Welcome to the Ensemble Q 2024 Season! We are so delighted to be presenting this special season. 2024 brings a year full of exciting concerts that have been a joy to design and we really look forward to performing for you with our brilliant friends and colleagues. The programs are all about bringing you a unique experience, whether it be thematically, visually or emotionally. It’s about imagination, brilliance and strength. Highlights of our three concert series at QPAC will include Schubert’s much loved Trout Quintet, the Berio Folksongs with our niece, UK-based mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean, and the fantastically imaginative Frankenstein!! by HK Gruber. Our new boutique venue, Mrs J Rabbits at Electric Avenue, is set to be the scene of many special moments for the lucky audience members who get to watch us up close in four sublime concerts. And we introduce a second new venue, Vacant Assembly for an edgy concert combining the genius of Beethoven with the most forward thinking composers of our day. In September and October we are honoured to be touring Australia for Musica Viva and will join with the extraordinary didgeridoo artist and composer William Barton, in what will be a very special program for cello, didgeridoo, wind quintet and double bass. We welcome three new members to Ensemble Q this year - violinist Sophie Rowell, violist Christopher Moore and harpist Emily Granger. Sophie is one of the finest violinists in Australia, currently Artistic Director of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Chris is an incredible violist and personality, Principal viola with the MSO and superstar for 10 years with the ACO. Australia’s most loved harpist Emily Granger has just accepted the position of Principal harp with the QSO and we can’t wait for her to join us. We hope to see you at our concerts and look forward to sharing our dreams and ideas with you.
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Trish & Paul Dean Co-Artistic Directors
MUSICA VIVA NATIONAL TOURING ARTISTS 2024
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2024 At a glance APRIL
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QPAC The Trout page 8
WHISKEY BAR Bach @ the Bar page 20
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MAY
June
10-12 02
Queensland Music Trails Jimbour House
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WHISKEY BAR Bass & Friends page 20
Gretel Farm See website
JULY
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VACANT ASSEMBLY On The Edge page 23
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WHISKEY BAR Romancing the Cellist page 21
AUGUST
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QPAC Boots & All page 10
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
30-12 MUSICA VIVA NATIONAL TOUR Ensemble Q with William Barton
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WHISKEY BAR Night in France
NOVEMBER
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QPAC Frankenstein!! & The Goose’s Mum page 12
30 PERTH 3 ADELAIDE 5 CANBERRA 7 SYDNEY 8 MELBOURNE 10 NEWCASTLE 12 BRISBANE pages 26 - 27
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FEEL THE POWER Ensemble Q has been captivating Australian audiences since 2017 and is proudly a Company in Residence at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Ensemble Q have been selected as the only Australian group to undertake an Australian national tour for Musica Viva in 2024, touring to major cities in September and October. They are known for their quirky marketing, trendsetting appeal and their ability to stand out on a crowded stage and grab the attention of discerning audiences with their consistently world class performance standard and brilliant programming. With a sleeve full of five star reviews, Ensemble Q is an ambassador for Australian music and the future of chamber music in this country. 6
ENSEMBLE Q 2024
oF world class music Violins - Adam Chalabi, Sophie Rowell, Anne Horton Violas - Christopher Moore, Tobias Breider Cello - Trish Dean Bass - Phoebe Russell Flute - Alison Mitchell Oboe - Huw Jones Clarinet - Paul Dean Bassoon - David Mitchell Horn - Peter Luff Piano - Daniel de Borah Percussion - Jacob Enoka Guest artists - William Barton, Lotte Betts-Dean (UK), Jason Barry-Smith, Benjamin Roskams (UK), Tim Munro, Martin Alexander, Anna Grinberg 7
THE TROUT SUNDAY 14 APRIL 2024, 3PM CONCERT HALL, QPAC ANTON REICHA Variations for bassoon and string quartet AMY BEACH Theme & Variations LACHLAN SKIPWORTH Clarinet Quintet ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV Idyll FRANZ SCHUBERT Piano Quintet in A major, D.667 “Trout Quintet” Featured performers: Sophie Rowell, violin Anne Horton, violin Christopher Moore, viola Trish Dean, cello Phoebe Russell, double bass Daniel de Borah, piano Alison Mitchell, flute Paul Dean, clarinet David Mitchell, bassoon Peter Luff, French horn
The number 5 has great significance in many facets of life, whether it be the number of digits on the hand, points on a star, human senses or tastes. Of course there are 5 lines in a stave, 5 Olympic rings - and 5 stars signifies the the highest achievement. In this program Ensemble Q celebrates the musical representation of the number 5 with five quintets of varying instrumentation, culminating in one of the most loved works of all time, the Trout Quintet. Anton Reicha was a contemporary and lifelong friend of Beethoven, and flings the bassoon into the spotlight with his virtuosic Variations for bassoon and string quartet. American composer Amy Beach’s stunningly beautiful work for flute and string quartet sets the scene for a sentimental journey with the Glazunov Idyll. Contemporary Australian composer Lachlan Skipworth’s fine new addition to the clarinet quintet repertoire is imaginative and atmospheric and creates the perfect contrast to the sounds of the Austrian brook in Schubert’s masterpiece. 8
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BOOTS & ALL SUNDAY 4 AUGUST 2024, 3PM CONCERT HALL, QPAC STUART MACRAE Chaidh mo Dhonnachadh ‘na bheinn CARL NIELSEN Serenata in vano JAMES LEDGER Rashomon Confessions LUCIANO BERIO Folksongs MELODY EÖTVÖS About the Ash Lad ANTONIN DVOŘÁK Bagatelles arr for Septet by Trish Dean OSVALDO GOLIJOV Lullaby & Doina Featured performers: Lotte Betts-Dean, mezzo soprano Emily Granger, harp Adam Chalabi, violin Anne Horton, violin Christopher Moore, viola Trish Dean, cello Phoebe Russell, double bass Alison Mitchell, flute Paul Dean, clarinet David Mitchell, bassoon Jacob Enoka, percussion
The folk influence in classical music has stretched across centuries of writing and many nations, and continues to do so. Featuring guest artist UK mezzo soprano Lotte Betts-Dean in the highly popular folksong travelogue by Italian composer Luciano Berio, Ensemble Q presents a boots-and-all style exploration of the earthy influence of music from countries including Ireland, America, Japan, Italy, Sardinia, Azerbaijan, Czechoslovakia, Norway, and more.
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FRANKENSTEIN!! & The Goose’s Mum SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2024, 3PM CONCERT HALL, QPAC CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Danse Macabre arr Cicely Parnas WILLIAM BOLCOME Poltergeist MAURICE RAVEL Mother Goose Suite HK GRUBER Frankenstein!! Featured performers: Jason Barry-Smith, narrator Adam Chalabi, violin Anne Horton, violin Tobias Breider, viola Trish Dean, cello Phoebe Russell, double bass Emily Granger, harp Daniel de Borah, piano Huw Jones, oboe Alison Mitchell, flute Paul Dean, clarinet David Mitchell, bassoon Peter Luff, French horn Jacob Enoka, percussion
HK Gruber’s Frankenstein!! is an absolute delight for all the family. Ensemble Q will put on party hats, blow whistles and kazoos and run round the stage impersonating Superman in this fantastic and virtuosic work for voice and chamber ensemble. Frankenstein!! is complemented by Ravel’s exquisitely beautiful tribute to fairy tales, the Mother Goose Suite, along with the bone clicking Danse Macabre and William Bolcome’s jazzy Poltergeist for String Quartet.
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QPAC SERIES TICKETING INFORMATION THE TROUT Sunday 14 April 2024, 3pm BOOTS & ALL Sunday 4 August 2024, 3pm FRANKENSTEIN!! & THE GOOSE’S MUM Sunday 3 November 2024, 3pm $75.00 Adult $55.00 Concession $195.00 Subscription Package – Buy 3 concerts and save! BOOK YOUR TICKETS QPAC Box Office – QPAC, Corner Grey & Melbourne Streets, South Bank Online – qpac.com.au Phone – 136 246
CONCESSION RATES: Please note that QPAC’s Concession rates are, as a standard, available to Pensioners, Seniors Card Holders, Full-Time Students. Concession Rates may be accessed for children throughout the 2024 season. TRANSACTION FEES: Transaction fees of up to $7.20 for online bookings or $8.20 for standard mail applies to single ticket and package bookings. QTIX TICKET TERMS AND CONDITIONS: By purchasing a ticket through QTIX (online or over the phone), through the QPAC Box Office, or an authorised sales channel, you acknowledge and agree to comply with the QTIX Ticket Terms and Conditions. 14
“The magic they conjure on stage is something to be ardently awaited and celebrated.” Weekend Notes
WHEELCHAIR AND DISABILITY ACCESS: Is available at all performances. If you use a wheelchair or require assistance due to mobility difficulties, please call 136 246 to book accessible seating or email info@qtix.com.au to enquire. SEATING: For all concerts is in numbered, reserved seats in the Concert Hall in reverse mode. Tickets are subject to availability. All sales are final. No refunds will be made. Please check tickets on receipt. 15
“They have carved out a niche market - an audience that responds well to the abstruse, the quirky, and the excellent.” Weekend Notes
“the players are all extraordinarily good, operating at the top of their respective fields.” Limelight
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“a chamber ensemble of the highest standard.” Australian Stage
“brilliantly played and passionately delivered.” Limelight
“a venture beyond the ordinary—masterfully executed with an exuberant flair.” Weekend Notes
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Harking back to the days of the speakeasy bars, this gem of a venue is the setting for four very special, intimate Ensemble Q concerts in 2024. Enter the room through a Narnia-inspired wardrobe and dissolve yourself in an evening of good company and incredible music played just for you by some of the finest musicians in Australia. Bring friends or make new ones, everyone is welcome. This series is the continuation of the consistently sold out (months in advance) Underground series and there are strictly limited seats so you will need to be quick to get your tickets. Venue: Mrs J Rabbits, upstairs at Electric Avenue, 23 Logan Road, Woollongabba. Time: Tuesday evenings, doors open at 6.20pm for a 7pm performance Seating is unallocated, however there are two 6-7 person booths that can be pre-booked by emailing ensembleqaustralia@gmail.com. Please purchase your tickets first and we will reserve the table for you if it’s available. Minimum 6 people for the booth booking. Parking: Tuesday nights are very quiet so there should be plenty of street parking right outside Electric Avenue and in the local area. Access is by a set of stairs with no disability access, with apologies. Book a table for pre-concert dinner at local restaurants Canvas Club or Detour. 18
THE WHISKEY BAR SERIES
BACH IN THE BAR
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APRIL
BASS & FRIENDS
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MAY
ROMANCING THE cellIST
A NIGHT IN FRANCE
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JULY
AUGUST
TICKETS ENSEMBLEQAUSTRALIA.COM 19
BACH IN THE BAR APRIL 7PM
30 A program of Bach solo violin and solo cello works culminating in the Bach Double Violin Concerto.
We welcome the extraordinary violinist Sophie Rowell to Ensemble Q this year and this is your chance to get to know her and hear her incredible playing up close, in duo with Trish Dean. Currently the Concertmaster of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Sophie has held positions as leader of the Australian String Quartet and Concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The purity of Bach is perfect for our first Whiskey Bar concert and will feature solo works for both violin and cello, culminating in an ingenius arrangement of the Bach Double Violin Concerto by American cellist Cicely Parnas.
BASS & FRIENDS
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Rossini Duo for Cello and Bass Bartok Romanian Dances Schulhoff Concertino Morton Gould “Benny’s Gig”
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MAY 7pm
There can never be too much double bass, so the Queen of Tarragindi - Phoebe Russell - is taking centre stage again to delight our audience with a bass fuelled program with her friends. Enjoy a fiery performance of Bartok’s Romanian Dances in a brilliant arrangement for flute and double bass by American bass virtuoso Erik Higgins, along with Benny’s Gig for clarinet and bass by Morton Gould and the exquisitely virtuosic Duo for Cello and Bass by Rossini. Featuring guest flautist Tim Munro.
ROMANCING THE cellIST JULY 7pm
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Australia’s favourite instrument in a program of stunningly romantic and ethereal works featuring the cello.
Voted as Australia’s most loved instrument by ABC Classic audiences, the cello has had more heart warming, gut wrenching and romantic works written for it than any other instrument. In this decadent program of celliciousness, Trish Dean is joined by virtuoso pianist Anna Grinberg. And sweeping her off her feet yet again is Trish’s much adored husband and co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Q, Paul Dean for some stunningly beautiful pieces by Bruch. If you have a favourite cello work you would like to hear played, email Trish your request and we’ll see what we can do. Email ensembleqaustralia@gmail.com
A NIGHT IN FRANCE
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Poulenc Clarinet Sonata Francaix Divertissement Eric Satie Gnossiennes 1 & 4 Ravel string quartet
TICKETS ENSEMBLEQAUSTRALIA.COM
AUGUST 7pm
Featuring Sophie Rowell again, this stunning program will take you on a journey into the beauty of France through the eyes of Ravel, Poulenc, Francaix and Satie. In Trish Dean’s arrangement of the achingly beautiful clarinet sonata by Poulenc, the string quartet is engaged to create an expanded world of depth and French flavour. The much loved string quartet by Ravel is the centrepiece and we are joined by Huw Jones and David Mitchell to present the essence of French music in Francaix’s fun Divertissement for wind trio. 21
on the edge 22
Take a walk on the West Side and experience a whole new kind of concert. Situated in a cool gallery space in West End (near plenty of parking), we bring you a program that is designed to turn your head, make you feel and excite your senses. Big bold Beethoven is being partnered with some of the great contemporaries in an edgy performance like no other. It’s there to be enjoyed in the most relaxed way possible.
Beethoven - Grosse Fugue OP.133 Bernardo Alviz - Gestos (world premiere) Thomas Adès - Les Barricades Mystérieuses (after couperin) Paul DEAN - CHACONNE Alfred Schnittke - hymnus II Catherine Likhuta - lesions PAUL DEAN - Dancing with ghosts
Visit ensembleqaustralia.com for tickets Adult $50 Concession $40 Student $25
7.30pm SATURDAY JULY
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Featuring Sophie Rowell, violin Benjamin Roskams, viola (UK) Trish Dean, cello Phoebe Russell, double bass Paul Dean, clarinet Peter Luff, French horn David Mitchell, bassoon
266 MONTAGUE ROAD, WEST END 23
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bernardo alviz
WIlliam barton
JULY 13 On The edge
musica viva tour
James ledger
catherine likhuta
August 4 Boots & All
July 13 on the edge
featured Australian composers
paul dean musica viva tour July 13 on the edge
melodY EÖTVÖS August 4 Boots & all
lachlan skipworth April 14 The Trout
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Ensemble Q and William Barton national tour 30 September — 12 October
A KALEIDOSCOPE OF SOUND Old meets new and new meets old when a crack team of classical virtuosos team up with the boundless sonic imagination of William Barton to explore Brahms, Ligeti and more. Wrap yourself in a kaleidoscope of sound with Ensemble Q. Explore the season here musicaviva.com.au 26
What are the sonic possibilities when the oldest wind instrument in the world – the digeridoo – teams up with instruments that found their final form only two centuries ago? And who better than distinguished artist William Barton, award-winning clarinettist and composer Paul Dean, plus the stellar line-up of Ensemble Q, to explore that question? Ensemble Q is a group powered by the passion and fizz of curiosity and underpinned by the virtuosic integrity of some of Australia’s finest musicians. It might just be the perfect playground for making music. Their ear-catching program includes new works from William Barton and Paul Dean alongside hand-picked masterpieces by Brahms and Ligeti which promise to wrap audiences in a multifaceted kaleidoscope of sound.
‘[Ensemble Q was] quite possibly the best performance I’ve seen all year, and an astonishing feat of music-making.. frankly, this was a jaw-dropping performance.’ Limelight ‘The possibilities are extraordinary. [William Barton] is a great man. He radiates.’ Sir Simon Rattle, Artistic Director, Berlin Philharmonic.
NATIONAL TOUR
PERTH 30 September 7:30pm ADELAIDE 3 October 7:30pm CANBERRA 5 October 7pm SYDNEY 7 October 7pm MELBOURNE 8 October 7pm NEWCASTLE 10 October 7:30pm BRISBANE 12 October 7pm 27
Ensemble Q’s mentorship program has given hundreds of young musicians the opportunity to play alongside the very best musicians in Australia, through direct engagement in chamber music, the creation of side-by-side orchestras and in special events such as Queensland Music Trails Opera at Jimbour. Ensemble Q is committed to the future of Australian music by creating significant learning opportunities for talented young musicians.
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Recent and ongoing collaborations include: Opera Queensland Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) The Queensland Choir Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program Brisbane Festival Queensland Music Festival Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University 4MBS Classic FM Queensland Youth Orchestras Four Winds Bermagui Queensland Music Trails Opera at Jimbour
Featured mentored young artists have been given the opportunity to work directly alongside some of the world’s finest musicians, including Alexander Sitkovetsky, Jack Liebeck, Andrew Haveron and more.
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ENSEMBLE Q PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS Ensemble Q acknowledges and thanks the following brilliant partners for their generous support
Ensemble Q Australia Inc is a non-profit company listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations and can receive tax deductible donations to assist our operational expenses. ABN 66494650123
Ensemble Q warmly thanks our key donors who help us present our programs and enrich the cultural platform of Australia Philip Bacon AO, Di Haskell and Ken Robinson, Joan and Barry Miskin, Andrew Johnston, Mark Wakely, Jennette Johnstone, Margaret Gibbs, Helen Mair, Ruth Bereson, Denise Wadley, Brisbane Forum Inc. Sheena Boughen and Bill Caldicott, Liz Harry, Judi Ringger, Nancy Underhill, Gillian Pauli, Alan Wilson. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many lands on which we meet, work and live, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present - people who have sung their songs, danced their dances and told their stories on these lands for thousands of generations, and who continue to do so. 30
PRODUCTION CREDITS Co-Artistic Directors - Paul Dean & Trish Dean COVER ART BY JOHN HARRISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRISH DEAN
iphonoGRAPHY BY TRISH DEAN
PHOTOGRAPH BY Lyndon mechielsen for Musica Viva PHOTOGRAPH BY Kate O’Brien
DIGITAL ART BY Kate O’Brien
PHOTOGRAPH BY MITCH LOWE
CONTACT US IMAGE BY BING AI
BROCHURE DESIGN BY TRISH DEAN PRINTING BY e-print BRISBANE
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ensembleqaustralia@gmail.com www.ensembleqaustralia.com
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