What’s On
Past Events
Red Dirt Hymns: Canberra International Music Festival
A hymnal to the country under our feet.
In a Canberra International Music Festival exclusive, the world premiere of Andrew Ford’s RED DIRT HYMNS resounds in the great cathedral of Australian stories: the National Museum of Australia. A living songbook more than four years in the making, Andrew Ford’s hymnal brings together the words of sixteen contemporary Australian writers – poets, essayists and folksingers – in songs of praise, awe, grief, hope, joy, and natural splendour, dedicated not to a god, but to the land.
The ever-daring voices of Luminescence Chamber Singers join forces with two rising stars: Hilary Geddes, 2021 Freedman Jazz Fellow and lead guitarist of Triple J favourites The Buoys, and category-defying cellist Freya Schack-Arnott. Red Dirt Hymns unfolds to the evocative imagery of Sammy Hawker, whose art is created within the fabric of country itself: saltwater, limestone and eucalypt.
From Ellen van Neerven’s dark clouds to John Kinsella’s abundant gardens, RED DIRT HYMNS does what a hymnal is meant to do: it draws us closer – to each other, and to the light and shade of our wide brown land.
“Everyone’s red dirt under the clouds.” – Philip Harvey
The Great Southern Land exhibition will be open to audiences from 6.30pm- 7.45pm
The performance will commence at 8.00pm.
For more information visit www.cimf.org.au
Venue accessibility information nma.gov.au
Festival Finale: Mulanggari
The 2024 Canberra International Music Festival comes to a close with a celebration of the oldest living culture on earth.
For more than twenty years, the Stiff Gins have sung in language about Indigenous culture and women’s empowerment. Now, in a unique Festival collaboration, Kaleena and Nardi join forces with the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam to perform the Gin’s tender songs like you’ve never heard them before – arranged by jazz legend Jonathan Zwartz. Three percussionists bring Holly Harrison’s new trio to life, while William Barton and Véronique Serret summon a final moment of magic alongside works by Nardi Simpson and Yuin composer Brenda Gifford.
As the curtain falls on Roland Peelman’s decade-long tenure at the helm of the Festival, some of his closest musical collaborators join forces to mark the end of an era and to set the tone for the future.
PROGRAM
Simpson/Briggs, Selection of Songs – in new arrangements by Jonathan Zwartz featuring Dudok Quartet Amsterdam
— interval —
Barton/Serret, duet
Holly Harrison, new percussion trio
(commissioned by CIMF’s A Major Lift)
Nardi Simpson, Burruguu (time of creation)
Brenda Gifford, Wardhu (skin)
ARTISTS
Stiff Gins: Kaleena Briggs and Nardi Simpson
William Barton and Véronique Serret
Dudok Quartet Amsterdam
Claire Edwardes, Niki Johnson, Veronica Bailey, percussion
Jason Noble, clarinet
Lamorna Nightingale, flute
Freya Schack-Arnott, cello
Ben Ward, double bass
Luminescence Chamber Singers
Ellery String Quartet
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
PROGRAMME
LYNOTE Dominique Phinot (1548)
Text: Clément Marot
MON COEUR, MON CORPS Adriaen Willaert (1545)
SOSPIRI MIEI D'AHIMÈ Adriaen Willaert (1545)
OF THE BODY I: INTROITUS Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Francesco Petrarca
DER NASENTANZ Orlande de Lassus (1576)
OF THE BODY II: SARA SARA Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Matsuo Bashō
YOUR SHINING EYES Michael East (1618)
OF THE BODY III: CALIGAVERUNT OCULI MEI Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Sarah Teasdale
IN MANUS TUAS DOMINE Thomas Tallis (1575)
Text: Psalm 31:6
OF THE BODY IV: YOUR FEET Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Pablo Neruda
SKINNY LOVE Justin Vernon arr. Roland Peelman (2007)
OF THE BODY V: REBEL BLOOD Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Andrea Aguilar Ferro
THE BODY BREAKS Devendra Banhart arr. Roland Peelman (2004)
OF THE BODY VI: ODE TO A MOUTH Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Alexander Cook
CON LA SUA MAN Luca Marenzio (1591)
PINK EDGES IV Gerard Brophy (2002)
Text: Pietro Aretino
OF THE BODY VII: HOW TO HOLD A HEART Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Malia Wollan/Dr Kathy Magliato
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
Presented by Arts Bundanoon
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
PROGRAMME
LYNOTE Dominique Phinot (1548)
Text: Clément Marot
MON COEUR, MON CORPS Adriaen Willaert (1545)
SOSPIRI MIEI D'AHIMÈ Adriaen Willaert (1545)
OF THE BODY I: INTROITUS Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Francesco Petrarca
DER NASENTANZ Orlande de Lassus (1576)
OF THE BODY II: SARA SARA Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Matsuo Bashō
YOUR SHINING EYES Michael East (1618)
OF THE BODY III: CALIGAVERUNT OCULI MEI Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Sarah Teasdale
IN MANUS TUAS DOMINE Thomas Tallis (1575)
Text: Psalm 31:6
OF THE BODY IV: YOUR FEET Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Pablo Neruda
SKINNY LOVE Justin Vernon arr. Roland Peelman (2007)
OF THE BODY V: REBEL BLOOD Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Andrea Aguilar Ferro
THE BODY BREAKS Devendra Banhart arr. Roland Peelman (2004)
OF THE BODY VI: ODE TO A MOUTH Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Alexander Cook
CON LA SUA MAN Luca Marenzio (1591)
PINK EDGES IV Gerard Brophy (2002)
Text: Pietro Aretino
OF THE BODY VII: HOW TO HOLD A HEART Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Malia Wollan/Dr Kathy Magliato
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
Presented by Four Winds
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
PROGRAMME
LYNOTE Dominique Phinot (1548)
Text: Clément Marot
MON COEUR, MON CORPS Adriaen Willaert (1545)
SOSPIRI MIEI D'AHIMÈ Adriaen Willaert (1545)
OF THE BODY I: INTROITUS Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Francesco Petrarca
DER NASENTANZ Orlande de Lassus (1576)
OF THE BODY II: SARA SARA Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Matsuo Bashō
YOUR SHINING EYES Michael East (1618)
OF THE BODY III: CALIGAVERUNT OCULI MEI Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Sarah Teasdale
IN MANUS TUAS DOMINE Thomas Tallis (1575)
Text: Psalm 31:6
OF THE BODY IV: YOUR FEET Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Pablo Neruda
SKINNY LOVE Justin Vernon arr. Roland Peelman (2007)
OF THE BODY V: REBEL BLOOD Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Andrea Aguilar Ferro
THE BODY BREAKS Devendra Banhart arr. Roland Peelman (2004)
OF THE BODY VI: ODE TO A MOUTH Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Alexander Cook
CON LA SUA MAN Luca Marenzio (1591)
PINK EDGES IV Gerard Brophy (2002)
Text: Pietro Aretino
OF THE BODY VII: HOW TO HOLD A HEART Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Malia Wollan/Dr Kathy Magliato
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
PROGRAMME
LYNOTE Dominique Phinot (1548)
Text: Clément Marot
MON COEUR, MON CORPS Adriaen Willaert (1545)
SOSPIRI MIEI D'AHIMÈ Adriaen Willaert (1545)
OF THE BODY I: INTROITUS Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Francesco Petrarca
DER NASENTANZ Orlande de Lassus (1576)
OF THE BODY II: SARA SARA Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Matsuo Bashō
YOUR SHINING EYES Michael East (1618)
OF THE BODY III: CALIGAVERUNT OCULI MEI Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Sarah Teasdale
IN MANUS TUAS DOMINE Thomas Tallis (1575)
Text: Psalm 31:6
OF THE BODY IV: YOUR FEET Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Pablo Neruda
SKINNY LOVE Justin Vernon arr. Roland Peelman (2007)
OF THE BODY V: REBEL BLOOD Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Andrea Aguilar Ferro
THE BODY BREAKS Devendra Banhart arr. Roland Peelman (2004)
OF THE BODY VI: ODE TO A MOUTH Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Alexander Cook
CON LA SUA MAN Luca Marenzio (1591)
PINK EDGES IV Gerard Brophy (2002)
Text: Pietro Aretino
OF THE BODY VII: HOW TO HOLD A HEART Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Malia Wollan/Dr Kathy Magliato
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
Presented by FESTIVAL OF VOICES
Repertoire includes music by Dan Walker, Orlando Lasso, Adrian Willaert, Gerard Brophy, Luca Marenzio, and Michael East.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
Repertoire includes music by Dan Walker, Orlando Lasso, Adrian Willaert, Gerard Brophy, Luca Marenzio, and Michael East.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
Of The Body
“A triumph of sheer excellence, […] a concert of rare depth”
[Canberra CityNews 2023]
“lively, intelligent, and alternately great fun and serious. And always beautifully performed.”
[Classikon, 2023]
From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation.
In the spirit of Buxtehude’s much-loved Membra Jesu Nostri, each movement of Dan Walker’s new song cycle Of The Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart.
In a concert that traverses sex, sensuality, the senses, and more, Luminescence Chamber Singers explore our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.
Repertoire includes music by Dan Walker, Orlando Lasso, Adrian Willaert, Gerard Brophy, Luca Marenzio, and Michael East.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
Magnificat
“Ein schónes Lied von rechten Meistern, Kann Herze, Leib und Seel’ begeistern”
A beautiful song from the right teacher can inspire the heart, body, and soul.
The story of western music history is a story of mentorship. In MAGNIFICAT, the full gamut of Luminescence singers join forces with Aperion Baroque to trace the musical lineage of baroque composers, presenting gems from the Italian Renaissance and the Baroque era, and paying homage to the composers of the Ospedali Schools of Venice, where young singers studied under the tutelage of Italy’s finest musicians. Luminescence Children’s Choir performs Nicola Porpora’s Magnificat, and our youngest singers (Holiday Program participants) take to the stage in Christoph Ludwig Fehre’s 1751 Cantata ‘Der Schulmeister in der Singschule’ (The school master in the singing school), a comic piece about unruly students and their teacher’s efforts to control his class.
ARTISTS
Luminescence Chamber Singers
Aperion Baroque
Luminescence Children’s Choir
Luminescence Children’s Choir Holiday Program Participants
Old Airs
“Identity oversimplifies humans.
It denies the hybrid, as trees can't.
[…] Eons on, their concentric years
will be eloquent on suffering and old airs.” [Les Murray, Cool History]
As the legendary poet Les Murray reminded us, trees are the silent storytellers of human history. Amidst our relentless pursuit of modernity, their rings record deep time, carving stories of fire, flood, and slow growth. Join Luminescence Chamber Singers for a tapestry of old songs and stories. From ancient melodies to troubadour songs, timeless tunes, and the lyrics that summon nostalgia, Luminescence breathes new life into old airs.
Conducted by Roland Peelman AM
1 hour no interval
Programme to include:
SEIKILOS EPITAPH Anon (2nd Century BCE) - Oldest surviving complete composition
TSINTSKARO Georgian folk song
ALS ICK U VINDE Hubert Waelrant (1584)
QUE FAREM DEL POBRE JOAN Mateu Fletxa el Vell (1481 – 1553)
KAIPAAVA trad. Finnish arr. Chydenius (1999)
EDO LULLABY trad. Japanese arr. Paul Smith (Japan)
TROIS BEAUX OISEAUX DU PARADIS Maurice Ravel (1914)
S’POSIN P. Denniker/A. Razaf (1929)
A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BARKLEY SQUARE E. Maschwitz/M. Sherwin (1939)
OLD AIRS Frank Nuyts (2008)
Old Airs
“Identity oversimplifies humans.
It denies the hybrid, as trees can't.
[…] Eons on, their concentric years
will be eloquent on suffering and old airs.” [Les Murray, Cool History]
As the legendary poet Les Murray reminded us, trees are the silent storytellers of human history. Amidst our relentless pursuit of modernity, their rings record deep time, carving stories of fire, flood, and slow growth. Join Luminescence Chamber Singers for a tapestry of old songs and stories. From ancient melodies to troubadour songs, timeless tunes, and the lyrics that summon nostalgia, Luminescence breathes new life into old airs.
Conducted by Roland Peelman AM
1 hour no interval
Programme to include:
SEIKILOS EPITAPH Anon (2nd Century BCE) - Oldest surviving complete composition
TSINTSKARO Georgian folk song
ALS ICK U VINDE Hubert Waelrant (1584)
QUE FAREM DEL POBRE JOAN Mateu Fletxa el Vell (1481 – 1553)
KAIPAAVA trad. Finnish arr. Chydenius (1999)
EDO LULLABY trad. Japanese arr. Paul Smith (Japan)
TROIS BEAUX OISEAUX DU PARADIS Maurice Ravel (1914)
S’POSIN P. Denniker/A. Razaf (1929)
A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BARKLEY SQUARE E. Maschwitz/M. Sherwin (1939)
OLD AIRS Frank Nuyts (2008)
Old Airs
“Identity oversimplifies humans.
It denies the hybrid, as trees can't.
[…] Eons on, their concentric years
will be eloquent on suffering and old airs.” [Les Murray, Cool History]
As the legendary poet Les Murray reminded us, trees are the silent storytellers of human history. Amidst our relentless pursuit of modernity, their rings record deep time, carving stories of fire, flood, and slow growth. Join Luminescence Chamber Singers for a tapestry of old songs and stories. From ancient melodies to troubadour songs, timeless tunes, and the lyrics that summon nostalgia, Luminescence breathes new life into old airs.
Conducted by Roland Peelman AM
1 hour no interval
Programme to include:
SEIKILOS EPITAPH Anon (2nd Century BCE) - Oldest surviving complete composition
TSINTSKARO Georgian folk song
ALS ICK U VINDE Hubert Waelrant (1584)
QUE FAREM DEL POBRE JOAN Mateu Fletxa el Vell (1481 – 1553)
KAIPAAVA trad. Finnish arr. Chydenius (1999)
EDO LULLABY trad. Japanese arr. Paul Smith (Japan)
TROIS BEAUX OISEAUX DU PARADIS Maurice Ravel (1914)
S’POSIN P. Denniker/A. Razaf (1929)
A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BARKLEY SQUARE E. Maschwitz/M. Sherwin (1939)
OLD AIRS Frank Nuyts (2008)
Old Airs
“Identity oversimplifies humans.
It denies the hybrid, as trees can't.
[…] Eons on, their concentric years
will be eloquent on suffering and old airs.” [Les Murray, Cool History]
As the legendary poet Les Murray reminded us, trees are the silent storytellers of human history. Amidst our relentless pursuit of modernity, their rings record deep time, carving stories of fire, flood, and slow growth. Join Luminescence Chamber Singers for a tapestry of old songs and stories. From ancient melodies to troubadour songs, timeless tunes, and the lyrics that summon nostalgia, Luminescence breathes new life into old airs.
Conducted by Roland Peelman AM
1 hour no interval
Programme to include:
SEIKILOS EPITAPH Anon (2nd Century BCE) - Oldest surviving complete composition
TSINTSKARO Georgian folk song
ALS ICK U VINDE Hubert Waelrant (1584)
QUE FAREM DEL POBRE JOAN Mateu Fletxa el Vell (1481 – 1553)
KAIPAAVA trad. Finnish arr. Chydenius (1999)
EDO LULLABY trad. Japanese arr. Paul Smith (Japan)
TROIS BEAUX OISEAUX DU PARADIS Maurice Ravel (1914)
S’POSIN P. Denniker/A. Razaf (1929)
A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BARKLEY SQUARE E. Maschwitz/M. Sherwin (1939)
OLD AIRS Frank Nuyts (2008)
Old Airs
“Identity oversimplifies humans.
It denies the hybrid, as trees can't.
[…] Eons on, their concentric years
will be eloquent on suffering and old airs.” [Les Murray, Cool History]
As the legendary poet Les Murray reminded us, trees are the silent storytellers of human history. Amidst our relentless pursuit of modernity, their rings record deep time, carving stories of fire, flood, and slow growth. Join Luminescence Chamber Singers for a tapestry of old songs and stories. From ancient melodies to troubadour songs, timeless tunes, and the lyrics that summon nostalgia, Luminescence breathes new life into old airs.
Conducted by Roland Peelman AM
1 hour no interval
Programme to include:
SEIKILOS EPITAPH Anon (2nd Century BCE) - Oldest surviving complete composition
TSINTSKARO Georgian folk song
ALS ICK U VINDE Hubert Waelrant (1584)
QUE FAREM DEL POBRE JOAN Mateu Fletxa el Vell (1481 – 1553)
KAIPAAVA trad. Finnish arr. Chydenius (1999)
EDO LULLABY trad. Japanese arr. Paul Smith (Japan)
TROIS BEAUX OISEAUX DU PARADIS Maurice Ravel (1914)
S’POSIN P. Denniker/A. Razaf (1929)
A NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BARKLEY SQUARE E. Maschwitz/M. Sherwin (1939)
OLD AIRS Frank Nuyts (2008)
Glass Heart
Luminescence Chamber Singers delve into 500 years of love songs and break-up anthems. From Monteverdi’s monumental “Sestina” and Marenzio’s sensuous “Baci Soavi e Cari”, to music by David Lang, Eric Whitacre, Drew Crawford, and more. Glass Heart explores the fragility of life and love, and the shattering pain of heartbreak.
1 hour no interval
Season Subscriptions can be bought here
Programme:
SESTINA: LAGRIME D’AMANTE AL SEPOLCRO DELL’AMATA Claudio Monteverdi (1614)
A CHANTAR M’ER Beatriz, Contessa di Dia (1175)
AH ROBIN, GENTLE ROBIN William Cornysh (1545)
I LIVE IN PAIN David Lang (2011)
WHEN THE HEART IS CUT OR CRACKED OR BROKEN Drew Crawford (2015)
MATONA MIA CARA Orlande de Lassus (1581)
A BOY AND A GIRL Eric Whitacre (2002)
BACI, SOAVI E CARI Luca Marenzio (1591)
KAIPAAVA Trad. Finnish Arr. Essi Wuorela & Jussi Chydenius (1999)
GLITTER IN THE AIR Alecia Moore (P!NK) /Billy Mann (2008), arr. Roland Peelman (2014)
FRAGILE Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (Sting), arr. Luminescence (2024)
Glass Heart
Luminescence Chamber Singers delve into 500 years of love songs and break-up anthems. From Monteverdi’s monumental “Sestina” and Marenzio’s sensuous “Baci Soavi e Cari”, to music by David Lang, Eric Whitacre, Drew Crawford, and more. Glass Heart explores the fragility of life and love, and the shattering pain of heartbreak.
This performance of Glass Heart is generously supported by Elizabeth and Tony Minchin.
1 hour no interval
Programme:
SESTINA: LAGRIME D’AMANTE AL SEPOLCRO DELL’AMATA Claudio Monteverdi (1614)
A CHANTAR M’ER Beatriz, Contessa di Dia (1175)
AH ROBIN, GENTLE ROBIN William Cornysh (1545)
I LIVE IN PAIN David Lang (2011)
WHEN THE HEART IS CUT OR CRACKED OR BROKEN Drew Crawford (2015)
MATONA MIA CARA Orlande de Lassus (1581)
A BOY AND A GIRL Eric Whitacre (2002)
BACI, SOAVI E CARI Luca Marenzio (1591)
KAIPAAVA Trad. Finnish Arr. Essi Wuorela & Jussi Chydenius (1999)
GLITTER IN THE AIR Alecia Moore (P!NK) /Billy Mann (2008), arr. Roland Peelman (2014)
FRAGILE Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (Sting), arr. Luminescence (2024)
Season Subscriptions can be bought here
Glass Heart
Luminescence Chamber Singers delve into 500 years of love songs and break-up anthems. From Monteverdi’s monumental “Sestina” and Marenzio’s sensuous “Baci Soavi e Cari”, to music by David Lang, Eric Whitacre, Drew Crawford, and more. Glass Heart explores the fragility of life and love, and the shattering pain of heartbreak.
1 hour no interval
Season Subscriptions can be bought here
Programme:
SESTINA: LAGRIME D’AMANTE AL SEPOLCRO DELL’AMATA Claudio Monteverdi (1614)
A CHANTAR M’ER Beatriz, Contessa di Dia (1175)
AH ROBIN, GENTLE ROBIN William Cornysh (1545)
I LIVE IN PAIN David Lang (2011)
WHEN THE HEART IS CUT OR CRACKED OR BROKEN Drew Crawford (2015)
MATONA MIA CARA Orlande de Lassus (1581)
A BOY AND A GIRL Eric Whitacre (2002)
BACI, SOAVI E CARI Luca Marenzio (1591)
KAIPAAVA Trad. Finnish Arr. Essi Wuorela & Jussi Chydenius (1999)
GLITTER IN THE AIR Alecia Moore (P!NK) /Billy Mann (2008), arr. Roland Peelman (2014)
FRAGILE Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (Sting), arr. Luminescence (2024)
Christmas Classics
The most sublime and uplifting Christmas music from around the world bundled into one heavenly hour. From Medieval carols to classic Yuletide songs and traditional Nativity hymns, this concert features the combined forces of Luminescence Chamber Singers and friends, with the angelic strains of Luminescence Children’s Choir, directed by Roland Peelman.
Program includes:
Medieval carols from England
William Byrd (1540-1623), Lulla, Lullaby
Carols from Catalonia, France and Sweden
Christmas Hymns and songs by Sufjan Stevens and others.
Festival Passes for ‘A Luminous Christmas’ can be purchased here
Dancing Day
Luminescence Children’s Choir offers this ravishing cycle of traditional carols set by John Rutter as the Christmas gift for 2023. Accompanied by Rowan Phemister (harp), Dancing Day features some of the most ancient and beguiling carols out of England’s history. It is in England, and under Vaughan-William’s tutelage that Peggy Glanville-Hicks wrote her famous harp sonata.
Program:
Peggy Glanville-Hicks, Sonata
John Rutter, Dancing Day
Festival Passes for ‘A Luminous Christmas’ can be purchased here
Navidad: Christmas in Spain
The famous collection of Cantigas de Santa Maria encapsules all of the fiery mystery of Spanish music - after 800 years still as earthy and seductive as ever. Forged out of Jewish, Arab and Christian traditions, they are the necessary foil to the rich canvas of Spain’s Golden Age polyphony.
Program:
Selection of Cantigas de Santa maria, attr. Alfonso X (1221-1284)
Motets by Victoria, Guerrero and Morales.
Festival Passes for ‘A Luminous Christmas’ can be purchased here
Christmas Pipes
Described by The Sydney Organ Journal as “one of the finest young musicians of his generation”, Samuel Giddy has rapidly established a reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting young organists. He presents a recital of music by Bach, Balbastre, Escaich, Franck, and more.
PROGRAMME
CLAUDE BALBASTRE (1724 - 1799) Prelude from Organ Concerto in D Major
J.S. BACH (1685 - 1750) Pastorale in F Major BWV 590
I. Alla siciliana
II. Allemande
III. Aria
IV. Alla gigue
J.S. BACH Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 659
THIERRY ESCAICH (b.1965) Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, From Six Chorals-Études
CÉSAR FRANCK (1822 - 1890) Choral no. 2 in B Minor
RACHEL LAURIN (1961 - 2023) Aria from Symphonie no. 1 Op. 36
LOUIS VIERNE (1870 - 1937) Final from Symphony no. 4 in G Minor
Festival Passes for ‘A Luminous Christmas’ can be purchased here
Christmas Classics
The most sublime and uplifting Christmas music from around the world bundled into one heavenly hour.
From Medieval carols to classic Yuletide songs and traditional Nativity hymns, this concert features the combined forces of Luminescence Chamber Singers and friends, with the angelic strains of Luminescence Children’s Choir, directed by Roland Peelman.
Album Launch: The Lost Codex II (David Yardley)
Be transported to a new medieval world!
Join David Yardley (composer, countertenor, medieval harp) for the launch of the newest album of his neomedieval compositions, The Lost Codex of Avalon, Volume II, in the beautiful acoustics of the Drill Hall Gallery. David's works have been reviewed as "transcendent medieval-inspired music for our times" (ClassikON, 5 stars). David will be joined by top Canberra-based performers from Luminescence Chamber Singers - AJ America, Veronica Milroy and Dan Walker. We will launch the album in style, with performances of several of David's works from across his new and previous albums. Tickets are limited in number so grab yours swiftly to avoid disappointment!
Ticket price includes a digital and harcopy of the album, plus a wine/beer after the performance.
Can't come in person but would like to order the album? Visit DavidYardleyMusic.com/store
Art Song Canberra: America Sings!
Presented by Art Song Canberra
From Kurt Weill to Australia’s own Peggy Glanville Hicks, composers flocked to the United States during the 20th century. Some were searching for new opportunity, but many were fleeing atrocities across Europe. At the same time, American Art Song emerged out of its German romantic roots and started to find its own character. In America Sings! AJ America and Roland Peelman explore the changing world of American Art Song.
Artists
AJ America, mezzo-soprano
Roland Peelman, piano
Music in the Regions: Drawing Breath
PRESENTED BY MUSIC IN THE REGIONS
Our breath is a base expression of our feelings – we let out an anxious or surprised gasp, or a sigh of relief. We take a deep breath when we brace ourselves, and hold our breath when we wait. We talk about our breath when we are awestruck, when we rest, when we sigh, or speak, or sing. In recent years, we have witnessed and experienced violent asphyxiation in many forms, from the thick smoke of bushfires to the spectre of respiratory infection. Meanwhile, the words “I can’t breathe” resonate around the world as a harrowing reminder of the ongoing persecution of black communities both in the United States and here at home in Australia.
In Drawing Breath Luminescence Chamber Singers explore first breaths, last breaths, and music as diverse as the vast compass of human life and feeling in between: from Machaut and Monteverdi, to Pink Floyd and Queen, and newly commissioned works by Brenda Gifford, Connor D’Netto and Dan Walker.
Music in the Regions: Drawing Breath
PRESENTED BY MUSIC IN THE REGIONS
Our breath is a base expression of our feelings – we let out an anxious or surprised gasp, or a sigh of relief. We take a deep breath when we brace ourselves, and hold our breath when we wait. We talk about our breath when we are awestruck, when we rest, when we sigh, or speak, or sing. In recent years, we have witnessed and experienced violent asphyxiation in many forms, from the thick smoke of bushfires to the spectre of respiratory infection. Meanwhile, the words “I can’t breathe” resonate around the world as a harrowing reminder of the ongoing persecution of black communities both in the United States and here at home in Australia.
In Drawing Breath Luminescence Chamber Singers explore first breaths, last breaths, and music as diverse as the vast compass of human life and feeling in between: from Machaut and Monteverdi, to Pink Floyd and Queen, and newly commissioned works by Brenda Gifford, Connor D’Netto and Dan Walker.
Music in the Regions: Drawing Breath
PRESENTED BY MUSIC IN THE REGIONS
Our breath is a base expression of our feelings – we let out an anxious or surprised gasp, or a sigh of relief. We take a deep breath when we brace ourselves, and hold our breath when we wait. We talk about our breath when we are awestruck, when we rest, when we sigh, or speak, or sing. In recent years, we have witnessed and experienced violent asphyxiation in many forms, from the thick smoke of bushfires to the spectre of respiratory infection. Meanwhile, the words “I can’t breathe” resonate around the world as a harrowing reminder of the ongoing persecution of black communities both in the United States and here at home in Australia.
In Drawing Breath Luminescence Chamber Singers explore first breaths, last breaths, and music as diverse as the vast compass of human life and feeling in between: from Machaut and Monteverdi, to Pink Floyd and Queen, and newly commissioned works by Brenda Gifford, Connor D’Netto and Dan Walker.
Music in the Regions: Drawing Breath
PRESENTED BY MUSIC IN THE REGIONS
Our breath is a base expression of our feelings – we let out an anxious or surprised gasp, or a sigh of relief. We take a deep breath when we brace ourselves, and hold our breath when we wait. We talk about our breath when we are awestruck, when we rest, when we sigh, or speak, or sing. In recent years, we have witnessed and experienced violent asphyxiation in many forms, from the thick smoke of bushfires to the spectre of respiratory infection. Meanwhile, the words “I can’t breathe” resonate around the world as a harrowing reminder of the ongoing persecution of black communities both in the United States and here at home in Australia.
In Drawing Breath Luminescence Chamber Singers explore first breaths, last breaths, and music as diverse as the vast compass of human life and feeling in between: from Machaut and Monteverdi, to Pink Floyd and Queen, and newly commissioned works by Brenda Gifford, Connor D’Netto and Dan Walker.
Music in the Regions: Drawing Breath
PRESENTED BY MUSIC IN THE REGIONS
Our breath is a base expression of our feelings – we let out an anxious or surprised gasp, or a sigh of relief. We take a deep breath when we brace ourselves, and hold our breath when we wait. We talk about our breath when we are awestruck, when we rest, when we sigh, or speak, or sing. In recent years, we have witnessed and experienced violent asphyxiation in many forms, from the thick smoke of bushfires to the spectre of respiratory infection. Meanwhile, the words “I can’t breathe” resonate around the world as a harrowing reminder of the ongoing persecution of black communities both in the United States and here at home in Australia.
In Drawing Breath Luminescence Chamber Singers explore first breaths, last breaths, and music as diverse as the vast compass of human life and feeling in between: from Machaut and Monteverdi, to Pink Floyd and Queen, and newly commissioned works by Brenda Gifford, Connor D’Netto and Dan Walker.
As A Flower Unfurls
A daffodil emerges from beneath the frost. A bird sings; a flower unfurls. The first signs of spring are symbols of hope and promise, rebirth, renewal, and the passage of time. From Renaissance polyphony to contemporary classics, Luminescence Chamber Singers celebrate spring, the blossoming flowers, the shifting tides, and all that the changing seasons can mean to us. Featuring music by Giaches De Wert, Robert Davidson, James Wade, as well as the premiere of a Leah Blankendaal’s “Lake”, and a new instalment of Andrew Ford’s “Red Dirt Hymns”.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Rachel Mink, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
As A Flower Unfurls
A daffodil emerges from beneath the frost. A bird sings; a flower unfurls. The first signs of spring are symbols of hope and promise, rebirth, renewal, and the passage of time. From Renaissance polyphony to contemporary classics, Luminescence Chamber Singers celebrate spring, the blossoming flowers, the shifting tides, and all that the changing seasons can mean to us. Featuring music by Giaches De Wert, Robert Davidson, James Wade, as well as the premiere of a Leah Blankendaal’s “Lake”, and a new instalment of Andrew Ford’s “Red Dirt Hymns”.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Rachel Mink, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
As A Flower Unfurls
A daffodil emerges from beneath the frost. A bird sings; a flower unfurls. The first signs of spring are symbols of hope and promise, rebirth, renewal, and the passage of time. From Renaissance polyphony to contemporary classics, Luminescence Chamber Singers celebrate spring, the blossoming flowers, the shifting tides, and all that the changing seasons can mean to us. Featuring music by Giaches De Wert, Robert Davidson, James Wade, as well as the premiere of a Leah Blankendaal’s “Lake”, and a new instalment of Andrew Ford’s “Red Dirt Hymns”.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Rachel Mink, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
As A Flower Unfurls
A daffodil emerges from beneath the frost. A bird sings; a flower unfurls. The first signs of spring are symbols of hope and promise, rebirth, renewal, and the passage of time. From Renaissance polyphony to contemporary classics, Luminescence Chamber Singers celebrate spring, the blossoming flowers, the shifting tides, and all that the changing seasons can mean to us. Featuring music by Giaches De Wert, Robert Davidson, James Wade, as well as the premiere of a Leah Blankendaal’s “Lake”, and a new instalment of Andrew Ford’s “Red Dirt Hymns”.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Rachel Mink, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
B.A.C.H.
Much has been made of Bach’s fascination for numerology and his penchant for encoding his name in his music. The BACH motif is perhaps the most famous musical cryptogram, but it was by no means the first. From Josquin de Prez to Heinrich Schütz, composers have weaved their own name in the very fabric of their music.
In this concert of musical cyphers, Luminescence Chamber Singers join forces with guest artist Anna Freer (violin/voice) to perform Bach’s monumental Partita no.2 in D Minor, interwoven with some of Bach’s most beloved chorales. The concert culminates in a new arrangement of the Chaconne – a setting for voices and violin that reveals a tapestry of references to Bach chorales buried in bones of the Chaccone.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Anna Freer, violin/voice
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
B.A.C.H.
Much has been made of Bach’s fascination for numerology and his penchant for encoding his name in his music. The BACH motif is perhaps the most famous musical cryptogram, but it was by no means the first. From Josquin de Prez to Heinrich Schütz, composers have weaved their own name in the very fabric of their music.
In this concert of musical cyphers, Luminescence Chamber Singers join forces with guest artist Anna Freer (violin/voice) to perform Bach’s monumental Partita no.2 in D Minor, interwoven with some of Bach’s most beloved chorales. The concert culminates in a new arrangement of the Chaconne – a setting for voices and violin that reveals a tapestry of references to Bach chorales buried in bones of the Chaccone.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Anna Freer, violin/voice
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
B.A.C.H.
Much has been made of Bach’s fascination for numerology and his penchant for encoding his name in his music. The BACH motif is perhaps the most famous musical cryptogram, but it was by no means the first. From Josquin de Prez to Heinrich Schütz, composers have weaved their own name in the very fabric of their music.
In this concert of musical cyphers, Luminescence Chamber Singers join forces with guest artist Anna Freer (violin/voice) to perform Bach’s monumental Partita no.2 in D Minor, interwoven with some of Bach’s most beloved chorales. The concert culminates in a new arrangement of the Chaconne – a setting for voices and violin that reveals a tapestry of references to Bach chorales buried in bones of the Chaccone.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Anna Freer, violin/voice
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
B.A.C.H.
Much has been made of Bach’s fascination for numerology and his penchant for encoding his name in his music. The BACH motif is perhaps the most famous musical cryptogram, but it was by no means the first. From Josquin de Prez to Heinrich Schütz, composers have weaved their own name in the very fabric of their music.
In this concert of musical cyphers, Luminescence Chamber Singers join forces with guest artist Anna Freer (violin/voice) to perform Bach’s monumental Partita no.2 in D Minor, interwoven with some of Bach’s most beloved chorales. The concert culminates in a new arrangement of the Chaconne – a setting for voices and violin that reveals a tapestry of references to Bach chorales buried in bones of the Chaccone.
ARTISTS
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Lucien Fischer, baritone
Anna Freer, violin/voice
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Alasdair Stretch, bass
Dan Walker, tenor
Our Pale Dot: Winter Concert
Join Luminescence Children's Choir and Luminescence Holiday Program Choir for 'Our Pale Blue Dot'.
In the future, pollution is so thick that it blocks out the stars at night, with the kids of the generation not having ever seen the nighttime sky as it should be. A polluted sky is all they have ever known. Our Pale Blue Dot is a brand new choral musical written by Rebecca Hilliard for the Luminescence Holiday Program 2023. When the kids meet a star by chance, they are taken on a journey around the solar system. On their journey, they learn of the impact of climate change and just how special the Earth is. They have to help get it back to how it was, even if it’s not their fault.
Luminescence Children’s Choir Holiday Program
Luminescence Children’s Choir Holiday Program is a 6-day workshop for young people aged 7–12 who love to sing. There is no application or audition requirement for our holiday programs – all young singers are welcome!
The Luminescence holiday program invites young singers to explore their voices and the magic of singing together.
Led by composer Rebecca Hilliard, and artistic director AJ America alongside members of the Luminescence Children’s Choir, the 2023 Holiday Program offers participants the opportunity to workshop and present a brand new choral work, ‘Our Pale Blue Dot’. Together, we will learn about music, choral singing and our earth through games, play, singing, and composition.
The week will culminate in a performance with Luminescence Children’s Choir on Saturday 15th July 2023.
DATES: Monday 10 July - Friday 14 July (workshops)
Saturday 15 July (Performance)
TIMES: 9am – 3pm daily (Monday - Friday)
+ Supervision available from 8.30am – 5.00pm
VENUE: Australian Centre of Christianity and Culture
15 Blackall St, Barton, ACT, 2600
COST: Early bird registration: $350 (Before 31 May)
Registration: $380 (After 31 May )
*10% sibling discount available for families with multiple singers enrolled in the program.
The LCC Holiday Program is designed a week-long programme. Participants are expected to attend the full week of activities and perform in the concert on 15 July.
Pictures at an ExHERbition
“Dusty monuments, faded masterpieces, gentlemen geniuses…”
But where are the women?! Sally Whitwell’s song cycle Pictures at an exHERbition is a creative redress, a rebalancing of the history books. Starting its life as the composer’s lockdown project, Pictures at an exHERbition is a survey in ekphrastic song of the depth and breadth of work by Australian women artists, from Grace Cossington-Smith and Thea Proctor through to Katy B Plummer.
Presented in partnership with the National Gallery of Australia, this performance features the world premiere of several newly commissioned songs in the Pictures at an exHERbition cycle. Performed by Luminescence Chamber Singers and Luminescence Children’s Choir with the composer herself at the piano.”
Pictures at an exHERbition is presented in partnership with the National Gallery of Australia, and supported by the Capital Arts Patrons Organisation.
ARTISTS
Sally Whitwell, piano
Luminescence Children’s Choir
Luminescence Chamber Singers
AJ America, mezzo soprano
Veronica Milroy, soprano
Rachel Mink, soprano
Dan Walker, tenor
Alasdair Stretch, bass
CIMF: Dunera Mass
The re-enactment of a concert that took place in Hay, NSW, in April 6 1941.
On 10 July 1940, 2,546 men, ranging in age from 16 to 66, were herded aboard the Hired Military Transport Dunera at Liverpool, England and transported to Australia. Most were German or Austrian, and most were Jewish. Many had fled to Britain in the 1930s to escape Hitler’s Reich.
After 57 days of voyage in appalling conditions the Dunera reached Australia. It made three stops: first at Fremantle, WA, although no passengers disembarked; then at Melbourne where some internees disembarked to be sent to an internment camp in Tatura, Victoria; and finally, on September 6, 1940, the Dunera entered Sydney Harbour, where the remaining passengers disembarked and were sent to an internment camp in Hay, NSW.
Oswald von Wolkenstein, later known as ‘Ossie’ was one of the youngest of the Dunera Boys. Many years later he passed on a large folder of music written by Max-Peter Meyer specifically for the boys/men on the ship. The pieces were performed in the camp in Hay one year later. It includes a Mass, a Psalm setting and a piano quartet.
Artists
Luminescence Chamber Singers
Oriana Chorale
with narrator and three young artists
CIMF: Magic Eight
Schubert’s monumental Octet from 1824, sumptuously laid out over six movements, ingeniously combines five string players with three winds. This is chamber music on a big scale, bringing together the Quatour Van Kuijk with four prominent Australians.
Igor Stravinsky’s classic Octet for wind instruments, boasting two bassoons, came to the composer in a dream. As we celebrate its 100th birthday in 2023, we might chuckle at the utter absence of dreaminess. This octet prattles and prances with the best of them.
Between these two classic pillars, a modern masterpiece by Danish composer Per Nørgård is sung by the eight voices of Luminescence Chamber Singers. Wie ein Kind (Like a Child), conveys innocence as much as sophistication in settings of poetry by Adolf Wölfli and Rainer Maria Rilke.
PROGRAMME
Igor Stravinsky, Octet
Per Nörgard, Wie ein Kind
-interval-
Franz Schubert, Octet
ARTISTS
Quatour Van Kuijk
Sally Walker, flute
Oliver Shermacher, clarinet
Members of the Golden Gate Brass
Luminescence Chamber Singers
CIMF: The Children's Crusade
Power to the children! The story of 55 children orphaned at the outbreak of war in Poland in 1939, traversing the snow together, battling hunger and scenes of clamour and conflict as they search for a land where peace reigns. Triggered by one of Berthold Brecht’s most poignant poems, Britten’s pacifist manifesto is a stark reminder of the impact of war on our children. Its message is sung by children: Canberra’s own Luminescence Children’s Choir.
The stories and legends of children joining the theatre of war go back to the times of the Crusades. Most folktales and fairy tales go back just as many centuries and were enriched by the imagination of generations. Charles Perrault’s collection of 1697 contains many of most popular fairy tales, from Sleeping Beauty to Red Riding Hood. They inspired Ravel to write one of his most magical scores.
The concert finishes with a recent rendition of a touching letter written by Sam Weiss’ great-grandmother to her little girl Nelly, as they were leaving Berlin in 1936.
PROGRAMME
Maurice Ravel, Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose Suite) (1910)
-interval-
Berthold Brecht, The Children’s Crusade (1939)
Benjamin Britten, The Children’s Crusade, based on B. Brecht (1969)
Sam Weiss, Deine Mami (2021)
ARTISTS
Luminescence Children’s Choir, directed by AJ America
Stephanie and Edward Neeman, piano
Veronica Milroy, organ
Veronica Bailey, percussion
CIMF: Of Fairies and Fools
Enter a world of wonder in this evening concert inspired by rustic folk tales and elflike fantasy.
Grimm’s Fairy Tales hit the bookshops in 1812, and by the time H.C. Andersen was ready to publish his own fairy tales in the 1830s, a new literary genre was born. Robert Schumann followed suit with several instrumental works, as reflected in this late clarinet trio. Dvořák found different reasons to delve into his country’s folklore. It inspired major operas, as well as the very charming yet rarely performed Moravian Duets.
Janáček drew on the Czech folk traditions with even greater zeal. From the nuptials of the beetroot to the comic picture of a cow in the knacker’s yard, the musical miniatures of Říkadla (Nursery Rhymes) arguably are some of his most playful and catchy creations. Equally upbeat and almost clown-like is Elena Kats-Chernin’s Village Idiot, conjuring the wry image of a fool who in a world of madness dares to speak a clearer truth.
PROGRAMME
Robert Schumann, Märchenerzählungen op 132 (1853)
Antonín Dvořák, Moravian Duets (1876)
-interval-
Leoš Janáček, Říkadla (Nursery Rhymes) (1924)
Elena Kats-Chernin, Village Idiot (2006)
ARTISTS
James Wannan, viola
Oliver Shermacher, clarinet
Susannah Lawergren, soprano
Anna Fraser, soprano
Roland Peelman, piano
Ronan Apcar, piano/keyboard
Theo Carbo, electric guitar
Luminescence Chamber Singers
Alma Moodie Quartet