With COVID shutdowns both in Australia and internationally, musicians have seen a huge drop in revenue and performing opportunities.
Australian chamber musicians now have a digital platform in which to return to performance, through the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall.
In conjunction with Chamber Music Adelaide, tomorrow night sees the first two of four concerts by Adelaide artists. Glam spoke to CMA’s Bridget Alfred about this remarkable initiative.
“There have been massive ticket losses, so for the artists it’s been really difficult from a financial point-of-view,”says Alfred.” But also performance is their life blood. That connection with audiences dried up. CMA is really lucky because we are heavily grant funded, so we’ve been able to continue supporting our artists. But that loss of the performative side has been really difficult for us.”
Like musicians from all genres, chamber musicians have not been able to perform in front of live audiences for many months now.
“[Performance] is about connection and feedback and I don’t think you can underplay how important that is. Most of the artists I’ve been working with have rechannelled and refocused on creating new music: they’re so adept! But it’s that interactive loop between audience and artists that’s just been cut.”
The series of four Adelaide performances is a delightful mix of styles, which Alfred says happily fell together without being consciously curated.
“We threw it open to the artists, knowing that there were some really interesting projects going on. We really didn’t put any parameters around it. And the four groups that responded really drove the content. Most of the content has a broad appeal, although Soundstream is far more experimental.”
The four programs are:
September 17th
Kegelstatt Ensemble: Renae Stavely – oboe, Michael Ierace – piano, Ben Dollman – violin, Anna Webb – viola, Kim Worley – cello
Schumann – Romance Op. 94 No. 3 for oboe and piano
Britten – Phantasy – Quartet Op. 2 for oboe, violin, viola and cello
Mozart – Piano Quartet in G minor K478
Click here to access the livestream.
Various People:
Cheryl Pickering – voice, Michael Ierace – piano
Maurice Ravel – Kaddisch
Edward Macdowell – from Woodland Sketches op.51
Franz Schubert – Impromptus D899
Richard Chew – from solitary, a song cycle
Click here to access the livestream.
September 18th:
The Firm:
Konstantin Shamray – piano
Luke Altmann – Sort of introduction, Idyll and Berceuse from Idle Hands
Schumann – From ‘Forest scenes’ Op. 82: Entry and Friendly Landscape
Beethoven – Sonata No. 22 in F Major Op.54
Quentin Grant – Four Preludes
Shostakovich – Preludes and Fugues in A Major and A minor from Op. 87
Click here to access the livestream
Soundstream:
Gabriella Smart – piano
Alvin Curran – Inner Cities 10
Click here to access the livestream.
Tickets are $20 each plus a booking fee, or purchase a season pass.
Alfred is generally optimistic about the near-future for chamber music
“I imagine there will be continued development of digital streams, but because chamber music is designed for a small audience, our groups are starting to be able to perform live. The Firm have a live concert coming this Monday 21st.”
Click here for further information about Melbourne Digital Concert Hall and to purchase tickets.
Click here to read more about Chamber Music Adelaide
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