Tickets:

$35, concession $30 and students with valid ID, free.

Available online via TryBooking when a button is displayed, or at the door.

March

Grace Thorpe/ Meriel Owen

Fri 27 Mar, 11:00am
Home Hill Winery*
Ranelagh

Sat 22 Mar, 2:00pm
LifeWay Baptist Church
Devonport

Sun 29 Mar, 2:00pm
Holy Trinity Church
Launceston

August

Flute, violin & piano

Sat 1 Aug, 2:00pm
LifeWay Baptist Church
Devonport
Book via try booking

Sun 2 Aug, 2:00pm
Holy Trinity Church
Launceston
Book via try booking

Mon 3 Aug, 11:00am
Home Hill Winery*
Ranelagh
Book via try booking

December

La Trompéte

Dates and venues TBA

* Why not make a day of it; stay and enjoy a meal. Booking essential so please contact the venue direct:

• Home Hill Winery 6242 1897

Featuring Tobias Chisnall violin, Karen Smithies piano and Maria Hincapie Duque flute.

Virtuosi Tasmania are pleased the wait is over. Here we present a wonderful and varied offering with some great performers.

Pictured (L-R): Tobias Chisnall, Karen Smithies, and Maria Hincapie Duque.

Program Notes

Mel Bonis (1858-1957) - Suite en trio, Op. 59 for Piano, Flute, and Violin

Born in Paris, Mélanie Hélène Bonis used the pseudonym Mel Bonis, because she thought women composers were not taken seriously. She was underrated for a long time, and her parents discouraged her early interest in music. She taught herself to play the piano, and was eventually able to have lessons. Impressed by her hability César Frank arranged for her to be admitted to the Paris Conservatoire, an all-male environment at the time. Bonis won prizes in harmony and accompaniment. The poet, composer and music critic, Amédé-Louis Hettich, encouraged Bonis to continue composing, and helped launch her career. She composed the suite for Flute, Violin and Piano in 1903. It is in three movements, starting with a rather slow, gentle Serenade, followed by a slightly more upbeat Pastorale, and ending with lively Scherzo.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Trio Sonata BWV 1038 in G major for Piano, Flute, and Violin

I - Largo; II - Vivace; III - Adagio: IV - Presto.

Composed sometime between 1732-35, the authorship of the Trio Sonata BW 1038 in G major is uncertain. The work was found in a set of parts in Johann Sebastian Bach's hand, but the composer’s name was missing. It is possible that his son, C.P.E. Bach, composed, or revised this work, although recent research supports authorship by J.S. Bach on stylistic reasons.

Naomi Dodd - Courting Birds

Naomi Dodd, composed her Piece for Flute and Violin - Courting Birds, this year. She says "When writing this work, I was inspired by the concept of antiphonal bird calls, in particular those of the Eastern whipbird that I hear around my home. The male and female whipbirds, common around Sydney, together produce one call in two parts. The male sings a long note, followed by a cracking whip-like sound. If she so desires, the female will then respond immediately with a rhythmic and playful answering phrase. This striking two part call is depicted in the opening of my work, while the concept of antiphonal calls, is explored throughout the duet. The call of the whipbird is also associated with their courting ritual. Common to many birds, these displays of song, colour, feathers and dance are an organic expression of beauty in our natural world. This is particularly synonymous with the bush on the east coast of Australia, full of captivating and curious sounds. Another such bird that is synonymous with this bushland, and also heard much around my home, is the Lyrebird, renowned for their remarkable ability to mimic and combine the calls and sounds of their environment. This magnificent call inspired many of the gestural and interlocking elements of my work. As well as capturing the sounds of these Australian birds, my intention was to create a work that requires deep connection and trust between the performers to bring these elements together in a musically authentic and convincing way. This duet celebrates companionship, familiarity and mutual understanding between performers, as well as embodying the familiar and mesmerising, yet somewhat chaotic kaleidoscope of sounds and bird calls of the Australian bush".

Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) - Sonata for Flute and Piano, FP 164

Commissioned by the American Library of Congress, Francis Poulenc composed his Sonata for Flute and Piano, FP 164 in late 1956 - early 1957 and dedicated it to the memory of the American patron of chamber music, Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. There is a recording of Poulenc premiering the sonata with the flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal in June of that year. The performance was an instant success, and taken up by flautists world-wide, being recorded many times. The composer Lennox Berkeley made an orchestrated version in 1976. This sonata has become one of Poulenc's best known works, and is probably the most played of any compositions for flute and piano. The sonata is in three movements: Allegro malinconico, despite the vivacious tempo, the melody is a rather melancholic. The second movement, Cantalena: Assez lent - (lullaby), is a slow lyrical melody. The third movement, Presto giocoso - (very fast and playful), is energetic, with a strong, marked beat, in a rondo style. The finale is masterlly and exhuberant, with the instruction to play as quickly as possible! Poulenc didn't think the final movement was any good, and should be over and done with! The concensus however, was that it was masterly, and a perfect conclusion (Wikepedia).

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) - Suite Italienne (from Pulcinella) for Violin and Piano

In 1920, the Ballets Russes impresario Serge Diaghilev found a number of tunes by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi he wanted to use, and asked Igor Stravinsky to arrange them. The result was the Suite Italienne from Pulcinella. As well as the Pergolesi tunes, Stravinsky used music by Dominico Gallo, and Carlo Monza. The work was controversial, inserting Baroque harmonies with dissonance, playing around with the traditional regular beat, resulting in witty and ironic musical chaos. The result was a brilliant, charming and very popular work

A stunning septet featuring Yoram Levy (Trumpet), Berta Brozgul (Piano), Christopher Nicholas (Violin), Margaret Connolly (Violin), Damien Holloway (Viola), Gwyn Roberts (Cello)and Adrian Whitehall (Double Bass).

Virtuosi Tasmania are pleased the wait is over. Here we present a wonderful and varied offering with some great performers.

Pictured (Clockwise from top left): Yoram Levy, Berta Brozgul, Margaret Connolly and Gwyn Roberts.

Program Notes

Georges Enescu (1881-1955} - Légende in C

Légende in C was composed by the Romanian composer George Enescu in 1906, as a competition piece for students at the Paris Conservatory. It is dedicated to Professor Merri Franquin, who championed the modern small trumpet (trumpet in C}. The style of Enescu's compositions reflects his Romanian heritage, especially the folk music. He was a prolific composer, producing 5 symphonies, including a chamber symphony for twelve instruments, numerous chamber music works (sonatas, trios, quartets), a piano quintet, and an octet for strings. He made his American debut as a conductor in 1923, and subsequently often visited the USA, conducting many orchestras. In the 1920's he also recorded a number of violin works. Yehudi Menuhin was one of his most famous pupils, who described Enescu as the greatest musician. Enescu also promoted contemporary the works of Romanian composers such as Constantin Silvestri, Mihail Jora, lonel Perlea and MarEian Negreaa.

Tim Jones (1969-) - Winter from Symphony No. 1 (The River)

Winter Solstice mvt. 4 from Symphony no.1 (The River) arranged for Septet, was composed by Tasmanian composer Tim Jones. It has been in process for 2 years, commissioned by Tim's patrons. Tima says "The work is a slice of 6 months full time labour. The source material and sketches were done in winter 2024, and this arrangement and completion of the wind band version were done in winter 25.

Tim says "It is a meditation on the Derwent River. I can only see the top of it. The weathers interaction with that, physical and visual, became an inspiration. I write tunes at the piano (the melody and chord symbols) this is improvised on a lot, until a sensible form presents itself. It incorporates 3 such melodies, which I arranged to my hearts content. My fun is had transitioning between them. It has cold and still for the most part until a series of storms whip up the preceding spring."

Claude A. Debussy (1862-1918) - String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 (L.91)

I. Anime et tres decide; II. Assez vif et bien rythme; Ill. Andantino, doucement expressif; IV. Tres modere - En animant peu à peu

Having given up on writing his opera Rodrigue et Chimene, Claude Debussy planned to compose two string quartets instead, only one of which he actually finished, his String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 (L.91). The quartet was to be dedicated to his then friend, the composer Ernest Chausson, who declined the dedication, as the work did not follow the rules of classical harmony favoured at the time. Indeed, the quartet received a mixed reaction, when it premiered in Paris in December 1893. It is described as being in the Phrygian mode (related to the minor key), and is rather dark and moody. The work is in four movements: I. Anime et tres decide (animated and decisive); II. Assez vif et bien rythme (rather lively and very rhythmical); Ill. Andantino, doucement expressif (moderately fast and softly expressive); IV. Tres modere - En animant peu à peu (moderately intense, gradually becoming more animated and passionate).

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) - Septet in E-flat major, Op. 65

Camille Saint-Saens composed his Septet in E flat major, Op. 65 in 1879-80. It is an unusual work, written for the trumpet, two violins, cello, double bass and piano. It is classified as a "Neoclassical" work, a style popular at the time, which demanded order, balance, clarity, economy and emotional restraint. The focus was on rhythm and counterpoint (two or more melodies sounding "against" each other}, harkening back to the 17th century French dance form. The work was commissioned by the mathematician Emile Lemoine, founder of the chamber music society La Trompéte. The work is in 4 movements: Preambule (prelude); (Menuet; intermede (interlude); Gavotte and finale. The first and last movement have a mix of Baroque and romantic elements, the Menuet has hints of baroque influence, while the interlude is fully romantic. The work was much admired for its most skillful! inclusion of an unusual combination of instruments as well as its musical humour.