Prompt Corner 2013 - Edition Two

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Welcome Welcome to the July edition of Prompt Corner.

I am delighted to share with you wonderful developments in our Share the Music program and reflect on our most recent Montblanc Masterclasses with viola da gamba player Jordi Savall and violinist Christian Tetzlaff.

In this edition we also talk to esteemed business leader, music lover and Chair of the Centre’s Board, Kathryn Fagg, hear from Kirsten Siddle, Director of Programming, feature two exciting initiatives with Etihad Airways and Bank of Melbourne and introduce you to New York-based performance artist, Taylor Mac. Enjoy this issue, and I look forward to seeing you at the Centre soon.

Mary Vallentine AO Chief Executive Officer

Coming up at the Centre...

Melbourne Recital Centre’s dynamic new lecture series, Musical Explorations enables you to explore the past, present and future of music and the techniques and ideas that shape it. These talks are presented by experts in the field and are designed to introduce you to key figures and concepts in music history, complete with live musical demonstrations and scholarly insight.

Launching on Thursday 8 August at 5.30pm, the first session looks at The Art of Song. In this illustrated talk, Vivien Dickson explores the creative impulses behind seminal art songs from the 19th and 20th centuries through the work of composers including Britten, Debussy, Schubert and Schumann.

Musical Explorations is proudly supported by Miss Betty Amsden OAM.

Share More Music A new capacity building grant from The William Buckland Foundation enriches Melbourne Recital Centre’s music programs for disadvantaged Victorians.

Melbourne Recital Centre’s ticket and transport subsidy program Share the Music has received a substantial boost from The William Buckland Foundation, allowing the Centre to strengthen its music education and concert experiences for disadvantaged adults and children.

“For some time, the Centre has wanted to extend the network of community organisations involved in Share the Music and to provide these guests with an enriched concert experience” says CEO, Mary Vallentine.

“We’re especially interested in working with community groups that already use music to improve education, health and social outcomes for their disadvantaged clients.”

The grant will enable the Centre to employ a Learning and Access Coordinator who will build a state-wide network of community organisations and develop a suite of resources that support the Centre’s life-long learning and children’s programs. The project will strengthen the music programs used by community organisations to achieve positive social outcomes and make the Centre even more relevant to community needs around music.

Mr Sandy Clark, Chairman of The William Buckland Foundation said, “We are delighted to partner with Share the Music supporters to extend the benefit of this important program throughout Victoria and add to the Centre’s concert program with curriculum materials and workshops. Together we can ensure more disadvantaged people in our community enjoy enriching experiences with music that lead to real changes in their lives.”

The William Buckland Foundation supports innovation in practice, strengthening the ability of not-for-profit organisations to deliver effective services and building knowledge within the not-for-profit sector and the wider community. The Foundation has distributed more than $74 million dollars for charitable purposes since its inception in 1966 and is one of the largest charitable foundations in Australia.

Above: Wintringham Housing & Support Services, 2011

Above: Footscray Community Arts Centre, 2010

Above: Wintringham Housing & Support Services, 2011

Above: Footscray Community Arts Centre, 2010

Aardvark is a not-for-profit organisation that uses the power of music to give young people living with illness or disability the opportunity to extend their wellbeing through creative self-expression, skills development and collaboration. Six young participants had a fabulous time meeting the renowned folk singersongwriter Martha Wainwright (pictured right) at her sold-out concert at the Centre in June. Ms Wainwright added her signature to a cherished guitar owned by the participants, which already contains 99 artist signatures including Gotye, Missy Higgins and Deborah Harry.

Another recent Share the Music moment occurred when 40 children from Laverton College who participate in a program called Crashendo (based on the Venezuelan II Sistema model) visited the Centre where they experienced Orchestra Victoria performing the symphonies of Britten and Mozart. Afterwards, the children joined three of the musicians in a Q&A that covered playing techniques, how to handle performance nerves and the importance of continuing to play, even if you lose your pants!

Erica Rasmussen, leader of the school’s Crashendo program said “The kind of experience the children had at Melbourne Recital Centre will place what they learn in Laverton College’s music classes into context. It gives them a sense of what might be possible if they keep working hard and playing in [the school’s] Crashendo Orchestra.”

Above: Martha Wainwright, 2013

Above: Aardvark participants from Martha Wainwright, 2013

To make a donation to the Share the Music fund, contact the Katherine Chien on 03 9207 2664 or email development@melbournerecital.com.au.

Share More Music is supported by The William Buckland Foundation.

Hear Something Different Sample the diverse sounds of the Centre with our Director of Programming Kirsten Siddle’s (pictured right) top picks for August and September: Here are my Top 4 picks for the next couple of months. After wrestling with some hard choices I finally came up with a selection of artists and music that should not be missed this season.

Manins & Gould with David Jones & Riley Lee Friday 9 & Saturday 10 August 7pm These guys have a huge following, so you need to be quick to secure a seat! The core ensemble is Imogen Manins (cello) and Tony Gould (piano).

In this concert they are joined by David Jones on percussion along with Riley Lee, a grand master of the shakuhachi ( Japanese bamboo flute). Together they create hauntingly beautiful sounds which evoke the very deepest emotions.

Benjamin Martin Monday 12 August 6pm This is a superb opportunity to hear one of Australia’s finest pianists in intimate recital. In 2012, Benjamin was one of our Great Performers (taking to the stage with Richard Tognetti) and many people also know him as one third of Local Heroes ensemble Firebird Trio.

Here, he performs piano music of Keith Humble, Stravinsky, Brahms, Poulenc and more.

Susan Bullock in recital Thursday 29 August 7.30pm Susan Bullock is one of the world’s most soughtafter dramatic sopranos. She’s in Australia for Opera Australia’s sold-out Ring Cycle and we are thrilled that we will hear her in the sublime acoustic of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall months before as part of our Great Performers series. She’ll be performing with Malcolm Martineau.

Clotilde Rullaud Friday 6 September 7pm We can’t wait to introduce you to this French jazz singer-songwriter at the vanguard of the new generation of French jazz musicians. Clotilde’s music encompasses a heady mix of influences, from Latin-American music to African folklore.

Described as imaginative, mesmerising and “strikingly eclectic”, Clotilde Rullaud is a real discovery.

Etihad Airways & The Centre launch the ‘Be Our Guest’ competition Melbourne Recital Centre and International Airline Partner, Etihad Airways recently announced the launch of Etihad Guest at the Centre. Patrons can now earn and redeem Etihad Guest Miles when purchasing tickets at the Centre’s Box Office.

And to celebrate, the Centre and Etihad Airways are giving you the chance to win a share of more than 500,000 Etihad Guest miles to experience one of three Etihad European destinations with the Be Our Guest online campaign.

Etihad Guest is a unique, free and flexible loyalty program designed exclusively around members.

So to Be Our Guest, simply sign up to Etihad Guest for free, enter the draw to win a share of 500,000 miles on Melbourne Recital Centre’s Facebook page and dust off your passport.

The competition closes at 5pm, Friday 6 September 2013 and winners will be announced in late-September.

For more information and to enter, visit melbournerecital.com.au/etihadguest

Melbourne’s Music Bank From the hustle and bustle of Flinders Street Station and the roar of the MCG, to the sound of brewing coffee in a sidewalk cafe and the serenity of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne is home to over four million people and the city means something different to each and every person.

Bank of Melbourne and Melbourne Recital Centre have partnered to create Melbourne’s Music Bank – a curated collection of music composed by local artists inspired by the city of Melbourne. The project involves over 30 local musicians, composers, singer-songwriters, bands and ensembles who have submitted an original piece of music inspired by Melbourne.

Selected entries are added to Melbourne’s Music Bank on the Bank of Melbourne Facebook page where the public will vote for their favourite piece of music. The top three works will be performed at a special Melbourne Recital Centre event in September and a panel of experts will judge the winning entry. In addition to performing and recording opportunities, the winning piece of music may be featured by Bank of Melbourne and the composer will receive a $6000 grant.

Submissions for Melbourne’s Music Bank are now closed. Public voting opens on Monday 29 July and closes at 9am on Monday 12 August.

Visit facebook.com/BankofMelbourne for more.

Meet the Board: Kathryn Fagg, Chair A business leader who is driven to share the joy and enrichment of music.

What was your first encounter with the Classical music?

I was first exposed to the arts through my ‘artistic pursuits’ as a young child. In my case it was through learning ballet and then piano, though the latter not very successfully. Other than playing dreadfully on the piano, I listened to ballet music, especially Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. I was introduced to chamber music at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when I was a visiting scholar for a short time. A friend of a friend played the cello in a chamber ensemble and they exposed me to the intimacy of chamber music, which I found magical and transformative.

What is your favourite piece of music?

I don’t have a single favourite piece of music, but I do love having classical music playing while I work at home. It will often be Bach or Mozart, whom I adore like so many other people. I do love the Brandenburg concertos and cello suites.

Is there a musical genre or artist you most relate to and why?

I am not a musician and I don’t have a robust musical education but I do love being a concertgoer. Being involved with Melbourne Recital Centre, I have come to things that I never imagined I would enjoy as much as I have - like Indian classical music and Papuan choral music. My musical eyes, ears and mind have been opened and my tastes have broadened through being exposed to a diversity of music experiences at the Centre.

What is your most memorable performance at Melbourne Recital Centre?

There have been some real stand-out performances at the Centre for me. Jordi Savall comes first to mind. What a sublime concert!

Paul Lewis playing the piano works of Franz Schubert earlier this year was also so memorable, as were the Punch Brothers, an American rock/bluegrass band. When Archie Roach performed, there was not a dry eye in the house and The Black Arm Band’s dirtsong was a magical experience celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Mabo. This was both a wonderful musical experience and an important social and community milestone.

Above: Punch Brothers Below: The Black Arm Band’s dirtsong

Above: Kathryn Fagg with Founding Patron, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE

Above: Ensemble Liaison with Eugene Ughetti performing ‘Ballade’ by Elena Kats-Chernin in February.

Above: Jim Cousins AO, Craig Thomas (Manager of Etihad Airways - Victoria, Tasmania & South Australia) and Kathryn Fagg.

Why did you choose a music commission as your form of support for Melbourne Recital Centre this year and what does Elena Kats-Chernin’s new work ‘Ballade’ for the celebration of Dame Elisabeth’s life in music mean to you?

I had never thought about commissioning a piece of music until last year. Soon after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I went to see the NGV’s Fred Williams exhibition. The guide spoke about how Williams had been inspired by and loved gardens. Subsequently I was walking in the Royal Botanical Gardens and into my mind crept the thought of commissioning a piece about how music and gardens offer solace and joy.

I knew that I wanted the composer to be Australian and a woman. Elena Kats-Chernin’s Blue Silence sprang to mind as I walked. I remembered that Elena had written this music for her son who suffers from schizophrenia and I also recalled how I had responded to the emotional depth of this work when I heard it played by Ensemble Liaison in Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. Mary Vallentine, the Centre’s CEO suggested premiering the piece I was to commission for Dame Elisabeth at her annual birthday concert, as music and gardens were such an important part of her life as well. Sadly Dame Elisabeth passed away prior to 8 February but ‘Ballade’ was played at the Centre’s memorable tribute to Dame Elisabeth’s life in music earlier this year.

What excites you most about being Chair of the Melbourne Recital Centre?

The thing that excites me most is being involved in a very meaningful way. We are coming up to the Centre’s fifth birthday in February next year and it’s prompted us to think about what we want Melbourne Recital Centre to be when the Centre is 10 years of age. Our aim is to continue to be more and more a hub for musical life in the city.

Melbourne Recital Centre is a real treasure that belongs to all the people of Victoria. I feel a very strong sense of responsibility to share this extraordinary place with as many people as possible.

For more information on Melbourne Recital Centre’s Board of Directors and Management, visit melbournerecital.com.au

Introducing Taylor Mac Creating theatrical works that meet at the intersection of humour and philosophy, chaos and grace, and masculinity and femininity, Taylor Mac is described as ‘one of the most exciting theatre artists of our time’ (Timeout New York).

A playwright, performance artist, singer, songwriter, cabaret performer, director and producer, Taylor Mac has performed at New York’s Lincoln Center, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, London’s Soho Theatre and more to rapturous and raucous acclaim.

Studying the craft of acting from an early age, Taylor Mac’s contemporary projects see the chameleonic performer take pride in challenging traditional theatrical styles, breaking down the barriers between artist and audience.

“I believe theatre is about intimacy… Most of all I believe theatre is community. I think of myself as a community activist - someone whose job it is to bring people together, give them a shared experience and remind them of what it means to be human” he explains.

From Shen Tei in Bertolt Brecht’s Good Person of Szechwan to Ziggy Stardust, Taylor Mac inhabits his characters mind, body and soul. In his impromptu live performances at Joe’s Pub and sold-out concerts at Lincoln Centre, aesthetics play a critical role in Mac’s characterisations. Featuring dazzling costumes, lavish lashes and gender-defying make-up, The New York Times writes, “fabulousness can come in many forms, and Taylor Mac seems intent on assuming every one of them.”

In August, Taylor Mac brings his highly acclaimed The History of Popular Music to the Salon in an arresting cabaret experience encompassing songs from each decade of the 20th century.

Powerful, hilarious and beautiful, the risky theatricality of Taylor Mac’s performances has made him a world-wide sensation.

Taylor Mac performs The History of Popular Music on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August. For more information visit melbournerecital.com.au (Taylor Mac appears courtesy of Paul Lucas Productions, NYC)

Montblanc Masterclasses now in their second year Montblanc Masterclasses feature leading international artists, who engage with a handpicked group of talented young Australian musicians, and share their skills and expertise in the intimacy of the Salon.

“We’re delighted to be repeating this important program that links Great Performers artists with young Australians embarking on their professional careers” says Mary Vallentine, CEO. In March, Spanish viola da gamba virtuoso Jordi Savall mentored emerging artists Jacob Lawrence, Arun Patterson, and Consort Eclectus. As a revered concert performer, teacher and researcher specialising in Early Music, Savall engaged generously with all the participants, sharing his special knowledge and insights into the technique and art of Early Music performance. In June, German violinist Christian Tetzlaff worked with aspiring artists Marrianne Liu, Harry Bennetts, Willard Zhong and Anne Marie Johnson. Renowned for his musical integrity, technical assurance and highly personal interpretations, Tetzlaff, who is also a gifted teacher, inspired the musicians to engage with their audience and take them on a journey through the music.

Dramatic soprano Susan Bullock headlines the next Montblanc Masterclass in August. One of the most in-demand opera singers across the globe, Bullock performs the most challenging role of all, the valkyrie Brünnhilde, in Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Melbourne in late 2013. Coinciding with her Great Performers recital, this masterclass is an opportunity for aspiring opera singers to experience first-hand why Bullock is acclaimed for her musicianship.

Above: Yoko Ono launches The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

Above: Jordi Savall Masterclass, March 2013

Above: Christian Tetzlaff Masterclass, June 2013

Overseas, Montblanc also maintains strong support of music for young people. Montblanc recently launched The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus in Europe - a project realised with the support of Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono. The Lennon Bus is dedicated to providing the young people of Europe with a free, state-of-the-art Pro Audio and HD video recording facility. It provides hands-on opportunities to produce original music, video, photo, game and broadcast projects within a high-tech mobile recording studio staffed by producers and engineers.

The original Lennon Bus has toured the United States for 16 years and the new Lennon Bus for Europe will continue the tradition of inspiring young people to create their own original music projects that reflect their personal ideas, values and imagination.

Melbourne Recital Centre’s Monblanc Masterclasses are also supported by Cathy Lowy, John Price, Dr Cherilyn Tillman & Tam Vu.