for each concert 

Access free exchanges on tickets if 

your plans change 

Choose subscriptions 

You can access the performances 

you don’t want to miss with our 

Choose Subscriptions. Take 

your pick from the 3, 4, 5 or 6 

performances and you can 

tailor your perfect 2024 Season, 

while making big savings on 

single ticket prices. 

Sydney Morning Masters 

Subscribe to all 5 concerts and 

save on tickets. Plan out your year 

of sublime daytime concerts and 

access a range of other benefits. 

Musica Viva Australia at 

The Edge 

Take time out to enjoy a morning 

concert series at The Edge in 

Federation Square, Melbourne. 

Surrounded by great food and 

drink options, a concert at The 

Edge is a perfect pre-lunch treat, 

with convenient transport options 

close at hand. Plan ahead, choose 

up to three concerts and save 

on tickets. 

Subscribing is easy 

Post 

Simply complete your subscription 

booking form and return to: 


Subscriptions 

Gadigal Country 

PO Box 1687 

Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 

Please note: Renewing Gold 

Subscribers are requested to 

return booking forms prior to 

midnight on 22 November. 

Other subscription applications 

posted to Musica Viva Australia 

must be mailed at least two 

weeks prior to the date of the 

first concert in your package to 

allow us sufficient time to process 

your request. 

Online 

Subscribe securely at 

musicaviva.com.au/subscribe 

Phone 

Subscribe over the phone by 

calling our friendly Box Office 

team on 1800 688 482 (Monday– 

Friday, 9am–5pm AEDT). 

30

Additional Information 

Concession Discounts 

Full-time students, means-tested Australian 

pensioners (Aged, Disability, Veterans’ 

Affairs and Supporting Parent) and Health 

Care Card holders are eligible to receive 

Musica Viva Australia’s Concession prices. 

Seniors Card holders are not eligible. To 

claim a concession, please provide proof of 

eligibility when purchasing your subscription. 

Under 40s 

Save up to 65% on ticket prices if you are 

aged under 40. Proof of age must be 

supplied when booking and may be required 

prior to admission to each concert. 

Single Tickets / General Booking 

Single tickets / general booking for the 2024 

Season go on sale on 23 November with the 

exception of The Choir of King’s College, 

Cambridge. General bookings for these 

concerts opens on Tuesday 26 March 2024. 

Tickets are subject to availability. 

Group Discounts 

Enjoy a 10% discount on group bookings 

of 10 or more people (excluding Under 40 

and Concession prices). Remember that 

subscribing is the ultimate way to pay the 

lowest prices for the best seats! 

Group bookings are only available over the 

phone on 1800 688 482. 

Family Tickets 

Introduce your family to classical music with 

our affordable family tickets, available for 

selected concerts throughout the year. 

To learn more, visit 

musicaviva.com.au/family‐tickets 

Gift Vouchers 

Give the gift of music with our gift vouchers! 

Redeemable for any of our concerts, gift 

vouchers can be purchased at musicaviva. 

com.au/gifts or through the Box Office on 

1800 688 482 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm 

AEDT). 

31

Frequently Asked Questions 

How do I get tickets for The Choir of King’s College, 

Cambridge? 

We’re expecting high demand for these performances, 

as they sold out the last time they performed in 

Australia. The best way of securing tickets for The Choir 

of King’s College, Cambridge is to book a subscription 

(a minimum of three and up to seven concerts). 

This means your seats are guaranteed, you make 

great savings and can plan your concert-going across 

the year. 

General booking for The Choir of King’s College, 

Cambridge opens on Tuesday 26 March 2024. 

Do subscribers get priority seating? 

Yes. All subscribers have access to a priority 

booking period before single tickets go on sale. 

Gold subscribers are allocated seats first, followed by 

Choose subscribers. 

Can I pay for my subscription in instalments? 

Yes. You can pay for your 2024 subscription in 4 equal 

instalments: 

– 25% is due when subscribing 

– 25% due 19 January 

– 25% due 18 March 

– 25% due 19 April 

Can I have the same seats as 2023? 

Gold subscribers from 2023 can renew their 

subscription for the same seats with the exception of 

weekend subscribers in both Melbourne and Sydney 

(who have been advised of changes). 

Are there concession subscriptions and tickets? 

Yes. You are eligible for these tickets if you currently 

hold a means-tested Australian pension (Aged, 

Disability, Veteran’s Affairs, Supporting Parent and 

Health Care Card holders). Seniors Card holders are 

not eligible for a concession price. 

When will I receive my tickets? 

Tickets will be sent to subscribers prior to 

Christmas 2023. 

Can I purchase accessible seating? 

Yes. To book accessible seating (such as wheelchair 

accessible seating) please contact our friendly Box 

Office team. 

What if I can no longer attend a concert I’ve purchased 

a ticket to? 

Subscribers can access flexible exchanges on concert 

tickets available up to 48 hours before a concert, 

subject to availability. To exchange your ticket, please 

contact the Box Office. 

What if I don’t feel well on concert day? 

If you do not feel well on concert day we strongly advise 

you to remain at home for the safety and wellbeing 

of yourself and our audience. To discuss your options, 

please contact our Box Office. 

How can I contact the Box Office? 

Our Box Office team can be reached by calling 

1800 688 482 Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm AEDT. 

Terms & Conditions 

We will confirm receipt of your subscription by email, 

allocate your tickets based on your seating preference 

and availability, and post them to you along with any 

additional information relevant to your subscription. 

Renewing Gold subscribers need to book by 

22 November to retain their current seats. New Gold 

and Choose packages are allocated seats in date order 

of receipt. 

Important Information 

Tickets sold to Musica Viva Australia performances are 

subject to conditions of sale. To see the full conditions, 

visit musicaviva.com.au/terms. By forwarding a 

subscription application, it is understood that you have 

read and accepted the full terms and conditions. 

If you purchase tickets on behalf of someone else, you 

will be deemed to have agreed to the terms on their 

behalf as an agent for them. 

Ticket exchanges 

Ticket exchanges are only available for subscribers and 

are subject to availability. Tickets can be exchanged 

from 23 November. Simply return your ticket(s) to 

Musica Viva Australia at least 48 hours before the 

concert. For more information on our ticket exchange 

policy, visit musicaviva.com.au/terms. 

Misplaced tickets 

If you misplace your ticket(s), please call Musica Viva 

Australia’s Box Office on 1800 688 482. Alternatively, 

visit the Musica Viva Australia VIP Desk at the venue 

on the day of your concert for a Ticket Replacement 

Voucher at no charge. 

Privacy policy 

Your personal details will be treated confidentially 

in accordance with the appropriate legislation and 

Musica Viva Australia’s Privacy Policy. 

Visit musicaviva.com.au/privacy-policy/ 

for more information. 

Disclaimer 

The information in this brochure was correct at the time 

of printing. Musica Viva Australia reserves the right to 

change dates, times, venues, prices, artists or repertoire 

as necessary. 

Further assistance 

If you have any questions about subscribing to 

Musica Viva Australia, please call the Box Office on 

1800 688 482 or email boxoffice@musicaviva.com.au. 

32

Hands up! 

…if you know over 90% of Musica Viva Australia audiences are under 15? 

— 

Every year we present over 1,000 performances 

to more than 150,000 students live in schools across Australia. 

— 

Throughout 2024 there will be drumming, dancing and musical fun for students, 

supported by online resources and a parallel program of 

Professional Development for teachers. 

If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more 

about Musica Viva Australia In Schools: 

or 

VISIT 

SIGN-UP 

STRIKE A CHORD 2O24 

Musica Viva Australia’s national chamber music competition for high 

school musicians is back in 2024. Do you know any secondary school 

students who have a passion for music? The Strike A Chord competition 

provides training and performing opportunities to young performers 

of all levels to develop their ensemble skills, fostering participation 

and a lifelong love of music. It’s more fun playing together! 

DETAILS

A stunning 

interpretation 

THE TIMES (UK) 

Musica Viva has imaginatively 

looked beyond a stand‐and‐deliver 

presentation and opened up a 

fascinating vista of artistic and 

emotional discovery. 

— THE AGE / SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 

A Winter’s Journey 

THE AGE 

LIMELIGHT 

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 

A recital with Ohlsson is always like a 

conversation with a wise and kind master – 

gentle, despite his towering stature 

— SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 

Garrick Ohlsson 

Nothing short of a triumph of 

virtuosity and technical mastery. 

— ARTSHUB 

. . . one of those rare occasions where creative 

programming produces an arresting experience 

encompassing a world of harmony, style 

and musicianship. 

— SEESAW MAGAZINE 

THE AGE 

LIMELIGHT 

Queyras’ presentation of 

Britten’s Cello Suite No. 1 

alone was worth the price 

of admission 

— THE AGE 

Ferociously talented, the kind of 

musicians who make it look easy. 

— SEESAW MAGAZINE 

Silk, Metal, Wood 

BRAVO 

MUSICA VIVA. 

AGAIN 

— BAREFOOT REVIEW 

34

MASTERFUL, 

INTIMATE, 

UNAFRAID 

— SEESAW 

This was real Festival fare – a bold 

experiment that produced an engrossing 

experience. John Cage would have loved it. 

And the rapt attention of the audience 

suggested that we have progressed in the 

past half century. 

— THE ADVERTISER 

LIMELIGHT 

The Cage Project 

When the final moment of the work arrived, several hundred 

people sat in a moment of inner peace and tranquility we 

seldom find in this always busy modern world. 

— GLAMADELAIDE 

Musica Viva can be relied upon to present the uncommon, and 

the combination of flute, viola and harp is about as uncommon 

as it gets. Put together three young international artists who are 

at the very top of their game, throw in infrequently performed 

repertoire, and you have the makings of an evening of 

exceptional music making; and remarkable it was. 

— THE BAREFOOT REVIEW 

The Birds and the Trees 

THE AGE 

Musica Viva is to be applauded 

for its efforts to explore innovative 

ideas for the presentation of 

classical music. 

— AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW 

Chopin’s Piano 

This is a major 

achievement 

— THE TELEGRAPH 

If theatres and concert halls are to lure audiences 

from their screens, this type of cross‐genre 

storytelling is certainly one way to try it. 

— ARTSHUB 

35

Support Musica Viva Australia 

What makes Musica Viva Australia different? 

Is it our nearly 80 years’ experience of presenting the finest musicians from 

Australia and around the world? Is it the way we’ve sought for decades to 

ignite that spark of creativity in our youngest audiences? Or perhaps it’s our 

commitment to nurturing the artists of the future? 

It’s thanks to our donors and partners that we are able to do and be all these 

things – and more. And if you’re not part of our donor family – yet – we invite 

you to join us. 

A donation to Musica Viva Australia will ensure we can continue to present 

the finest artists, support the next generation of talent and provide awardwinning 

education programs to students of all ages, from all backgrounds 

and in all states and territories. 

Creating, producing and presenting great art takes courage and vision. It 

also takes the vision – and generosity – of our donors and partners, without 

whom none of our programs would exist. If you would like to help bring our 

work to life, we would love to hear from you. 

Your gift will make a difference. 

For more information about donating to Musica Viva Australia, please 

contact the Philanthropy team at philanthropy@musicaviva.com.au. 

Learn more about 

supporting us 

ACN 

000 111 848 

ABN 

94 504 497655 

TONY BERG AM 

Patron 

CHARLES GRAHAM 

Chairman 

ANNE FRANKENBERG 

Chief Executive Officer 

PAUL KILDEA 

Artistic Director 

— 

Contact 

Musica Viva Australia House 


757 Elizabeth Street, 

Zetland NSW 2017 

Photo by Bradbury Photography. 

Photo by Tony McDonough. 



PO Box 1687 

Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 

1800 688 482 (toll free) 

Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. 

musicaviva.com.au 

boxoffice@musicaviva.com.au 

— 

Follow 

Facebook @MusicaVivaAustralia 

X/Instagram @MusicaVivaAU 

— 

Brochure Design 

Frost*collective 

— 

Season Photography 

Shelley Horan 

— 

All shells pictured in this season 

brochure are sustainably and 

ethically sourced. 

Shell species (pg.) 

01 Lambis millepeda 

04 Lambis millepeda 

06 Tonna tessellata 

08 Guildfordia yoka 

12 Fusinus forceps 

14 Fusinus colus 

16 Conus leopardus 

18 Spondylus regius 

24 Placamen choloroticum 

26 Turbo petholatus 

36

Thank you 

Government Partners 

Assisted by the Australian Government through 

Creative Australia, its principal arts investment 

and advisory body. 

Supported by the NSW Government 

through Create NSW. 

MVA 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). 

Concert Partners 

Perth Concert Series Sydney Morning Masters Series Musica Viva Australia at The Edge Series 

Commissioning Partner Rehearsal Partner Project Partner 

Legal Chartered Accountants Piano & tuning 

Hotel Partner: VIC Hotel Partner: ACT Wine Partner 

Media Partner 

Emerging Artists Partners 

Competitions 

Principal Partner Strategic Partner Strategic Partner 

University Partner Key Philanthropic Partner Key Philanthropic Partner 

Patricia H Reid 

Endowment 

FutureMakers 

Lead Partner 

Residency Partner 

To learn more about partnering with Musica Viva Australia, please contact Zoë Cobden-Jewitt at 

zcobden-jewitt@musicaviva.com.au or Mathew Jordan at mjordan@musicaviva.com.au

Musica Viva Australia Season Brochure | 2024

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