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September 2009 Issue
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Quartet to inspire students

 Music

A string quartet touring Australia for Musica Viva will this month inspire University of Adelaide Music and Creative Writing students alike.

The Elias String Quartet, consisting of French, Scottish and Swedish members, is resident at the universities of Sheffield and York in northern England.

The quartet recently spent a year studying with the Alban Berg Quartet in Cologne and has received many honours at major international competitions, including multiple awards at the 2003 London International String Quartet Competition.

Members of the quartet will visit the University of Adelaide for a masterclass as part of the Elder Conservatorium of Music's new masterclass series for 2009.

The masterclass is open to the public for the cost of only $10, offering a rare insight into the workings of a string quartet.

"Our visiting artists are on very tight schedules, but they always like to give masterclasses and meet young musicians whenever they can," said Musica Viva's South Australian Manager, Edward Joyner.

"The Elias String Quartet are particularly committed to education and have a fantastic reputation for their work with young people."

"A masterclass can open the door to new techniques, new approaches and new ideas," said Claire Oremland, Elder Hall Concert Manager at the Conservatorium.

"In just a couple of hours, for both performers and audience alike, the way one listens to and understands music can be completely changed. I know this masterclass with the young, vibrant Elias Quartet will be a wonderful inspiration for students," she said.

In addition to holding a masterclass at the Conservatorium, students from the University's Discipline of English will attend the Elias Quartet's concert in the Adelaide Town Hall as part of their Creative Writing program.

"Some of Australia's best novelists and poets, like David Malouf and Dorothy Porter, have also written libretti," said the University's chair of Creative Writing, Professor Brian Castro.

"Music is essential in the use of language, and Creative Writing students will find much inspiring material from listening to this world-class quartet."

Ms Jill Jones, Senior Lecturer with the Creative Writing program, said: "Already my Creative Writing students have picked up on the tremendous possibilities of thinking about rhythm and sound in their writing, as all great poets and prose stylists have done, and they are looking forward to the prospect of responding to live music as part of their course."


THE ELIAS STRING QUARTET:

The Elias String Quartet will perform at the Adelaide Town Hall at 8.00pm Thursday 10 September. Tickets from $33-$61. Book at BASS: phone 131 246 or visit www.bass.net.au

For more information visit: www.musicaviva.com.au

Members of the Elias String Quartet will give a masterclass at Elder Hall at 4.00pm Wednesday 9 September.

Tickets are $10 and bookings can be made by contacting: Claire Oremland Phone +61 8 8303 5925 or email: claire.oremland@adelaide.edu.au

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The Elias String Quartet

The Elias String Quartet
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