Concert Series
Continuing a 138 year tradition of bringing great music to the community of South Australia, the faculty and students of the Elder Conservatorium of Music welcome you to our Concert Series.
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Latest concert
Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra
Bryan Griffiths conductor
JS Bach (transcribed Goldman and Leist) Fantasia in G major
Reynaldo Hahn Le Bal de Béatrice d'Este
Percy Grainger (transcribed Jager) Blithe Bells (after J.S. Bach BWV 208)
JS Bach (transcribed Cailliet) Fervent is My Longing — "Little" Fugue in G Minor
Stephen Montague Intrada 1631 (after Juan Pérez Bocanegra)
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2022 program
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Lunchtime concerts season one
- All concerts in Elder Hall at 1:10pm. Doors open at 12:30pm.
- $14 general admission, or purchase a Gold Pass subscription for 25% savings.
Friday 11 March
Australian String Quartet
Aaron Pelle Anhedonia
Tchaikovsky String Quartet in D major, Op. 11 No. 1Quartet-in-residence at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide, the Australian String Quartet brings the 2022 Lunchtime Concert Series to life with a fundamental work of Russian chamber music – Tchaikovsky’s first string quartet. Also featured is a new work from Elder Conservatorium PhD student Aaron Pelle.
Friday 18 March
Bowerbird Ensemble
Brendan O’Donnell recorders
Simone Slattery violin
Jackie Hansen bassoon
Glenys March harpsichordVivaldi Chamber Concerto in D major, RV 84
Locatelli Violin Sonata in F major, Op. 8 No. 1
Vivaldi Chamber Concerto in A minor, RV 86
Sieber Recorder Sonata I in A minor
Vivaldi Chamber Concerto in G minor, RV 106Exploring the vast world of Baroque music, the Bowerbird Ensemble will transport listeners back in time with their performance of well-loved concertos by Vivaldi and sonata gems by Locatelli and Sieber.
Friday 25 March
Maestros
Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
Luke Dollman conductor
Lauren Borg fluteRossini The Barber of Seville Overture
Carl Reinecke Flute Concerto, Op. 283
Haydn Symphony No. 88"I was cut off from the world, there was no one to confuse or torment me, and I was forced to become original.” Haydn used these words to explain the development of his compositional style; and his originality shines in his 88th Symphony. Originality also permeates the drama-filled overture from the Barber of Seville, displaying the wit and inventiveness typical in Rossini’s operas. Reineke’s flute concerto, an integral piece in the romantic repertoire, showcases the extraordinary capabilities of the flute – virtuosic, fluent, and lyrical.
Friday 1 April
Still Falls the Rain
Celia Craig oboe
Michael Ierace pianoLutoslawski Epitaph
Dutilleux Sonatina
Miriam Hyde Nightfall and Merrymaking
Resphighi Nocturne
Britten Two Insect Pieces
Hindemith SonataAn important and pronounced program of works for oboe and piano, presented by two of Adelaide’s finest musicians, Celia Craig and Michael Ierace.
Friday 8 April
Jazz Award Winners
All jazz is cool, but for a period in the 1950s the dominant style of jazz was actually known as ‘Cool Jazz’. Under the direction of Dr Lyndon Gray, the 2022 Helpmann Academy Jazz Award winners come together to play ‘Cool Jazz’ celebrating music made famous by Paul Desmond, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker and the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Friday 22 April
The Viennese Connection
Yuka Eguchi violin
Kemp English fortepianoKoželuch Keyboard Sonata in G, P.XII:50
Mozart Violin Sonata in C, KV.296
Kreisler Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice for solo violin, Op. 6
Schubert Violin Sonata in G minor, D.408Koželuch’s short sonata in G represents just a snapshot of his 50 solo keyboard sonatas, which rank alongside those of Haydn and Mozart. While most late eighteenth-century duo sonatas were conceived for solo keyboard with a violin accompaniment, the sonatas here by Mozart and Schubert place both instruments on a much more level footing.
Friday 29 April
Harmonic Inspiration
Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra
Elizabeth Layton violin/directorVivaldi Concerto for 4 violins in B minor
Peter Warlock Capriol Suite
Lutoslawski Musique funèbre
Bartok Romanian Folk DancesVivaldi’s Concerto in B minor was written as a concerto grosso – a concerto with multiple solo instruments. In this case, four violinists share the solo line. The excitement and vigour continue as we head through Warlock’s characterful suite, Lutoslawski’s intense work full of suspenseful harmonies, and Bartok’s iconic Romanian Folk Dances.
Friday 6 May
Mythic Proportions
Sophie Rowell violin
Kristian Chong pianoMozart Sonata for Piano and Violin in E-flat Major, K380
Szymanowski Myths: Three Poems for Violin & Piano, Op. 30Mozart’s extroverted K380 Sonata provides a delightful example of the composer’s mature large scale works for chamber formations in which the role of both piano and violin are completely developed into equal parts. Free from the formal constraints of the sonata and concerto, Polish composer Karol Szymanowski’s Myths is among the twentieth century’s most innovative pieces for violin and piano. The collection of poems features delightfully colourful musical depictions of ancient Greek myths as seen through a modern lens.
Friday 13 May
Karen De Nardi and Mike Bevan
Karen De Nardi violin
Mike Bevan guitar
Join Karen De Nardi and Mike Bevan for a program of classical, original and Brazilian works for violin and guitar. Note, the performance of "A Far Different World", with Robert MacFarlane and Stephen Whittington, has been postponed.
Friday 20 May
The Music of Rodgers and Hart
Honours Jazz Ensemble
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote some of the most memorable songs in the American Song Book including ‘My Funny Valentine’, ‘Isn’t it Romantic’, ‘This Can’t Be Love’ and ‘Blue Moon’. James Muller directs the Honours Ensemble from the Elder Conservatorium as they bring some of Rodgers and Hart’s most beautiful works to life with fresh new arrangements.
Friday 27 May
Journeys 1
Elder Conservatorium Chorale & Bella Voce
Carl Crossin conductor
Karl Geiger pianoEric Whitacre Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine
Joe Twist The Night Train
Carl Crossin The Road Not Taken
Paul Smith (Voces8) Edo Lullaby…and other magnificent choral music of travel – real or imagined!
Friday 3 June
Beauty and Tragedy
Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
Luke Dollman conductor
Natalia Beos violinWagner Lohengrin, Prelude to Act 3
Wagner Träume (from Wesendonck Lieder for solo violin)
Brahms Symphony No. 4Wagner’s operatic influence pervades his music; these two short pieces taking the listener on a journey through excitement, love, and loss. In similar fashion, Brahms’ final symphony is a conduit to places of severity, solemnity and exuberance.
Friday 10 June
Celestial Worlds
Claire Edwardes percussion
Emily Granger harpNeighbours, Claire Edwardes and Emily Granger join forces on stage with their two unique and monolithic instruments – the marimba and the harp! This program of solos and duos, featuring arrangements alongside works by living composers from home and abroad explores the sonic glory of our natural and celestial worlds, showcasing two of Australia’s most exciting performers who will delight and enthral an audience of all ages!
Friday 1 July
Trailblazers
Elizabeth Layton violin
Michael Ierace piano
Dean Newcomb clarinet
Helen Ayres violin
Steve King viola
Simon Cobcroft cello
Julia Grenfell fluteMissy Mazzoli Lies You Can Believe In
Natalie Williams Letters to Clara
Margaret Sutherland Violin Sonata‘Inspired as much by modern gypsy music, punk, and electronica as it is by traditional Bulgarian and Romanian folk music’ says Missy Mazzoli of her high-octane string trio. SA-born Natalie Williams pays tribute to one of music’s pioneering women, Clara Schumann, before the haunting Violin Sonata by one of Australia’s most significant musical trailblazers, Margaret Sutherland.
Trailblazers is part of She Speaks 2022, presented by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Elder Conservatorium of Music.
Gold Pass subscribers receive free entry, but seats must be booked.
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Lunchtime concerts season two
- All concerts in Elder Hall at 1:10pm. Doors open at 12:30pm.
- $14 general admission, or purchase a Gold Pass subscription for 25% savings.
Friday 12 August
Schubert: The Poet's Poet
Stephen King viola
Anna Goldsworthy pianoA selection of Schubert’s lieder transcribed for piano and viola
Schubert used many of the themes from his lieder to inspire his own instrumental music, such as the Trout Quintet and Death and the Maiden String Quartet. The great pianist Franz Liszt made many arrangements of Schubert’s 600 Lieder, proclaiming that “Schubert was the most poetic musician, who has ever lived.”
Friday 19 August
Powerhouse
Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
Luke Dollman conductor
Mattea Osenk violaGraeme Koehne Powerhouse
Hannah Wilkinson New work
Walton Viola ConcertoPlaying the works of great masters is undoubtedly an important part of concert performance, but just as important is showcasing modern works. The Walton Viola Concerto, written in 1929, highlights the abilities of the viola – lyrical, with the potential to be incredibly virtuosic. Also featured in the program – works by Hannah Wilkinson, a current composition student at the University of Adelaide, and Graeme Koehne AO, Director of the Elder Conservatorium of Music.
Friday 26 August
Where Emus Roam the Streets
Mark Ferguson piano
Ciara Ferguson vibraphone/voice/recorder
Kyrie Anderson drums
Bonnie Aué double bassNew lyrical contemporary jazz from Mark Ferguson’s ABC Jazz Composer Commission, Where Emus Roam the Streets, inspired by the dramatic vistas, the ‘ghost towns’ and the extraordinary people of the Northern Flinders Ranges on Adnymathanha country.
Friday 2 September
In Memory
Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra
Bryan Griffiths conductorA tribute to the late Robert “Bob” Hower, regarded as an international force in the world of wind band music. Among his myriad achievements and contributions to the Adelaide music scene, Bob is fondly remembered as the director of the Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra for more than 20 years. This tribute concert features works by Percy Grainger, David Stanhope, Warren Benson, and Gordon Jacob.
The Adelaide Wind Orchestra presents its own tribute concert to Bob Hower in Elder Hall on Saturday 3 September.
Friday 9 September
Spanning Centuries
Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra
Elizabeth Layton violin/director
Tom Marlin celloMozart Divertimento in D major, KV 136
Bodman Rae Divertimento for Strings (Premiere)
CPE Bach Cello Concerto in A majorCPE Bach was the most successful of JS Bach’s children, his style bridging the baroque and classical periods, drawing influences from both. The concerto in A major is perhaps the most popular cello concerto that he wrote, incorporating long lyrical lines, driving scale figures, and urgent rhythmic sections.
Friday 16 September
Piano Duo
Lucinda Collins piano
Konstantin Shamray pianoDebussy En blanc et noir
Shostakovich Suite for two pianos Op. 6The sonorities and colours of Debussy’s En blanc et noir show how expressively rich the piano can be – especially when accompanied by another. Shostakovich wrote his opus no. 6 in response to his father’s death. Still relatively early in his career, before he had matured his style, there are nevertheless key elements that make this work distinctly Shostakovich – ponderous themes, charming moments and dramatic climaxes are heard throughout.
Friday 23 September
The Meaning of all That
Zoe Black violin
Joe Chindamo pianoA celebration of the audaciousness, urbanity, sophistication and energy of the 20th century, through original works by Chindamo, Lutoslawski and Gershwin.
Friday 30 September
Reviving Bach
Austral Harmony
Jane Downer baroque oboe, oboe d’amore & oboe da caccia
David Macfarlane harpsichordBWV 894 Prelude in A minor – BWV 564 Adagio – BWV 894 Fugue
BWV 1030b Andante from Sonata in G minor for oboe & obbligato harpsichord
BWV 528 Organ Trio in E minor for oboe d’amore & harpsichord
BWV 525 Organ Trio in Eb major for oboe da caccia & harpsichord
BWV 508 Bist du bei mirMusic by JS Bach re-fashioned to exist in fresh versions, including an oboe sonata movement conceived from two manuscript sources, a solo keyboard work later remodelled by the composer into a concerto, Organ Trio arrangements involving the unique sounds of baroque oboe d’amore and oboe da caccia, instruments essential to Bach’s orchestra, and Bach’s arrangement of a sublime aria from an opera by GH Stölzel.
Friday 7 October
Violin Duo
Adam Chalabi violin
Elizabeth Layton violin
Elder Conservatorium Chamber OrchestraLeclair Sonata for Two Violins in A Major
Prokofiev Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56
JS Bach Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043One of the composer’s most famous works, the “Double Concerto” dates from around 1730. It’s renowned for the liveliness of the first and third movements, coupled with the sublimely beautiful and expressive second movement.
Friday 14 October
Vanessa Perica and the University of Adelaide Big Band
Join our Artist in Residence composer, conductor, and arranger Vanessa Perica as she presents a concert of her award-winning music with the University of Adelaide Big Band (directed by Dusty Cox) alongside works by other celebrated female jazz composers. Among her numerous 2021 accolades Vanessa received an APRA Art Music Award and her Vanessa Perica Orchestra collaborated with the MSO for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival’s opening Gala.
Friday 21 October
Top Class
Our annual showcase concert featuring the top student performers of the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Supported by the Peter Brooker Prize for Musical Excellence.
Friday 28 October
Swan Song
Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
Luke Dollman conductor
Dylan Henderson pianoChopin Piano Concerto No. 2
Lutoslawski Symphony No. 4Chopin’s Second Concerto is the work of a young, yet profound, artistic spirit reaching deeply into his own soul, finding moments of poetic lyricism contrasted with rapturous passages of virtuosity. In many ways, Lutoslawski’s Fourth Symphony is his swan song – being his last work in the genre and his final large-scale piece. It’s a synthesis of the composer’s life’s work, featuring many of Lutoslawski’s characteristic features, such as sweeping melodies and sharp dissonances.
Friday 4 November
Australian String Quartet
Beethoven String Quartet in C sharp minor Op. 131
This string quartet, undoubtedly a highlight in Beethoven’s oevre, was initially intended to be played without pause. Beethoven’s creativity and ability to encompass emotion is showcased throughout – the deeply emotional opening, the light and joy-filled second section, the charm-filled andante, the energetic presto, before finishing on an intense allegro, in which we finally return to the original minor key.
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Evening concerts
- All concerts in Elder Hall. Doors open 45 minutes prior to concert start.
- Subscribe to 4 or more concerts for 25% savings.
Friday 20 May, 7pm
Back to Baroque
Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra
Bryan Griffiths conductorJS Bach (transcribed Goldman and Leist) Fantasia in G major
Reynaldo Hahn Le Bal de Béatrice d'Este
Percy Grainger (transcribed Jager) Blithe Bells (after J.S. Bach BWV 208)
JS Bach (transcribed Cailliet) Fervent is My Longing — "Little" Fugue in G Minor
Stephen Montague Intrada 1631 (after Juan Pérez Bocanegra)Join Bryan Griffiths and the Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra for a program of works inspired by early music and the Baroque period.
Saturday 28 May, 6:30pm
Australian String Quartet
Beethoven String Quartet in A Major Op. 18 No. 5
Debussy String Quartet in G minor Op. 10The String Quartet in A major is the fifth of six string quartets written by Beethoven between 1798 and 1800. It’s best described as a work full of grace and eloquence, occasionally interrupted by bursts of Beethoven’s humour. Debussy’s quartet in G minor appears in a traditional four-movement form – the first movement in sonata form, the second a scherzo, the third slow and lyrical and the finale energetic and driving. However, interlaced in this traditional form Debussy has laid his personal mark; using non-traditional scales and chords, unexpected key transitions, and more.
Saturday 11 June, 6:30pm
Taneyev Ensemble
Elizabeth Layton violin
Stephen King viola
Simon Cobcroft cello
Konstantin Shamray pianoMozart Piano Quartet in E flat major K 493
Schubert String Trio in B flat D 471
Taneyev Piano Quartet in E major Op. 20Sergei Taneyev was perhaps one of Russia’s most influential and important composers of the late 19th and early 20th century. His piano quartet, written for violin, viola, cello and piano, features key elements of his compositional style – passion in the first movement, the highlight of melodic writing in the second, and an exquisite understanding of counterpoint in the third.
Saturday 25 June, 6:30pm
Upon a Ground
Adelaide Baroque
Emma Horwood soprano
Ben Dollman violin
Simone Slattery violin
with baroque chamber ensemble
Program to Include
Henry Purcell Dido’s Lament
Claudio Monteverdi The Lament of the Nymph
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Passacaglia in G minorFrom the earth springs all manner of creation, rich and varied in its beauty. So it is in the flowering of the art of music over a ground bass or ostinato. The outstanding musicians of Adelaide Baroque celebrate this tradition in this vibrant and passionate concert, featuring the music of Monteverdi, Biber, Purcell and a host of others.
Saturday 6 August, 6:30pm
Lyrebird Trio
Glenn Christensen violin
Simon Cobcroft cello
Angela Turner pianoBeethoven Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 3 in C minor
Cathy Likhuta New work
Brahms Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 87Beethoven’s first opus was a set of 3 piano trios. After their premiere performance, Haydn advised Beethoven to hold off publishing the third in the set – the trio in C minor – on account of its ‘boldness’. In spite of the advice, Beethoven published the sonata along with the others and it was a hit with the public. This concert also features a work by Australian-based pianist and composer, Cathy Likhuta, who holds a PhD in composition from the University of Queensland.
Saturday 27 August, 6:30pm
Ella Sings, Basie Swings
University of Adelaide Big Band
Dustan Cox directorThe University of Adelaide Big Band recreates the vibe of the swingin’ Big Bands of the 30s, 40s and beyond. Stand-out jazz vocalists from the jazz program fill the role of Ella Fitzgerald, singin’ and swingin’ out the front of the band.
Saturday 10 September, 6:30pm
Journeys 2
Elder Conservatorium Chorale & Bella Voce
Carl Crossin conductor
Karl Geiger pianoPaul Stanhope Ban.Garay!
David Hamilton Una Noche de Verano
Eric Whitacre Cloudburst
Carl Crossin Winter Stars…and more inspired music of passage and place.
Sunday 2 October, 2:30pm
Academy Trio
Madeline Melrose violin
Joseph Freer cello
Kenan Henderson pianoHaydn Piano Trio No.44 in E major, Hob.XV/28
Smetana Piano Trio in G minor, Op.15When composing a piece of music, one of the hardest questions to answer is: how do I start? In Haydn’s piano trio, he answers this question in a peculiar way – starting with pizzicatos in the strings. The melodic lines between the strings and piano then develop throughout, resulting in an exuberant piece of music. Smetana’s piano trio, in which all three movements are unusually in G Minor, was inspired by tragedy. In the year 1855, he celebrated the birth of his third daughter, but also found himself mourning the deaths of his first daughter in 1854 and second daughter in 1855. The work was dedicated to his eldest daughter – it is filled with nostalgia and deep emotional longing.
Saturday 22 October, 6:30pm
Guitarissimo
A delight for lovers of classical guitar, this annual showcase concert features an array of works for solo guitar and small chamber groups, culminating in a performance by the heralded Elder Conservatorium Guitar Ensemble. Curated by Dr Oliver Fartach-Naini.
COVID-19 update
As at 20 April 2022
- Masks are still required to be worn at all times in Elder Hall.
- Please maintain 1.5m distance from other patrons wherever possible.
- For further information please see the document below.
Coming Up
20 May
Lunchtime Concert - The Music of Rodgers and Hart
James Muller directs the Honours Ensemble from the Elder Conservatorium as they bring some of Rodgers and Hart’s most beautiful works to life with fresh new arrangements. 20 May
Evening Concert - Back to Baroque
Join Bryan Griffiths and the Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra for a program of works inspired by early music and the Baroque period. 27 May
Lunchtime Concert - Journeys 1
Join Carl Crossin, the Elder Conservatorium Chorale, and Bella Voce for a concert of magnificent choral music.