Strike A Chord - 2020 Grand Final

GRAND FINAL PROGRAM 2020

photo: Keith Saunders

3 ] WELCOME 5 ] GRAND FINAL SCHEDULE 7 ] THE CHAMPIONSHIP 8 ] THE JURY 10 ] THE PRIZES

12 ] LASHAVI TRIO ESPERANZA 13 ] LAMMOYIP TRIO MAGNOLIA QUINTET 14 ] CELLOLUJAH PICCOLO PIANO QUARTET 15 ] JPMS ENSEMBLE ANIMATO OPEN SCHOOL TRIO 16 ] SERENDIPITY QUARTET THE MILLENIUM TRIO 17 ] JPMS ENSEMBLE BRILLANTE COUSIN QUARTET

20 ] ALL ENTRIES 2020 21 ] FIRST ROUND PRIZES 23 ] ABOUT MUSIVA VIVA 24 ] ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 25 ] PARTNERS + DONORS

What a joy it is to welcome you all to the Grand Final of the very first Strike A Chord National Chamber Music Championship. We’ve made it to the exciting pointy end after years of thinking, discussing and planning.

I’m very grateful to my receptive and inspirational colleagues at Musica Viva for picking up and running with this idea and working tirelessly to continually adapt to our unpredictable circumstances this year. Thanks to them, to all of you devoted teachers and parents throughout Australia, to our partners in this digital adventure, and most of all, to our passionately enthusiastic young musicians who kept going despite Covid19 challenges, we’re still able to experience their finest efforts.

For those Victorian and perhaps other groups who have been unable to enter Strike A Chord this time due to strict lockdown conditions, we miss you but look forward to hearing you in Lockdown Legends later in the year.

When I found myself in the very fortunate position to be able to dream of what sort of competition Musica Viva might present between the four-yearly Melbourne International Chamber Music Competitions, my thoughts went back to my own early experiences in the NZCT Chamber Music Contest in New Zealand, an annual national event for secondary school students now in its 55th year.

I remember the time I made it to the national finals, the shopping trip with the other girls in my group for coordinated outfits, the piece we played (1st movement of Dvořák’s “American” Quartet) and the excitement of competing in the early rounds and travelling to Wellington for the finals. Now, hundreds of groups compete every year and of course, the finalists are extraordinarily good.

But the thing I love most and what inspired me to want to give that chance to our young Australian musicians is the fact that so many Kiwi kids over many decades found their life-long love of chamber music through participating in that event. It was instilled at that early age by the fun and satisfaction of working with friends on a piece of music.

Some participants become professional performers or music teachers and they would all attest to the formative nature of that early experience in their professional journey, but what inspires me even more is the way our so-called “elitist” art form can be discovered en masse by enthusiastic young practitioners of any ability, who keep that attachment and joy throughout their lives whether they become practitioners or listeners. That’s the opportunity we at Musica Viva offer to every young Australian who is lucky enough to get their hands on an instrument or who sings (and that’s potentially everyone!).

Wilma Smith, Artistic Director Strike A Chord

[3]

Welcome to Strike A Chord – a new national chamber music competition that gives secondary school musicians the opportunity to showcase their talents to the world.

Like its older relative, the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, Strike A Chord is a Victorian-based program that brings together leading music organisations and is an initiative that the Victorian Government is proud to support.

Congratulations to the more than 100 student groups, and their teachers, from right across Australia who have joined the inaugural competition and prepared their entries in a year of great upheaval. You remind us of the powerful role creativity plays in bringing people together and helping us traverse, and make sense of, life’s challenges.

I applaud the Musica Viva team, and their many collaborators, for their work to keep the music going by bringing us this online program. I’m especially pleased that Lockdown Legends will give groups who haven’t been able to rehearse or take part in term 3 due to restrictions the chance to participate in term 4.

To each and every entrant, thank you for sharing your talents and for bringing us wonderful music that is sure to strike a chord with audiences from across the country and beyond.

Martin Foley MP, Minister for Creative Industries

[4]

As Musica Viva celebrates 75 years of connecting people with the richness, challenge and adventure of chamber music, we are delighted to mark it with an initiative that is firmly focused on the next generation of young chamber musicians, some of whom will become performers and all of whom will have lives enriched by an appreciation of this rewarding artform.

I want to acknowledge the vision of Creative Victoria, who have chosen to invest in and make possible this initiative as an extension of its generous support for the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, and of Wilma Smith, whose vision to bring the opportunities she’s seen created by the sister New Zealand competition to Australian students is compelling and irresistible.

There have been a number of visionary gifts which have also helped to make this new initiative a reality, in particular the sustained investment of Tom Breen, who initiated and supported the national coaching program, the bequest of the late Felicity Teague, Marjorie Nicholas oam, and the generous support of Gandel Philanthropy, the Robert Salzer Foundation and the Mercer Family Foundation.

Finally, I acknowledge the adaptability of the Musica Viva team, who have repeatedly reshaped Strike A Chord as conditions changed across this challenging year to support groups via remote means, and to ensure that as many students as possible have the chance to shine.

Hywel Sims, CEO Musica Viva Australia

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[ THE CHAMPIONSHIP Strike A Chord is a new initiative developed by Musica Viva Australia for its 75th anniversary in 2020, with support from Creative Victoria and presented in partnership with Melbourne Recital Centre, the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, together with major media partner ABC Classic.

The brainchild of Musica Viva’s Artistic Director of Competitions, Wilma Smith, Strike A Chord has been created to encourage the next generation of Australian musicians to experience the life-changing possibilities of chamber music, giving students the opportunity to explore their potential and discover the joy in making music with friends, whatever their level of ability.

In 2020 we delivered 21 free coaching sessions to groups from Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, involving 12 professional musicians as tutors. Due to coronavirus restrictions many of these sessions had to take place via Zoom video conference, however this did not diminish the enormous value and enjoyment gained by the students involved.

Although the inaugural year of Strike A Chord hasn’t been quite what we’d originally planned, logistically speaking, the spirit of the music-making has shone through each and every entry received. The COVID-19 pandemic threw challenge after challenge to our prospective participants and our management team with lockdowns, cancellation of school co-curricular programs, border closures, and restrictions on the number of people permitted to gather.

The Strike A Chord Teachers’ Conference is designed to build capacity in the teaching of chamber music at secondary school level. Comprising panel discussions, interactive online workshops and open coaching sessions presented by 13 prominent musicians and teachers, the 2020 conference welcomed teachers at all career stages working with a wide range of students. This event also needed to be fully online this year, happily increasing its easy accessibility to music teachers from metropolitan and regional areas all over Australia.

In light of this we transitioned to a fully-online event in 2020, with a separate round later in the year for any groups unable to enter the main/original championship. This extra round “Lockdown Legends” - was conceived as a response to the Stage 4 Restrictions in Victoria, but is also open to groups from other states that have been severely impacted by new, ongoing or increased restrictions in their area.

The Strike A Chord Coaching Program was open to any group across Australia that intended to enter Strike A Chord.

Strike A Chord will return with renewed energy in 2021, in what we hope will be a less challenging year for everyone.

We look forward to bringing you along on the journey!

[7]

[ THE JURY First round

[ DR. ELIZABETH SELLARS Australian-born Elizabeth Sellars, is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music in London where she studied with David Takeno (violin) and the Takács String Quartet (chamber music). As a multiple prizewinner, Elizabeth has performed in festivals worldwide and has recorded for Toccata Classics, ABC Classics, Naxos and Move.

A sought-after chamber musician, she has appeared for Musica Viva and won the 2014 Limelight chamber music recording of the year. Elizabeth is the dedicatee of many world premieres and has performed with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and major Australian orchestras. Elizabeth is a founding member of Sutherland Trio.

[ STEFAN CASSOMENOS Melbourne pianist and composer Stefan Cassomenos is one of Australia’s most vibrant and versatile musicians. As recipient of the Second Prize in the International Telekom Beethoven Competition Bonn 2013, Cassomenos has performed throughout Europe and Asia, and has performed concertos with several Australian symphony orchestras, as well as orchestras overseas.

Cassomenos is a founding member of chamber ensemble PLEXUS, which has commissioned and premiered over 100 new works. Cassomenos’ compositions are regularly performed throughout Australia.

Cassomenos is joint Artistic Director of Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, with violinist Monica Curro. Cassomenos is generously supported by Kawai Australia.

[8]

Grand Final

[ DAVID GRIFFITHS David Griffiths is a member of two of Australia’s leading chamber music ensembles, the Australia Ensemble and Ensemble Liaison. He also holds the position of Senior Lecturer in Music (Clarinet) and Coordinator of Chamber Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the University of Melbourne. A passionate educator and performer, he has presented masterclasses and workshops in Asia, Europe, United States, the Middle East and Australia including a critically acclaimed debut in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.

[ EUAN MURDOCH Euan Murdoch is CEO of Melbourne Recital Centre. Prior to this role he was Director of Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music (2015-2016) and Chief Executive of Chamber Music New Zealand for a decade. He is an experienced arts, academic and community leader with management and governance expertise. As a cellist, teacher and chamber musician, he has worked throughout the world and has been a member of the jury for the London International String Quartet Competition at Wigmore Hall and the St Martin’s Chamber Competition at St Martinin-the-Fields.

[ LOUISE DEVENISH Louise Devenish is a contemporary percussionist whose creative practice blends performance, collaboration and artistic research. A passionate advocate of new music and Australian music, Louise has commissioned over 50 works for percussion, and her performances are acknowledged for their ‘dazzling vitality’, ‘stunning virtuosity’, ‘interpretive flair and technical brilliance’.

Louise is a core artist with acclaimed electroacoustic sextet Decibel, Australia’s

leading percussion group Speak Percussion (Vic), theatre percussion project The Sound Collectors and percussion-piano-bassclarinet trio Intercurrent.

[ ROSIE TURNER Rosie Turner grew up playing the cornet in Willoughby Brass Band in Sydney. After completing her Bachelor of Music at the University of Sydney she was accepted to three years of programs with the Australian Youth Orchestra. This led directly to a move to Philadelphia where she was fortunate enough to study at the Curtis Institute of Music. Upon graduating Rosie performed with the Macau Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Seoul Philharmonic, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestras.

Since returning to Australia she has played with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, the Opera Australia Orchestra, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Rosie took up the position of Section Trumpet with MSO in 2017.

[ TIMOTHY YOUNG Timothy Young is Head of Piano and a resident artist for nearly 20 years at the Australian National Academy of Music. He performs regularly in recital as a soloist and in partnership with leading Australian and international musicians and ensembles. He studied at the University of Melbourne before completing his Diploma with distinction from the Nicolò Paganini Conservatorium in Genova, Italy. Timothy won several first prizes in international Music Competitions including the Premio Kawai-Tortona and the Palma d’Oro - Finale Ligure. His personal highlight however was playing works by Luciano Berio for the composer’s 70th birthday celebrations. In recent years Timothy has toured Australia with violinist Ray Chen for Musica Viva.

Euan Murdoch ]

Dr. Elizabeth Sellars ]

David Griffiths ]

Louise Devenish ]

Stefan Cassomenos ]

Rosie Turner ]

Timothy Young ]

[ THE PRIZES AWARDED AT THE GRAND FINAL FIRST PRIZE: The Robert Salzer Prize $5,000 Generously supported by the Robert Salzer Foundation in Melbourne.

THIRD PRIZE: The Laura Brown Prize $2,500 The Laura Brown Prize is supported by Beth Brown and the late Tom Bruce am in memory of Beth’s mother.

SECOND PRIZE: The Paul Morawetz Prize $4,000 This prize is supported by the Morawetz Family in memory of Paul and his interest in nurturing young talent and a generation of concert artists.

AUDIENCE PRIZE: The Peter Druce Prize $2,000 This prize is supported by the family of the late Peter Druce, who was a Melbourne lawyer and Arts Patron with a particular interest in music.

CASH AND DEVELOPMENT PRIZES Melbourne Recital Centre Regional Prize For a group that resides outside one of the major capital cities.

All-access pass to selected MRC concerts for one week, including travel and accommodation. Generously financially supported by Tom Breen.

Australian National Academy of Music Prize For a string quartet who the adjudicators believe would most benefit from a week-long coaching residency at ANAM in November/December 2020.

• Travel & accommodation for four participants; • Coaching staff and program; • Rehearsal room; • Closed performance opportunity at end of week AMEB Emerging Ensemble Encouragement Award $1,000 worth of sheet music for a group that shows a need for additional resources, and does not progress to the Semi Final round.

Australian Composition Prize For the best performance of an Australian work, which may include compositions by the entrants. $1500 cash.

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Casio Prizes For a group from a school or institution in need of a better piano.

First prize 1 school or music institution will receive a PXS3000 Digital Piano (valued at $1499.95 RRP) Runners up prizes 2 schools or music institutions will receive 1 x PXS1000 Digital Piano (valued at $1099.95 RRP each) Flinders Quartet Mentorship Prize A 12 month mentorship with the Flinders Quartet, awarded by the Jury in consultation with Flinders Quartet to a string quartet that shows commitment and potential to take their ensemble to the next level.

Note: If there is no suitable string quartet, other ensemble combinations will be considered. The prize includes 10 mentorship sessions with Flinders Quartet members; 2 sessions on group development, career planning and concert presentation; performance in a Flinders Quartet subscription concert, including travel to and accommodation in Melbourne if required; and the opportunity to observe the Flinders Quartet in rehearsal throughout the year. Mentoring/rehearsal sessions will take place remotely via online platform where necessary.

Bendigo Chamber Music Festival Prize Awarded by the Jury, in consultation with BCMF Artistic Administration, the winning group/groups selected from any stage of the competition will be invited to give a 45min performance as part of the 2021 Bendigo Chamber Music Festival (travel and accommodation provided). In addition to the performance, the group/s will have opportunities to engage with professional artists in an educational context including participation in masterclasses and attendance at other Festival concerts.

Novice Prize If every member of your group has been learning their instrument for less than 2 years you may be eligible to win a novice prize.

Innovation Award For the ensemble who throws the most interesting light on what chamber music can be. $500 cash. Supported with enthusiasm by KP Kemp.

The Spirit of Chamber Music Prize Generously provided by Elizabeth Sellars, in memory of John and Lesley Sellars. $200 cash.

At the discretion of the Artistic Director, one or more prizes may be awarded at First Round stage in each of the following categories: • • • • • • • •

Woodwind — groups that include at least 50% woodwind instruments Brass — groups that include at least 50% brass instruments Percussion — groups that include at least 50% percussion instruments String — groups that include at least 50% string instruments Vocal — groups that include at least one vocalist Keyboard — groups that include at least one keyboard instrument Junior — groups in which all players are in school grade 9 or under Casio first round prizes: 3 x CT-S300BK portable keyboards (valued at $349.95 RRP each)

LOCKDOWN LEGENDS PRIZES First Prize $2,500 Second Prize $1,500 Third Prize $800 All Lockdown Legends entrants will also be eligible for the following Strike A Chord prizes: • • • • •

Melbourne Recital Centre Regional Prize Australian National Academy of Music Prize Casio Prizes Flinders Quartet Mentorship Prize Bendigo Chamber Music Festival Prize

Winners of these prizes will be announced at the Lockdown Legends Final on Sunday December 6.

[ 11 ]

THE LASHAVI TRIO

ESPERANZA

NSW | Sydney

SA | Adelaide

ANTON ARENSKY Piano Trio in D minor (Op.32) — 1st movement

10’30

Victoria started learning violin at age 3, studying with Prof. Alice Waten, has obtained AmusA and LmusA both with Distinction.

Lawrence began learning cello at age 6, studying with Susan Blake. He has obtained LmusA with Distinction for both Cello and Piano. Joshua has learnt piano for 10 years with Dr. Paul RickardFord. He has won the first prize in the Manhattan International Music Competition.

Lashavi Trio players have won many prizes including Sydney Eisteddfod Alf & Pearl Pollard Awards and NSW Secondary School Multiple Concerto Competition. All three are scholarship students in the Rising Stars program at Sydney Conservatorium.

TRADITIONAL, ARR. SAM ROBSON How Great Thou Art 4’20 Directed by Sari Noble, Esperanza is from St Peter’s Girls’ School in South Australia, and comprises 8 girls from Years 8- 12.

Members of this group have competed in Generations in Jazz, winning the small group prize in both the Open and Division 1 categories. This year we have turned our hand to chamber music, and have focussed on more industry-based skills. As such Esperanza is now working toward their first full feature music video, to be released later in the year. Today we are excited to present Sam Robson’s stunning arrangement, with solo by Sophie Norman.

EMESHE ROBSON

soprano 1

VICTORIA TEO

LAWRENCE WEI

Queenwood School for Girls

Y10

The King’s School

Y10

cello

JOSHUA ZHI

GEORGIE RAFTOPOULOS

violin

STELLA RASHEED ZARA BLIGHT

Y8

SOPHIE NORMAN

MADISON MCGREGOR SIMMS

FUNTO KOMOLAFE

[ 12 ]

St Peter’s Girls’ School

Y9

St Peter’s Girls’ School

Y9

St Peter’s Girls’ School

Y10

alto 2 St Peter’s Girls’ School

Y12

St Peter’s Girls’ School

Y12

St Peter’s Girls’ School

Y12

alto 3

Y11

alto 1 / soloist

EMILY LOH

St Peter’s Girls’ School

soprano 4

Blakehurst High School

Y11

soprano 3

piano

St Peter’s Girls’ School

soprano 2

alto 4

LAMMOYIP TRIO

MAGNOLIA QUINTET

NSW | Sydney

NSW | Sydney

BEDŘICH SMETANA Piano Trio in G minor (Op.15) — 1st movement

11’00

FRANZ DANZI Wind Quintet No.2 (Op.56) — 2nd, 3rd and 4th movement

9’45

The Lammoyip Trio was formed this year as part of the burgeoning chamber music program at Barker College. The members of the trio are all outstanding young performers, leading sections in the school’s outstanding chamber orchestra and all having been finalists in the annual Concerto Competition.

We are the Magnolia Quintet - friends from different schools but we met through the NSW Public Schools Arts Unit. We formed as a quintet last November and we have had a great time playing a variety of music together. It is so much fun to have like-minded friends who love music so much.

Ben learns violin from Sheau Fang Low at Barker, and has done since starting the violin in Year 3. Deron is a student of Susan Blake, and Kerry studies with Franny Xu. The Strike A Chord competition is their first as a group, but the individuals have achieved success in individual competitions and in AMEB exams.

We’ve loved playing together and developing teamwork and communication skills as an ensemble, and we are all looking forward to continuing into the future. Thank you, Musica Viva, for this opportunity, it has been fabulous to be a part of it.

BEN LAM

DERON YIP

cello

KERRY MO

piano

KAORUKO TAKEHARA

violin

flute

Barker College

Y11

Barker College

Y8

KARINA WILLIAMS

Conservatorium High School

Y11

Conservatorium High School

Y12

North Sydney Boys High School

Y12

Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts

Y12

Fort Street High School

Y12

oboe

ANDREW JUNG

clarinet

Barker College

Y8

HAYDEN BURGE

EMILY MIERS

bassoon

horn

[ 13 ]

CELLOLUJAH

PICCOLO PIANO QUARTET NSW | Sydney

VIC | Melbourne

MIRO LAURITZ L’Ondes 4’40 The members of Cellolujah, who all study under Josephine Vains at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School in Melbourne, first came together in 2019 in order to perform and record the new work that will be presented today - L’Ondes by young Australian composer Miro Lauritz. Since premiering this jazz-influenced composition, Cellolujah have expanded their repertoire to include dedicated works for cello quartet as well as popular arrangements. Their partnership with Miro also continues - he is in the process of writing more for the ensemble. Alice, Henry, Ji Woo and Noah look forward to collaborations beyond Melbourne’s lockdown, including George Dreyfus’ Sebastian the Fox and performing Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras with professional Melbourne cello quartet CellOZ.

ALICE MOUNTFORT HURWOOD

NOAH LAWRENCE

HENRY SAY

JI WOO YOON

[ 14 ]

cello

HAYLEY LAU

Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School

Y11

Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School

Y12

Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School

Y12

JACK THEAKSTON

cello

SAVANNAH LI

Abbotsleigh School

Y8

Wenona School

Y8

Hills Grammar School

Y8

Meriden School

Y6

viola

cello

violin

Y12

8’00

Established in early 2019, Piccolo Piano Quartet was under the mentorship of members from the Estivo Trio. Isabella, Hayley and Jack were auditioned to take part in the Arco Chamber Music Summer Festival in 2019 and 2020. Since then they collaborated regularly to give chamber performances. In 2020, pianist Savannah joined the group for the Strike a Chord National Chamber Music Championship. Not only are the members devoted chamber musicians but also accomplished soloists, scholarship recipients and prize winners of local and international competitions. We are thrilled to be the youngest group selected to participate in the Grand Final of the Strike a Chord Championship.

ISABELLA SUN

cello

Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor — 1st movement

cello

piano

JPMS ENSEMBLE ANIMATO

OPEN SCHOOL TRIO

QLD | Brisbane

ACT | Canberra

GUSTAV HOLST, ARR. MATTHEW PRENDERGAST The Planets — Mercury 5’00

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Piano Trio No.4 Dumky (Op.90) — 1st and 2nd movement

Colouring the musical canvas with percussive sounds, Ensemble Animato seeks to delight audiences with their lyrical approach to scores written for percussion instruments. Current members Jennifer, Kerrie, Abi and Theo have won prizes for their performances both as soloists and as a group. Between their busy schedules, they find opportunities to perform regularly to audiences around Brisbane and interstate.

Ensemble Animato is one of the core ensembles at J Percussion Music School based in Brisbane, Queensland.

The ANU Open School Trio is one of the chamber music ensembles in the Music Development Program at the ANU Open School of Music. The trio started to rehearse together in mid-February 2020, but after only 3 weeks had to move to Zoom rehearsals due to the COVID lockdown. “Real” rehearsals started again in early August.

JENNIFER LIN

percussion

KERRIE LIANG

percussion

ABIGAIL LING

Y12

Brisbane State High School

Y12

Brisbane State High School

Y10

Mansfield State High School

Y10

percussion

THEO HIDAJAT

Mansfield State High School

percussion

11’57

Pianist Lucy Gao is a student of Natasha Tkachenko. Lucy received her L Mus in 2019. Violinist Isaiah Bondfield studies with Madeleine Easton and is the Concertmaster of the Canberra Youth Orchestra. Cellist James Monro moved to Canberra from Adelaide in early 2020. He was a student of Simon Cobcroft in Adelaide and now studies with Rachel Johnston. James received his L Mus in 2019 and was the winner of the Metropolitan Male Choir Instrumental Scholarship in Adelaide. In 2020 he was one of 5 finalists in the National Youth Concerto Competition. James is Principal Cello in the Canberra Youth Orchestra.

ISAIAH BONDFIELD

JAMES MONRO

LUCY GAO

violin Hawker College

Y11

Canberra Grammar

Y11

Narrabundah College

Y11

cello

piano

[ 15 ]

SERENDIPITY QUARTET

THE MILLENIUM TRIO

NSW | Sydney

WA | Perth

FRANZ SCHUBERT String Quartet No.13 in A minor Rosamunde (Op.29) 9’24 — 1st movement

FELIX MENDELSSOHN Piano Trio No.1 in D minor (Op.49) — 1st movement

The Serendipity Quartet, united by their passion for chamber music, are a group of enthusiastic young musicians always gathered together to play chamber music and relish the opportunity to share the joy of music with their teacher Prof.

Goetz Richter and lovely audiences. They were all awarded AMEB AMusA & LMusA diplomas at very young age.

The newly formed Millenium Trio has had great success in its musical journey so far, with the members all being hard working and dedicated students. The violinist, Daniel Zhou (16) and the cellist, William Ji (15) are both music scholars of Christ Church Grammar School. Kaining Wang (15), who is the pianist, attends Hale School on an academic and music scholarship. The three boys have all had a close connection to music ever since they were young, all starting music at the tender age of five. This has helped them develop a sensitive feel toward emotions within music, which is reflected through their playing. They are very excited to participate in the Musica Viva Grand Final.

The quartet attended the Summer Chamber Music School Program early 2019 taught by Dr. Robin Wilson & performed at the Final Concert. They won a 1st prize for the Chamber Music Competition at the 2019 Ryde Eisteddfod and were invited to play for the 1st Australian International Music Competition at the end of last year.

DANIEL ZHOU

violin

GRACIAH GUO

violin

HARRY WANG

Kambala School

violin

ANGELLINAH GUO

JOHN WU

[ 16 ]

Y10

The King’s School

Y9

Ascham School

Y9

Sydney Grammar School

Y9

viola

cello

WILLIAM JI

Christ Church Grammar School

Y11

Christ Church Grammar School

Y10

Hale School

Y10

cello

KAI NING WANG

9’33

piano

JPMS ENSEMBLE BRILLANTE

COUSIN QUARTET

QLD | Brisbane

NSW | Sydney

ALEX A. ORFALY Tanc Szervusz 6’00 With their energetic and playful presence delighting audiences around Brisbane and interstate, Ensemble Brillante creates memorable musical moments through their virtuosic performance of percussion instruments. As prize winning soloists, members Yuliana, Chloe, Lachlan, Chantel, Craig and Theo have also regularly been awarded for their ensemble performances.

Ensemble Brillante is one of the core ensembles at J Percussion Music School based in Brisbane, Queensland.

YULIANA CHEN

percussion

CHLOE CHRISTOFAN CHANTEL CHEN

LACHLAN TU

Y10

Y8

DYLAN COLOMBIS

Brisbane State High School Brisbane Grammar School

Y10

percussion

THEO HIDAJAT

Brisbane State High School

percussion

CRAIG LIN

Y10

percussion

Brisbane State High School

Y8

Mansfield State High School

Y10

percussion

10’00

Cousin Quartet is made up of two sets of brothers and sisters and they are cousins. They have played music together since before they were 3 years old, all initially learning from their violinist grandfather Yasuki Nakamura AM. Beatrice, (violin 1), has learnt for many years with ACO violinist Ilya Isakovich. Dylan (violin 2) studies with violinist Caroline Hopson. Hanna (viola) studies with Yasuki Nakamura and Jamie (cello) with Takao Mizushima and more recently Thomas Tsai. They have been playing chamber music together for many years and are very excited to play in Musica Viva’s Strike a Chord Grand Final!

Brisbane State High School

percussion

FELIX MENDELSSOHN String Quartet No.1 (Op.44) — 1st movement

BEATRICE COLOMBIS

JAMIE WALLACE

Birchgrove Public School

Y6

Roseville College

Y9

Sydney Grammar

Y7

viola

Ascham Y12

violin

HANNA WALLACE

violin

cello

[ 17 ]

AUSTA is pleased to support the

Strike a Chord National Chamber Music Championship AUSTA is an association of teachers, players and makers of bowed string instruments which promotes excellence in all aspects of performance, teaching, composing, conducting and string instrument making.

AUSTA inspires and supports the string community and facilitates communication at local, national and international levels.

www.austa.asn.au

PX-S1000 - Available in Black, White & Red PX-S3000 - Available in Black

PX-S Series

Portable Digital Pianos www.soundtechnology.com.au

[ ALL 2020 ENTRIES Congratulations to all the ensembles that entered Strike A Chord! You all achieved heroically.

• Anato Piano Trio

• Doherty Trio

• Bach at the Double Trio

• Dry Your Tears

• Barker Cello Quartet

• Esperanza

• Barockers

• Fabergé Trio

• Baroque Chamber Ensemble

• Fort Street High School Saxophone Quartet

• Belle Airs

• Perth Modern School Wind Quintet • Perth Modern School Year 10 Piano Quintet • Perth Modern School Year 11 String Quartet

• Garfield Quartet

• Perth Modern School Year 12 Piano Quintet

• GIHS String Quartet B

• Phoenix Trio

• JAKTrio

• Piccolo Piano Quartet

• JPMS Ensemble Animato • JPMS Ensemble Brillante

• Pimlico State High School Saxophone Quintet

• JPMS Ensemble Energico

• Pirulí String Quartet

• JPMS Ensemble Felice

• PLC Armidale String Quartet

• Lacuna String Quartet

• Poco Trio

• Lammoyip Trio (Barker College)

• Quartet^4

• Magnolia Quintet

• Quartetto D’Archi

• Brisbane Girls Grammar School Year 12 String Quartet “Sforzando”

• Mansfield State High School Wind Quintet

• Quartetto Da Capo

• Maristella Trio

• Cairns State High School Clarinet Quintet

• Serendipity Quartet

• Marryatville High Baroque Ensemble

• Cairns State High School String Quartet

• St Columba Anglican School The Illegal Choir

• MELTrio

• St Peter’s College Intermediate Chamber Group

• Bellissimo Flute Ensemble • BLT Trio • Bradford Trio • Brisbane Girls Grammar School Harp Trio • Brisbane Girls Grammar School Piano Trio • Brisbane Girls Grammar School Woodwind Quintet • Brisbane Girls Grammar School Year 11 String Quartet

• Canterbury College ARTISTrio • Cellolujah • Churchlands Senior High School Year 10 Mozart Trio

• Milhaud Trio • MLC School Piano Quartet • MLC School Senior Piano Trio

• River Strings

• St Peter’s College Middle Chamber Group

• The Artemis Trio • The Cathedral School Senior String Quartet • The Hamilton and Alexandra College Senior Piano Trio • The King’s School Clarinet Quartet • The Lashavi Trio • The Millenium Trio • The Orpheus Six • The TAS Quartet • The TAS Trio • The Waterford Trio • Tian Yin Ensemble • Trinity College Senior Clarinet Ensemble • Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) Middle School String Quartet • Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) Piano Quartet • Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) Senior Piano Trio • Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) String Sextet

• MLC School Senior Quartet

• St Peter’s College Advanced Chamber Group

• Churchlands Senior High School Year 11 Oboe Quartet

• Monte Sant’ Angelo Violin Quartet

• St Peter’s Girls String Quartet

• Trio Mignon

• Churchlands Senior High School Year 12 Wind Quintet

• Musique du Soleil

• St Andrew’s Cathedral School Bolling Quartet

• Volar Piano Quintet

• Claritina

• Open School Quartet

• Concord High School Chamber Strings

• Open School Trio

• Cousin Quartet • Desmosedici Percussion Ensemble

[ 20 ]

• Oaklands String Quartet

• Opus Quartet (Barker College) • Orange Regional Conservatorium Chamber Academy

• St Andrew’s Cathedral School String Quartet • St George Brass Band Junior Quintet • Staccato Piano Trio • Stringtet

• Trio Bellissimo • Trio of Bs • Vox Crucis • Wilderness School Piano Trio • Wisemans Quintet

[ FIRST ROUND PRIZES Strike A Chord strives to celebrate the sincere and joyful accomplishments of secondary school chamber groups from all over Australia. As such, the First Round Jurors – Dr Elizabeth Sellars and Stefan Cassomenos – were delighted to present the following encouragement awards to groups that did not progress to the 2020 Grand Final. Congratulations to all!

AMEB Emerging Ensemble Encouragement Award

Strings Prize

Fort Street High School Saxophone Quartet, NSW

sponsored by the Australian Strings Association (AUSTA)

Innovation Award St. Andrew’s Cathedral School Bolling Quartet, NSW

Spirit of Chamber Music Award in memory of John and Lesley Sellars

Brisbane Girls Grammar School Year 12 String Quartet, QLD

Woodwind Prize Bellissimo Flute Ensemble, QLD Brisbane Girls Grammar School Harp Trio, QLD Churchlands Senior High School Year 12 Wind Quintet, WA Pimlico State High School Saxophone Quintet, QLD The King’s School Clarinet Quartet, NSW Trinity College Senior Clarinet Ensemble, SA

Brass Prize Dry Your Tears, ACT St. George Brass Band Junior Quintet, NSW

Percussion Prize

Cairns State High School String Quartet, QLD Opus Quartet (Barker College), NSW Pirulí String Quartet, SA Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) String Quartet, NSW Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) String Sextet, NSW

Vocal Prize Barockers, SA The Illegal Choir, NSW Vox Crucis, QLD

Keyboard Prize Brisbane Girls Grammar School Piano Trio, QLD MLC School Senior Piano Trio, NSW The Waterford Trio, WA Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) Senior Piano Trio, NSW

Junior Prize The Artemis Trio, NSW Barker Cello Quartet, NSW Bradford Trio, VIC Trio Mignon, QLD

Desmosedici Percussion Ensemble, QLD JPMS Ensemble Energico, QLD

[ 21 ]

VICTORIA’S LEADING SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF TALENTED MUSICIANS, DANCERS, THEATRE AND VISUAL ARTISTS.

VISIT US @ WWW.VCASS.VIC.EDU.AU

57 Miles Street, Southbank 3006 T: 03 8644 8644 | F: 03 8644 8699 E: enquiries@vcass.vic.edu.au

[ ABOUT MUSICA VIVA Musica Viva’s story began on 8 December 1945, with one concert featuring the music of Beethoven and Mozart at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In the years since, our horizons have expanded far beyond Sydney, creating a fertile landscape of music right across Australia, becoming one of the world’s largest presenters of chamber music.

Our mission to enrich communities across Australia by making live chamber music accessible to everyone has never been more important. It’s also never been more challenging, than in this, our 75th anniversary year.

Thankfully, through your generous donations to the Musica Viva Artist Development Fund, we’ve been able to innovate and deliver a new online series, Discover Musica Viva.

Simultaneously, our team worked diligently to transition our Musica Viva In Schools program completely online, allowing us to continue to deliver this accessible resource to teachers. During a time of turbulence and change, over 20,000 children still experienced the joy of music, with over 100 concerts taking place nationally.

[

Paul Kildea, Artistic Director

We are proud of our history of uncovering new talent, developing the early careers of some of our best musicians and promoting our most acclaimed ensembles here and overseas. We continue to nurture the careers of young musicians, and this year, Strike A Chord, our inaugural National Chamber Music Championship, will give high school students from all over Australia the opportunity to experience the joy of making chamber music.

Through the support of many donors, we have commissioned hundreds of new compositions from Australian composers, and we play a leading role in supporting female composers through our Hildegard Project.

We have been bringing live music to schools for nearly 40 years, and whole generations of Australian children have experienced our programs. We continue to delight and inspire close to 300,000 students each year, and we support their teachers with vital training and professional development.

We started as a chamber music organisation focused on just one ensemble but have developed as we grew to deliver our purpose: ‘to make Australia a more musical place’. As we eagerly plan our return to the stage,

Musica Viva will continue to showcase the finest chamber music making to audiences all around Australia, in capital cities, regional centres and remote communities.

PURPOSE to make Australia a more musical place VISION to create a national culture based on creativity and imagination which values the quality, diversity, challenge and joy of live chamber music MISSION to enrich communities across Australia by making live chamber music accessible to everyone

We pay our respects to all Traditional Custodians on whose lands we live, work and travel through.

Musica Viva’s vision for reconciliation is that through collaborative performance and mutual education we can help raise the levels of respect and understanding throughout Australia for the culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

[ 23 ]

[ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank the following people and organisations for their invaluable contribution to Strike A Chord 2020: Adele Schonhardt

Daniel Gibbons

James Le Fevre

Mark Walton

Samantha Mack

Alexandra White

Dean Newcomb

Janelle McKenzie

Marshall McGuire

Sascha Kelly

Alex Hiew

Dianne O’Toole

Janet McKay

Mary Scicchitano

Sean Davey

Amy Bennett

Ed Ayres

Jeff Higgins

Melissa Daoura

Sean Moloney

Andy Eisenberg

Eleanor Ryan

John Noble

MLC School Sydney

Stefan Cassomenos

Anna Griffiths

Elizabeth Dedman

John Sharkey

Molly Kadarauch

Tim Hannah

Anne Frankenberg

Elizabeth Sellars

Joseph Smith

Monica Curro

Tim Kelly

Anne Gilby

Emily Calder

J Percussion Music Studio

Naomi Crellin

Toby Chadd

Annelise Maurer

Emily Kelly

Judith Wright Arts Centre

Newtown High School

Trinity College SA

Arcadia Winds

Euan Murdoch

Julie Haskell

Aura Go

Eunise Cheng

Justin Broughton

Nick Bailey

UC High School Kaleen

AV1

Fiona Campbell

Karen de Nardi

Nick Begbie

UKARIA Cultural Centre

Belinda Ashe

Fiona Seers

Katherine Kemp

Patrick Colozzi

Victorian College of the

Bernard Depasquale

Flora Wong

Keith Saunders

Paul Stuart

Catherine Gibson

Fort Street High School

Kelsy De Prada

Penny Quartet

Wendy Avilov

and NZCT Chamber

Hannah Tungate

Kevin Kelley

Perth Concert Hall

Wesley Music Centre

Music Contest

Harry Ward

Kia Stockdale

Phillipa Edwards

Will Hemsworth

Chris Howlett

Helen Dwyer

Kiran Phatak

Phoenix Trio (Coffs

William Huxtable

Christa Powell

Howard Penny

Kylie King

Harbour Regional

Wilma Smith

Christina Cook

Ingrid Martin

Liam Samat

Conservatorium)

Yuri Huijg

Churchlands Senior

Iris Kennedy

Lloyd Van’t Hoff

Prue Stone

High School Year

Isobel Ferrier

Lucas Burns

Rachel Bussau

12 Wind Quintet

Jaci Maddern

Madeleine Jevons

Rianne Wilschut

City Recital Hall

James de Rozario

Margaret Arnold

Roland Yeung

Damon McMahon

James Grant

Marita Lacota

Roman Ponomariov

of Performing Arts

Tristan Selke

Arts Secondary School

Zoe Knighton

And of course, to all the students, teachers and parents who have participated in the inaugural Strike A Chord. Thank you for your enthusiasm, dedication and perseverance in what has been an unexpectedly challenging year. [ 24 ]

[ PARTNERS + DONORS Principal Partner

Strategic Partners

Individual Gifts

$20,000 — $49,000 Beth Brown & the late Tom Bruce am Mercer Family Foundation The late Felicity Teague

Major Media Partner

$10,000 — $19,999 The Druce Family The Morawetz Family

Key Philanthropic Partners

Tom Breen – Founding Patron of the National Development Program Marjorie Nicholas oam Patron of the Artistic Director

$5,000 — $9,999 Aldridge Family Endowment Joanna Baevski Dr Di Bresciani oam & Lino Bresciani Michael & Frederique Katz Peter Lovell & Michael Jan Dr Craig Reynolds $500 — $4,999 Katherine Kemp Janet McDonald Shelley & Euan Murdoch Margaret Oates

Presenting Partners

$100 — $499 Elizabeth Sellars Nola Jennings

Venue Partners

National Partners Musica Viva is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Musica Viva is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Musica Viva is a not-for-profit organisation endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient and registered with the Australian Charities and Not-forprofits Commission (ACNC).

[ 25 ]

Great Talent Demands Great Resources Melbourne Recital Centre’s programs for exceptional young musicians provide a range of high-quality learning, engagement and performance opportunities to support the next generation of musical leaders.

• Performance Competitions • Master Classes

• Newsboys Foundation Regional Music Award

• Accelerando Immersive Extension Program

• Digital Learning Portal

• Student Memberships

Cnr Southbank Blvd & Sturt St Southbank VIC

TO ACHIEVE YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL VISIT

MELBOURNERECITAL.COM.AU/LEARN

Principal Government Partner

Sunday, 6 December 2020

musicaviva.com.au/lockdown-legends

photo: Keith Saunders

...RETURNS IN ‘21! [ 27 ]

MUSICA VIVA AUSTRALIA PO Box 1687 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012

www.musicaviva.com.au/strikeachord strikeachordau

design: soopknife.com

championship@musicaviva.com.au