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Co n t e n t s

Join musicians and experts to delve deeper into the music and lives of the composers by attending a free pre-concert talk 45-minutes before each performance.

What does it take be a ‘great’ performer? Is it a life-long commitment perfecting technique, an extraordinary gift for communication, the experience of decades of concert-giving, teaching and learning? It’s all that and a little bit more. Add an essential element of charisma and we have all the qualities that set our line-up of 2016 artists apart. It’s that flash of brilliance that makes Great Performers such a thrilling series. I’ve enjoyed the previous five seasons of Great Performers immensely, and it’s such a pleasure now to have the opportunity to curate this sixth season of one of Australia’s must-hear concert series.

You’ll encounter a wonderfully varied selection of artists and repertoire in 2016. Take for example the program devised by Croatian pianist Dejan Lazić which roams from the dynamic Baroque fireworks of C.P.E. Bach and Scarlatti, to Bartók and Britten. Or Alexander Gavrylyuk’s program of barnstorming Romantic virtuoso masterpieces. Two sopranos, Camilla Tilling (Sweden) and Christiane Oelze (Germany), each sing music from the heart of the German lieder repertoire, but also Berlioz’s beloved song-cycle Nuits d’éte and satirical, jazz-inflected Weimar Kabarett.

Midori (Japan/USA) is an artist who possesses the wisdom of the ages while remaining eternally youthful, making her the ideal interpreter of

Mozart and Brahms. In a similar vein, pianist Lars Vogt (Germany), an intense and thought-provoking musician, gives a soul-stirring recital comprised of two of the grandest works in the history of music, Beethoven’s last piano sonata (Op.111) and J.S. Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’.

We’ll also experience some of the icons of 20th-century chamber music including one of the most sublime: Messiaen’s Vingt regards performed by the legendary French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Latvian violinist Baiba Skride plays Shostakovich’s late Violin Sonata, a work of searing intensity.

Finally, it’s a delight to present classical guitarist Xuefei Yang (China) for two reasons: first, she is simply one of the finest guitarists in the world and a preternaturally graceful musician, and second, she will perform a new work, Melbourne Arioso, by eminent Australian composer Ross Edwards. Ross is writing the work for Fei to play for you at her recital, a rare opportunity to be among the first to hear something nobody has heard before and be present as a piece of art comes into existence. This is a great way to end a year of great performance.Join us.

We LCo m e

4 5

m a r s h a L L m C G u i r e h e a D o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n Gi n t r o D u C e s G r e at p e r f o r m e r s 2 0 1 6

I’m delighted to welcome you to the 2016 season of Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Performers. These concerts are our opportunity to revel in the artistry of great musicians in the warmth and intimacy of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. The musicians who play in this hall always comment on how inspiring it is to make music there, and how extraordinary it is to perform for you. There’s a real sense of connection between the artist and the audience – it makes for unforgettable experiences. Great sound is only a part of this magic.

Of the many highlights, I’m especially looking forward to hearing Messiaen’s spectacular Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus performed by one of its greatest interpreters, Pierre-Laurent Aimard. It is the kind of work – and Aimard’s is the kind of playing – that will change the way you think about the piano, and indeed the possibilities of what can be expressed in music. We’re delighted to welcome brilliant violinists Midori and Baiba Skride, sopranos Camilla Tilling and Christiane Oelze and guitarist Xuefei Yang, and that we can represent a more expansive global perspective with artists from Japan, China, Croatia, Latvia and Australia (via Ukraine). We’re very proud of the diversity of the talent assembled in the 2016 season and know that you are in for some thrilling concerts.I’m delighted to acknowledge the Series Partner for Great Performers 2016, the Legal Friends of

Melbourne Recital Centre, a group of passionate music-lovers from Melbourne’s legal community. They are joined by the Great Performers Leadership Circle, a dedicated group of individual benefactors committed to bringing great recitalists to Melbourne. We thank them for their generosity and vision in helping us bring this season to you. The Centre depends upon donors like you to maintain the Centre’s unique vibrancy and breadth of artistic activities. Great Performers is one part of a busy calendar that includes education and access programs for children, emerging professional musicians and older people, in addition to hundreds of concerts in the Salon and Elisabeth Murdoch Hall each year.

The Centre is more than a gorgeous venue: it is the heart of a community of passionate music-makers and music-lovers, inspired by the power of music.I invite you to discover that power at the nine concerts in this year’s Great Performers series.

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C.P.E. BACH Fantasia in D, Wq.117/14 Character Piece: La Böhmer, Wq.117/26Sonata in D minor, Wq.69

BRITTEN Holiday Diary, Op.5

SCARLATTI Sonata in D minor, K.9Sonata in D, K.430Sonata in E, K.135a

BARTÓK Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm(from Mikrokosmos Volume Six)

SCARLATTI Sonata in E, K.380Sonata in C, K.420Sonata in F, K.82

BARTÓK Funeral March (from the symphonic poem, Kossuth), BB 31Three Rondos on Slovak Folk Tunes, BB 92

Dejan Lazić is one of music’s boldest time travellers, jumping centuries in the course of an evening. 20th-century modernists meet 18th-century radicals in an artfully arranged sequence of fleet and fabulous fantasias, sonatas and dances by four innovative composers, played with dexterity, subtlety and insight by the young maverick.

Born in Zagreb and raised in Salzburg by a musical family, Lazić was practically destined to be one of the most exciting pianists in Europe, with a mercurial imagination and fingers to match. Lazić has worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra on a Beethoven concerto cycle, won awards for Rachmaninoff with the London

Philharmonic and ‘discovered’ a third Brahms piano concerto by arranging the composer’s violin concerto for his instrument.

But it’s in the more intimate realm of the recital that Lazić has earned his reputation for unpredictable yet intuitively ‘right’ programming. His Liaisons series of concerts and recordings bring together works of vastly different ages and aesthetics to discover the hidden affinities between them: the way C.P.E. Bach’s moody dramas rhyme with those of the young Britten, or Scarlatti’s playful spirit melts into Bartók’s folksy humour. Lazić urges us to hear these pieces anew, guiding us with wit, heart and an infectious sense of adventure.

I remember Dejan’s vivid performances when he was here with the Australian Chamber Orchestra a few years ago, and can’t wait to see his dynamic and passionate performance on stage here to open our Great Performers series. His playing combines a powerful intensity with a unique and captivating performance style.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

D e j a n

L a z i

a p o W e r h o u s e p e r f o r m e r W h o s e p L ay i n G C o m B i n e s s t r e n G t h W i t h B e a u t y. ”t h e g u a r d i a n

“

L i a i s o n s Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm

Wednesday 2 March

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Pierre-Laurent Aimard is truly one of the great pianists. With a special interest in the music of our time, he has embraced the grandest contemporary works by composers such as Boulez, Birtwistle, Elliott Carter, Ligeti and Kurtág. Aimard imbues these works with his own effortless virtuosity and musical insight. You will not find a better guide to these challenging but rewarding composers. To hear him performing Messiaen’s magnum opus will be an undoubted highlight of the year.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

a i m a r D ’ s v i n G t r e G a r D s a r ea m a G n i f i C e n t a C h i e v e m e n t. ”g r a M o p h o n e M a g a z i n e

“ Ecstatic, voluptuous and violent, Olivier Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus, is both a spectacular piece of music, a formidable virtuoso vehicle and one of the great works of religious art of the 20th century. A highly personal expression of Messiaen’s deep Catholic faith in his otherworldly blend of mysticism, bird-song, Hindu music and his gift of synaesthesia (hearing colours), these Twenty Contemplations are visionary in every sense of the word. It is an immense love song addressed to the divine, but – as is often the case with Messiaen – it also encompasses human love with a melting sensuality. As Messiaen said, ‘Here is the triumph of love and tears of joy – all the passion of our arms around the Invisible!’

The two-hour-long suite is emotionally and physically taxing for any pianist, and there are only a handful of artists who have its measure; Pierre-Laurent Aimard is the work’s greatest living exponent. Aimard’s profound rapport with Messiaen’s music is the result of a long engagement with the composer and his wife, pianist Yvonne Loriod, the dedicatee of the piece. Aimard learned the work as a pupil of Madame Loriod, so this interpretation marries authenticity with the performer’s own fiery intelligence and incredible skill. In Aimard’s hands, Messiaen’s music describes the indescribable, and invites us to briefly apprehend something beyond our understanding. It is a transformative concert experience.

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Sunday20 MarchMESSIAEN Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus

(Twenty Contemplations on the Infant Jesus)

s o p r a n o / s W e d e n / Lov e a n d L i f e / f r i day 8 a p r i L 7 . 3 0 p M

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This young Swedish soprano is one of a long line of outstanding singers to emerge from Scandinavia bringing with her a radiant beauty and a program of major works from the rich vocal repertoire. Equally at home in lieder, oratorio and opera, her appearances always attract rave reviews. Camilla’s 2013 Australian debut in Great Performers was exquisite – if you missed her then, now’s your chance to discover her gorgeous artistry.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

Camilla Tilling’s recitals are lessons in superb storytelling: with consummate poise and radiant voice, Tilling weaves magical spells in song. It’s a talent that has her in demand on concert and opera stages from Berlin to Los Angeles – and, naturally, Melbourne. Her highly acclaimed recordings of Schubert and Strauss have won her fans around the world, but the best way to experience what makes Tilling special is to see her sing live.

Tilling’s purity of tone is complemented by the warmth of her personality. It makes her the perfect Mozart interpreter, for example, but also makes her ideal for Schumann’s great song cycle, Frauenliebe und –leben, a woman’s journey from the first flush of love through marriage and finally the death of her beloved. One of Schumann’s most

personal utterances, the cycle begs for an artist of great emotional candour who can embody youthful passion and mature grief. The piano is a true partner in these songs, providing essential musical scenery; Melbourne-based pianist Leigh Harrold is the associate artist.

Berg’s moody and voluptuous early songs are an ecstatic response to nature and to love, rising out of rapt nocturnal silence before blowing away on a summer wind. Love reigns in Berlioz’s cycle Nuits d’été – but love is always just out of reach. The cheerfully poignant masterpiece gets a rare performance in its original version for soprano and piano to open an evening celebrating love and longing.

s i n G i n G W i t h v o C a L r e f i n e m e n t, m u s i C a L i n t e L L i G e n C e a n D . . . G e n e r o s i t y o f s p i r i t . ”t h e B o s t o n g L o B e

“

BERLIOZ Les nuits d’été, Op.7 (Summer Nights)

SCHUMANN Frauenliebe und –leben, Op.42 (Woman’s Love and Life)

BERG Seven Early Songs

t i L L i n GL o v e a n D L i f e

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm with Leigh Harrold - piano (Australia)

Friday8 April

C a m i L L a

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Born in Ukraine but spending his formative years in Sydney, Alexander is a remarkable pianist, grabbing headlines when he performed all the Prokofiev piano concertos with the Sydney Symphony and Vladimir Ashkenazy. In his hands, this music has a thrilling authenticity and his program showcases his poetry and his virtuosity.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

i m m e n s e C o m m a n D , p i a n i s t i C C o L o u r , D y n a m i C r a n G e , D a z z L i n G t e C h n i C a L a s s u r e D n e s s , C o n v i C t i o n , m u s i C a L p e r s o n a L i t y a n D a D e e p u n D e r s ta n D i n G o f t h e m u s i C . ”B a C h t r a C k

“

Alexander Gavrylyuk is a virtuoso in the grand manner of a Horowitz, Richter or Rubinstein – a barnstorming, red-blooded Romantic. He started learning piano at seven, moved from Ukraine to Sydney aged 13, and commenced his prize-winning career aged 15. The young master has effortlessly transitioned from prodigy to busy international soloist while still in his early 30s: Gavrylyuk’s schedule includes concertos with the Concertgebouw and Cincinnati orchestras and recitals in Budapest, London, Vienna, Moscow and Tokyo. With these career peaks scaled already, imagine what he’ll do in the next 15 years? What’s not in question is that Gavrylyuk is going to be one of the most talked-about musicians of his generation.

As recital programs go, they don’t get more testing of technique and musicality than this one, comprised of works exclusively by pianist-composers: Schubert’s little A-major sonata requires lyricism and a light touch, Chopin’s delicate traceries hide turbulent emotions which probe a musician’s soul as much as their fingers, while Prokofiev’s eight-minute sonata is pure steel-fingered bravura with a dash of wit. Rachmaninoff is something of a speciality for Gavrylyuk, and here he’s represented by a selection of Études-Tableaux. As the name suggests, these are ‘pictures’ as much as ‘studies’, challenging both the technical and imaginative powers of the musician to paint a different mood and character with each piece. Balakirev’s glittering ‘oriental fantasy’, Islamey, makes an extravagantly virtuosic finale to raise the roof on Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. But that’s all in a night’s work for Alexander Gavrylyuk.

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a Le x a n D e r

G av r y Ly u k

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm

SCHUBERT Piano Sonata in A, D664

CHOPIN Fantaisie in F minor, Op.49Nocturne, Op.48, No.1Polonaise in A-flat, Op.53

PROKOFIEV Piano Sonata No.3 in A minor, Op.28

RACHMANINOFF Études-Tableaux, Op.33 (selection)

BALAKIREV Islamey, Op.18

r o m a n t i C sa n Dr u s s i a n s

Monday6 June

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m i D o r i

m i D o r i

v i o L i n / ja pa n - u s a / a n i g h t i n v i e n n a / t u e s day 2 8 j u n e 7 . 3 0 p M

Midori Goto, or simply Midori, will perform the thirty-third concert season of her professional career in 2016, a life in music characterised by excellence, imagination and generosity. She made her debut at the age of 11 with the New York Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta and since then she has established herself as one of the world’s leading solo artists, an educator and an innovative community engagement activist, devoted to the cause of changing lives with music.

The attentiveness and joy that Midori brings to making music radiates into the concert hall – and not just during her performances: she thinks deeply and writes sensitively about the music she plays. In repertoire that encompasses the Baroque

to today, Midori’s eloquence and precision are placed in the service of the music. Or rather, she inhabits the pieces, finding the purest expression of the composer’s voice, brought to life with the hall-filling sound of her violin. The sum-total of this sound and this intelligence is simply, wonderfully Midori.

Midori guides us through that most musical of cities, Vienna: home to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Johann Strauss, Schoenberg and the birthplace of the waltz. The violin is the star of many of the finest Viennese works – graceful, expressive and virtuosic – ideal music for a star violinist like Midori.

It’s hard to remember a time when Midori’s name wasn’t well known, having been a performer since early childhood. In addition to being an outstanding performer, she is a devoted and gifted educator, a prolific blogger, a multi-award-winner, and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. With her 1734 del Gesù “ex-Huberman” violin in hand, we’re full of eager anticipation for Midori’s Melbourne Recital Centre debut.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

m i D o r i h a s a t e C h n i C a L f i n e s s e a n D C e r ta i n t y o f s t y L e t h at a r e u n m at C h e D . ”d i e p r e s s e

“

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm

with Özgür Aydin - piano (Turkey/USA)

a n i G h t i n v i e n n a

Tuesday28 June

LISZT Soirées de Vienne after Schubert

SCHOENBERG Phantasy Op.47

BRAHMS Sonata in G, Op.78

MOZART Violin Sonata (TBA)

SCHUBERT Fantasie in C, D.934

p i a n o / g e r M a n y / B e e t h ov e n , B aC h , B e yo n d / M o n day 2 5 j u Ly 7 . 3 0 p M

L a r s v o G t

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So remarkable is Lars Vogt that he was named the first ever ‘Pianist in Residence’ with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2003. A solo performer, chamber musician, festival director, teacher and conductor, his performances are acclaimed for combining great strength with control, poise and elegance. I can’t wait to hear him in this program of two mighty keyboard masterpieces: Beethoven’s sublime Op.111 and Bach’s eternal ‘Goldberg Variations’.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

Pianists don’t enter lightly into an engagement with two of music’s most towering intellects, Beethoven and Bach. Both these composers can provide a life’s work for a musician to master not just the music, but also the ideas within.

Beethoven – especially late Beethoven – wants to reveal eternity. The most profound expression of this is his final piano sonata. Laying aside the storm and stress of the turbulent first movement, Beethoven presents a simple little song before showing how it – and we – can be forever transformed, into something – at last – celestial. Some philosophies can only be expressed in music.

Beethoven’s arietta has a precedent in thestately aria that sets in motion the joyous outpouring of musical invention that is Bach’s

‘Goldberg Variations’. Bach’s music comes from the place where his heart and mind meet, and the

Goldbergs give us a glimpse into both: exhilarating Baroque fireworks contrast with intricate canons and fugues, tragedy is followed by rustic humour or beatific happiness. Each variation is more dazzling than the last but Bach ends not with a bang, but at his beginning, with the aria, creating a symbol of endless return, of the world itself.

Lars Vogt refers to the Goldbergs as a ‘sacred object’. We’re fortunate, then, that this intrepid pianist will lead us through Bach and Beethoven’s wonders. One of the most versatile and brilliant musicians on the scene, Vogt’s recording of the ‘Goldberg Variations’ was a critical and commercial hit, topping the classical charts in Europe. Sir Simon Rattle has described him as ‘extraordinary’ – you’ll agree after he offers us this glimpse of the sublime.

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No.32, Op.111

BACH Aria with 30 Variations, BWV 988, ‘Goldberg Variations’

s i m p L i C i t y, W i t a n D h o n e s t y ”t h e g u a r d i a n

“

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm

B e e t h o v e n , B a C h , B e y o n D

Monday25 July

v i o L i n / L at v i a / i n n e r W o r L d s / t u e s day 2 3 au g u s t 7 . 3 0 p M

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Baiba Skride is one of those artists who hide an iron will behind a disarming smile. The Latvian-born violinist can definitely do charm

– as you’ll hear in her Mozart – but it’s in the tense dialogue of Shostakovich’s violin sonata or the barely-supressed passion in the Brahms that her ability to almost ruthlessly expose an emotional inner world comes to the fore, given resonant voice by her 1734 Stradivarius.

Skride is a regular guest of the world’s prestigious orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic and London Philharmonic. She is artist-in-residence of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. While her technical mastery and beauty of sound place her in high demand, it is her instinctual command of a composer’s idiom – her seemingly natural affinity with everything – that sets her apart. Skride can play everything from Mozart to Shostakovich and make it seem like it was written for her.

Her left-of-field selection for this recital emphasises the darker side of the great composers. Mozart’s short sonata closes with one of the most melancholy dances in the repertoire, Schumann’s fantasy pieces are masterpieces of weltschmerz (melancholy), while Brahms’ irresolute Sonata is all flashes of sun through storm clouds. These are just a warm-up for the searing power of Shostakovich’s late violin sonata, one of the most uncompromising and magisterial chamber pieces of the 20th century. With the utmost economy, Shostakovich unravels a disquieting stream of thought and feeling – meditative, savage, unspeakably tragic. Baiba Skride and associate artist Daniel de Borah are the ideal musicians to make Shostakovich speak to us again.

Born in Latvia, and now living in Hamburg, Baiba Skride appears on the great stages of the world, and her performances attract the most glowing praise. I’ve always found her performances to be full of joy, and her easy, natural manner on stage indicates an artist who revels in the beauty and power of the recital platform.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

e v e r y s o o f t e n a v i o L i n i s t C o m e s a L o n G W h o a L s o h a s s o m e t h i n G m o r e i m p o r ta n t: t h e C a p a C i t y t o D r aW t h e L i s t e n e r i n a s W e L L a s t o i m p r e s s , W i t h C h a r a C t e r i s at i o n s t o m at C h . t h i s y o u n G L at v i a n p L ay e r h a s a L L o f t h i s , a n D t h e n s o m e . ”B B C M u s i C M a g a z i n e

“

MOZART Sonata for piano & violin in E minor, K.304

SCHUMANN Three Fantasy Pieces, Op.73

BRAHMS Violin Sonata in E-flat, Op.120, No.2 (originally for clarinet)

SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Sonata, Op.134

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm with Daniel de Borah - piano (Australia)i n n e r

W o r L D s

Tuesday23 August

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s o p r a n o / g e r M a n y / a g e r M a n s o n g B o o k / t h u r s day 2 0 o C to B e r 7 . 3 0 p M Making her name in the operatic world singing Mozart with Yehudi Menuhin, Christiane Oelze has since established a stellar career across an incredible range of repertoire. In this concert she shares her love of the music of Schubert and Schumann, Mahler and Kurt Weill. It’s a fabulous program, performed by a captivating singer.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

C h r istian e

o e L z e

“

The lieder, or art-song, is firmly-rooted in the soil of Germany and Austria, inspired by their poetry and folk-song and perfected by composers like Schubert and Schumann. It has remained a rich and living genre to the present day. It’s no surprise that German performers like soprano Christiane Oelze are the preeminent interpreters of this vast repertoire. Oelze has explored both ‘greatest hits’ of lieder and fascinating rarities at Europe’s most revered recital venues. Oelze is also at home in the opera house and concert hall, having worked at Paris’s Opera Garnier, and with conductors Sir Simon Rattle and Pierre Boulez. Her distinctive voice and graceful presence are in demand around the world.

Playing to her strengths, Oelze has selected lieder from the canon by Mahler, Schubert and Schumann, with forays into the dark, tragi-comic world of Weill and Eisler. Schubert represents the ne plus ultra of German song a never-bettered meshing of words and music. His Romantic followers Schumann and Mahler contributed powerful examples. Oelze performs a handful of gems from Schumann’s Liederkreis and Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder exploring themes of life and death. Mahler’s songs are intensely personal and otherworldy, with rich and idiosyncratic settings that are almost orchestral in scope. Closer to our own times, the musical diary that German composer Hanns Eisler kept during his self-imposed exile in Hollywood in the 1940s casts a disenchanted eye over life in an alien land - by turns lyrical, rueful and funny. Fellow émigré Kurt Weill’s incomparable contribution to music theatre extends from Germany to Broadway – the perfect showcase for Oelze’s multifaceted artistry.

h e r f L aW L e s s v o i C e f L o at e D L i k e a G u a r D i a n a n G e L o v e r t h e W h o L e C o n C e r t. ” B e r L i n e r M o r g e n p o s t

Songs by Schubert, Mahler, Schumann, Eisler and Weill.

Full program details at melbournerecital.com.au

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm with David Harper - piano (New Zealand)a G e r m a n

s o n G B o o k

Thursday20 October

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C L a s s i C a L g u i ta r / C h i n a / f r o M B aC h to B r a z i L / t h u r s day 3 n ov e M B e r 7 . 3 0 p M

In 2014 , Xuefei Yang played Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with the MSO, and I found her performances to be so intimate, beautiful and compelling that it was agreed she must appear in this year’s Great Performers. The guitar has such a unique way of reaching out across styles and genres, and in her hands her instrument becomes a master story teller. Her virtuosity is astonishing, and her musicianship outstanding. We close a great season by bringing you one of the great guitarists of the world.

M a r s h a L L M C g u i r e - h e a d o f a r t i s t i C p L a n n i n g

t h i s Wa s B r av u r a p L ay i n G o f t h e h i G h e s t o r D e r . ”L i M e L i g h t M a g a z i n e

“

Born following the Cultural Revolution, an era where Western music and instruments were banned, the fascinating story of Fei’s rise to the world stage is that of a musical pioneer.

She was the first ever guitarist in China to enter a music school, and became the first to launch an international professional career. Her prodigious talent came to the attention of John Williams who donated two of his own guitars to her conservatorium. Since then, she has been impressing audiences around the globe with her exquisite sound and powerfully emotional performances of repertoire both old and new.

The guitar is a world traveller, with a versatility that can take it with ease from 18th-century Germany to the beaches of Brazil. The guitar was still being perfected when Bach wrote his suites for

its cousin the lute, but naturally guitarists have adopted these Baroque masterpieces for themselves. From the guitar’s heyday, Granados’ Poetic Waltzes make the leap from virtuoso piano work to an even more dazzling guitar showcase in Fei’s arrangement, revealing perhaps that Granados had the elegant and mellow sound of the guitar in mind all along. The guitar also found an ideal home in the New World, becoming integral to the music of Brazil, as heard in Villa Lobos’ many folk-tinged guitar pieces, and of course the bossa nova of Jobim and company. Its rainbow of sonic colours, its expressive voice and its brilliant exponents have extended the guitar’s global reach to Asia and Australia. The guitar is an ongoing source of inspiration to composers, here represented by the celebrated Ross Edwards who has composed a new work especially for Fei – an exquisite next step in the guitar’s journey.

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Music by J.S. Bach, Enrique Granados, Villa Lobos and Antonio Carlos Jobim including the world premiere of a new work Melbourne Arioso for solo guitar by Ross Edwards commissioned by Melbourne Recital Centre with support of Maria Sola for Xuefei Yang.

More program details at melbournerecital.com.au

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall7.30pm

f r o m B a C h t o B r a z i L

Thursday3 November

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a B o u t t h e C e n t r eMelbourne Recital Centre is the Best Place to Hear. The 1000-seat Elisabeth Murdoch Hall and 130-seat Salon were designed to be the perfect partners for the world’s best musicians in the creation of unforgettable performances. The Centre has been voted the best venue for chamber music in Australia, making it one of the very finest in the world.

Whether you’re experiencing a solo violinist, a soprano accompanied by pianist or a classical guitarist, the connection between musicians and audience illuminates these intimate spaces.

Melbourne recital centreCnr Southbank Blvd & Sturt StSouthbank VIC AUSTRALIA 3006P • 03 9699 3333W • melbournerecital.com.au

Box Office opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm and two hours prior to all performances

‘Such a pleasure to play in this spectacular hall.’

p a a v a L i j u M p p a n e n , p i a n o

‘Undoubtedly for us Melbourne Recital Centre is one of our favourite venues around the globe.’

B o r o d i n Q u a r t e t

‘I love the space and the way it makes you feel connected to the artist. It’s personal, intimate and very satisfying.’

a u d i e n C e M e M B e r

‘I can close my eyes and be drawn to even the softest, simplest sound.’

a u d i e n C e M e M B e r

s u B s C r i B e a n d W i n

• The Piggery Café

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The more you purchase the more you save: up to 30% on the regular ticket price. Save 10% on additional tickets for Great Performers concerts.

Full-pack season-ticket holders receive one complimentary ticket per year to introduce a friend to Great Performers. 1

Sit in the same seats for all your concerts – the best seats in the house.

Full-pack purchasers can renew their seats year after year.

Plans changed? Exchange your tickets for another Great Performers recital. We’ll waive the exchange fee. 2

Subscribe by 30 November 2015 and receive a free Melbourne Recital Centre Annual Membership (valued at $50) to unlock further benefits and discounts. 3

Deferred payment option.

Priority access to other Great Performers and select Melbourne Recital Centre events.

Join us for free pre-concert talks 45-minutes before each performance.

Enjoy complimentary programs.

singLe tiCket priCes

standard Concession (means-tested card-holders only)

Premium $115

A reserve $100 $50

B reserve $85 $50

C reserve $60 $50

1. Redeemable for Great Performers 2016 concerts occurring between 1 January and 30 June 2016, tickets are best available, subject to availability. 2. Only valid for four and six-packs. 3. Free Melbourne Recital Centre Annual Membership offer valid until 30 November 2015. Limit of one Annual Membership per household. Your Membership pack will be fulfilled separately to your Season Tickets. Membership is not exchangeable, transferable or redeemable for cash. If you are already a Member, an additional year will be added to your existing Membership.

terms and conditions: • Great Performers 2016 Season Ticket Packages must be purchased before

1 December 2015 to be eligible for entry to win this prize.• The driver of the Audi vehicle must be 25 years or older, produce a full

Victorian Driver’s License upon pick up and comply with Audi’s loan vehicle agreement. In the unlikely event of an accident/damage to the car, a $2500 excess is payable to Audi by the recipient. Vehicles are subject to availability and are at the discretion of the dealership management.

• Lunch at The Piggery Café, Burnham Beeches Estate is valid on food and beverages up to $100 total.

• Marybrooke Mansion’s Bed and Breakfast King Package is valid for two people. Valid booking period for accommodation is from 22 September 2015 until 22 September 2016. Please note, accommodation is subject to availability. Marybrooke Mansion recommends booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

• Dinner at PJ’s Restaurant and Bar at Marybrooke Mansion is valid on food and beverages up to $140 total.

• The winner will be contacted by Friday 11 December 2015 and published across Melbourne Recital Centre’s online channels thereafter.

G r e at B e n e f i t s

W i n a W e e k e n D G e taWay

paC k ag e s & B e n e f i t s

In 2016, you can save on tickets and have the flexibility of a choose-your-own Season Ticket Package. Purchase all nine concerts to enjoy the greatest saving and additional benefits, or purchase a Flexible Package to personalise your experience.

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Purchase a Great Performers Season Ticket Package before 1 December and automatically enter the draw to win a majestic weekend getaway for two people to The Dandenongs, thanks to Audi Centre Melbourne and The Piggery Café, Burnham Beeches Estate.

Prize includes:

Use of a new Audi TT Roadster for the weekend.

Lunch at the rustic Piggery Café, Burnham Beeches Estate in Sherbrooke, owned by the acclaimed Vue de monde chef and restauranteur, Shannon Bennett and business partner Adam Garrisson.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the beautiful Burnham Beeches Estate guided by The Piggery Cafe’s world-class chefs.

A Bed and Breakfast Accommodation Package at the heritage-listed Marybrooke Mansion, located on the edge of Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenong Ranges, plus dinner at PJ’s Restaurant and Bar.

Melbourne Recital Centre’s self-presented concert program of over 350 events each year includes a rich array of artist development programs that provide practical support to young Australian artists. Master classes with the Great Performers, the Bach and Great Romantics music competitions, commissioning programs, mentoring through Accelerando and performance opportunities for talented secondary school students through to those emerging into professional performance careers connect young Australians with inspiring people, performances and the highest standards.

The Centre’s education and artist development activities are supported entirely by donors through the Elisabeth Murdoch Creative Development Fund. They are an essential expression of the Centre’s mission to be at the heart of an inspired community passionate about music. We invite you to join us in bringing these special opportunities to more young artists.

For more information contact: Jacqueline Williams, Philanthropy Manager P. (03) 9207 2653E. jacqueline.williams@melbournerecital.com.au

n u r t u r i n G t h e n e x t G e n e r at i o n o f G r e at p e r f o r m e r s

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The Great Performers thrill us with their artistry and transcendent performances. Our donors ensure a lasting benefit through the artistic and education initiatives the Centre undertakes and the extent of our reach into the broader community.

g r e at p e r f o r M e r s

L e a d e r s h i p C i rC L e

The John & Jennifer Brukner FoundationAnonymous (2) Brian & Esther BenjaminPaulette & Warwick BisleyHans & Petra HenkellGeoff & Jan PhillipsLady Primrose Potter ACMaria SolaSkipp Williamson & Carol Haynes

f o u n d i n g pat r o n

The Late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE

B oa r d M e M B e r s

Kathryn Fagg, ChairPeter BartlettStephen CarpenterJoseph CorponiPaul DonnellyMargaret Farren-PriceJulie KantorEda Ritchie AM

f o u n d i n g

B e n e faC to r s

The Kantor FamilyThe Calvert-Jones FamilyLyn Williams AMHelen Macpherson Smith TrustRobert Salzer FoundationThe Hugh Williamson Foundation

L e g a L f r i e n d s

o f M e L B o u r n e

r e C i ta L C e n t r e

Inaugural PatronsThe Hon Justice Michelle Gordon & The Hon

Kenneth M Hayne AC QC

$4000+Rachel & Hon Alan Goldberg AO QCNaomi Golvan & George Golvan QCThe Hon Justice Michelle Gordon & The

Hon Kenneth M Hayne AC QC

Peter B Murdoch QC

$2500+Elizabeth O’KeeffeRalph & Ruth Renard

$1000+Anonymous (3)Marcia and John K ArthurPeter Bartlett Ingrid BraunJustice David Byrne QCChristine CloughBruce CurlColin Golvan QC & Dr Deborah GolvanDr Gavan Griffith QC AORobert Heathcote & Meredith KingJudge Sara Hinchey & Tom PikusaMaryanne B Loughnan QCPeter & Avril McGrathPeter & Ruth McMullinDavid O’CallaghanMeredith SchillingMichael Shand QC

$500+The Hon Chris Maxwell AC

List of patrons at 17 September 2015

p r i n C i pa L g ov e r n M e n t pa r t n e r

lega l fr ien ds of M elbou r n e r eci ta l cen t r e

p r o g r a M pa r t n e r s

i n t e r n at i o n a L a i r L i n e pa r t n e r

s e r i e s pa r t n e r

Foyer Bars are the perfect place to relax before the show or during interval. They serve a range of fine wines, beers and other beverages, plus light snacks and sandwiches. Pre-order your intervaldrink and jump the queue.

Blondie Bar offers an exciting menu inspired by Asian cuisine and an interesting mix of Australian and European wines, carefully selected craft beer and perfectly constructed cocktails. The dinner menu is designed for sharing and reservations are encouraged on 03 9686 3389.

• Blondie Bar

m a k e y o u r v i s i t a C o m p L e t e e x p e r i e n C e a n D e n j o y t h e va r i o u s f o o D a n D B e v e r a G e o f f e r s ava i L a B L e at t h e C e n t r e . GRANT STREET

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MELBOURNE

NATIONALGALLERYOF VIC.(NGV)

MELBOURNERECITAL CENTRE

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f o o d & B e v e r ag e e L i s a B e t h M u r d o C h h a L L

Premium

A reserve

B reserve

C reserve

seating Key:

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level two: circle

level one: stalls

stage

our privaCy CoMMitMent to you. preserving your privacy is important to us. to view our privacy policy, visit the Melbourne recital Centre website:melbournerecital.com.au

MY details

titLe first naMe Last naMe

street address

suBurB state postCode

phone MoBiLe

eMaiL

etihad guest frequent flyer numberearn and redeem etihad guest points on ticket purchases at Melbourne recital Centre

Would you like to subscribe to the Centre’s fortnightly What’s on email with performance details and offers? y / n

additional subscriber details

titLe first naMe Last naMe

street address

suBurB state postCode

phone MoBiLe

eMaiL

Would you like to subscribe to the Centre’s fortnightly What’s on email with performance details and offers? y / n

paYMent details

Cheque or Money order made payable to Melbourne recital Centre Ltd

i authorise the full amount to be charged to my nominated credit card now

i authorise you to charge 50% to my credit card now and 50% on 29 january 2016 (Card must be valid until 31 january 2016)

visa Mastercard diners aMeX

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CardhoLder’s signature

subMit Your order

renewing YOur seAsOn TiCKeTs? please return this form with payment (no stamp required) to: Melbourne recital Centre great performers, reply paid 85302, southbank viC 3006. or call 03 9699 3333 Mon-fri 9am-5pm. or renew online at melbournerecital.com.au/renew using your login credentials. if you require assistance renewing online, please contact ticketing services.

1. cHoose Your pacKage

preMiuM Qty a reserve Qty B reserve Qty C reserve Qty totaL

nine PACK - save 30%, renewable seats $729 $630 $540 $378

siX PACK - fLeXiBLe, save 25% $552 $480 $408 $288

FOur PACK - fLeXiBLe, save 15% $392 $340 $288 $204

suBTOTAL 1 $

2. cHoose Your siX or four-concerts & Your additional ticKets

PerFOrmAnCes FLeXiBLe PACKschoose6 or 4

+ AddiTiOnAL TiCKeTsindicate the number of additional tickets and reserve

you require at the subscriber discount price.

P $103.50 A $90 B $76.50 C $54

deJAn LAZiC Wed 2 MarCh / 7.30pm

Pierre-LAurenT AimArd sun 20 MarCh / 5pm

CAmiLLA TiLLing fri 8 apriL / 7.30pm

ALeXAnder gAvrYLYuK Mon 6 june / 7.30pm

midOri tue 28 june / 7.30pm

LArs vOgT Mon 25 juLy / 7.30pm

BAiBA sKride tue 23 august / 7.30pm

CHrisTiAne OeLZe thu 20 oCtoBer / 7.30pm

XueFei YAng thu 3 noveMBer / 7.30pm

suBTOTAL 2 $

i would like to make a tax deductable donation to support the Centre $

grAnd TOTAL (subtotal 1 + subtotal 2 + donation) $

3. seating preference

Bookings will be processed in date order of receipt according to this schedule: first, renewing season ticket holders: full-packs, then six-packs, then four-packs. second: renewing season ticket holders’ additional ticket requests. third, new season tickets/additional ticket orders, full-packs, six-packs then four-packs. Concession and all regular-priced tickets available to the general public from 01 december 2015. subject to terms and conditions of sale. see melbournerecital.com.au. all prices are gst-inclusive and may incur transaction and delivery fees where applicable. subscriptions are not available for concession tickets. no further discounts on season tickets or additional tickets for Melbourne recital Centre Members. all packs must be in the same reserve for all concerts and all tickets must be purchased in the same transaction. Multiple purchases flexible packs must include the same number of tickets for each concert. discounted additional tickets may be added at a later date (you may incur a transaction fee if not purchased in the same order as a season ticket package). Limit of one complimentary ticket voucher per nine pack redeemable for a great performers 2016 concert. not exchangeable or redeemable for cash. voucher redeemable for great performers concerts occurring between 1 january and 30 june 2016, subject to availability. We apologise if your first choice of concert(s) or reserve is not available. Concession tickets are available for means-tested concession card-holders. no further discounts. seating is best available. available from 01 december. proof of eligibility: photo id or valid means-tested concession card. all ticket prices valid until 31 december 2015. Melbourne recital Centre aBn 46 118 617 619.

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