Looking forward to lunchtimes

Music

Adelaide's much-loved series of lunchtime concerts returns to Elder Hall at the University of Adelaide this month - and one of Adelaide's 'favourite daughters' is returning to help launch the season.

Margaret Blades, widely regarded as one of Australia's most outstanding violinists, will join the Director of the Elder Conservatorium of Music and pianist, David Lockett, on Friday 28 March to perform works by Ravel and Strauss.

Recently appointed Co-Concertmaster of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Margaret is a graduate of the universities of Adelaide and Tasmania and has an excellent reputation as a soloist, recitalist and music educator throughout the nation.

She is well known to Adelaide audiences, having grown up in Adelaide, held senior positions with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, been a teacher with the Elder Conservatorium, and performed at numerous lunch hour concerts.

"Elder Hall is a venue that I know very well, and love," Margaret said. "I have worked with David (Lockett) over many years and we've done a lot of recitals together, but we've not played these particular sonatas together before."

The program includes Ravel's 'jazzy' violin sonata and the exuberant sounds of Richard Strauss's optimistic and youthful violin sonata.

It will be an excellent opportunity for Adelaide audiences to hear Margaret's 'new' violin, a 1710 Italian instrument made by Gioffredo Cappa. The violin is on loan to Margaret thanks to the kind support of Australian businesswoman Janet Holmes à Court.

"It's a beautiful instrument," Margaret said. "A lot of older instruments, whilst they're beautiful, often don't project because they're meant to be played in a small room. But this violin really carries in a big hall, and I'm very excited to be playing it in Elder Hall."

The lunchtime concert series continues in April, with April's first concert by the internationally acclaimed Australian String Quartet. The remainder of April is dedicated to the Cellos at Lunch mini-series. Featuring six concerts each weekday on 11 and 14-18 April, Cellos at Lunch is part of the Adelaide International Cello Festival (11-20 April).

For more details about the cello festival, visit: www.adelaidecellofestival.com.au

ELDERHALL lunchtimes are held every Friday at 1.10pm from 28 March until 27 June. Admission is $6 through the purchase of a program. These are available at the door from 12.30pm on the day of each concert. Special subscription gold passes are available for $75. For more information call Claire on (08) 8303 5925.