ASQ to delight in 2006

Music

One of Australia's leading chamber ensembles, the Australian String Quartet, has launched its 2006 national subscription season.

The quartet-in-residence at the University's Elder Conservatorium of Music will perform four concerts of stellar chamber music across the country, including Adelaide. Other recent and scheduled performances include those at Wigmore Hall, London; Esterhazy Palace, Austria; Konzerthaus, Berlin; The Forbidden City Concert Hall, Beijing and Shanghai Concert Hall, China.

The 2006 national season begins with Concert One, "Distant Voices", on Thursday March 9, with works by Shostakovich and Beethoven.

"We start our season with what I feel are some of the greatest quartets of the repertoire," said cellist Niall Brown. "Beethoven's Quartet Opus 127 is one of my all-time favourites, and in the centenary of his birth, we will perform one of Shostakovich's best-known works, the deeply personal and vividly communicative Eighth String Quartet.

Concert Two, "Amadeus", on Thursday, May 11 features works by Mozart, Suk and Janacek, and guest violist Jurg Dahler.

"This is a great concert for me because Mozart, Suk and Janacek feature the viola to the full," said ASQ violist Jeremy Williams.

Concert Three, "Shimmer", on Monday, July 24 will feature guest clarinettist Catherine McCorkill to perform in the all-time favourite Mozart Clarinet Quintet.

"Mozart wrote the work for basset clarinet and Catherine's beautiful and mellow tone on this instrument is a testimony to his original intentions," said violinist Natsuko Yoshimoto. "The 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth just couldn't be celebrated with playing this key chamber work."

The final concert, "Soundscapes", on Wednesday, November 8, features a range of composers and genres, from Mozart and Haydn to Debussy and Sculthorpe.

"Haydn's Sunrise Quartet is a piece which one never tires of performing, and if I were stranded on a desert island with the music of one composer, I think Haydn would have to be the one!" said violinist James Cuddeford.

"This year's program wouldn't be complete without a visit again to the world of Mozart, and this time we present the compact, yet power-packed, Adagio and Fugue."

All performances will be held at 7pm in the Adelaide Town Hall, with wine tasting from 6pm and a pre-concert interview with an ABC Classic FM presenter from 6.10pm. For more information, the ASQ website.