Australian Violin Ensemble inaugural concert tour

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MUSICAL MOZAIKA

Our concertmaster Alexandra Loukianova leads this unique and innovative grouping of musicians,  The Australian Violin Ensemble – also known as AVE.

The all-female ensemble consists of eight violins and piano and will play musical treasures from different epochs and styles from Baroque and Classical through Romantic and Modern to Jazz and Latin American rhythms.  As artistic director, Alexandra has assembled a rich mosaic of music to show the group’s originality and virtuosity,  with something for every taste – MUSICAL MOZAIKA.

We are pleased that Alexandra has chosen Manly as one of the venues for the inaugural tour  which will give us all the opportunity to share in this unique experience.

Details of all the concerts on the tour can be found by clicking here.

Manly Concert: Sunday 3rd  July 2011 at 3.00 pm.
at Cardinal Cerretti Chapel, Manly

The Manly concert is to be hosted by Damien Beaumont from ABC Classic FM

Ticket Sales:  Naomi  9953 2443 and also www.trybooking.com
 Adult $42; Concession $37;  Student $35;  Child under 16 $30
Ticket price includes brochure/program

Didn’t we do well!

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I think we all knew that this concert was going to be a bit special.  For one thing, we seemed to learn the notes of the Mozart Requiem early on in the rehearsal programme, enabling Carlos to spend a lot of time adding expression and meaning to the music.  For another, hearing Alexandra rehearsing the Prokoviev Violin Concerto on Thursday evening showed that the audience was in for a double treat.

And on the night itself, the very first declamatory chords of The Magic Flute Overture showed that the orchestra was more than its usual confident and competent self, equally at home playing on its own or accompanying Alexandra or the Choir.

 What followed was arguably one of the best concerts we have ever produced.  Alexandra’s playing of the Prokoviev was by turns masterful and playful, squeezing the last drop of expression out of every note, phrase and episode.  Even those members of the audience who perhaps were not so keen on the music itself commented on her consummate technical skill.  Standing at the back of the Chapel with the notes wafting through the screen was a delight – I sometimes wonder whether the acoustics there are better than those in the main body of the Chapel.

 As for the Mozart Requiem – despite a couple of untidy entries, we can be confident that Mozart himself would have been proud of our performance.  All that work on the expression paid off, and we were able to communicate the music fully to the audience.  The soloists sang beautifully both individually and as a quartet.  I think that Carlos’ favourite section, the Lacrymosa, which he believes embodies Mozart’s personal credo, might have been the highlight for many people both in the Choir and in the audience.  And that would be very fitting.

 What next?  Carmina Burana, on Sunday afternoon, August 8th.  Rehearsals start on Thursday April 28th.

Sniffing out Basset Horns

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A few words from Richard …

It wasn’t a very clear line, but when I thought I heard Marj say that she might have some difficulty finding two Basset Hounds for the Mozart Requiem, my mind went into overdrive.  Basset Hounds?  Those stocky dogs with long ears used to sniff out errant animals and illicit substances?  There must be some mistake!

Indeed there was a mistake – a mistake in my hearing.  It was Basset Horns Marj was trying to find, not Basset Hounds.  The Requiem is one of three works in which Mozart’s score calls for basset horns rather than clarinets.  The instruments are similar – both use single reeds – and had been developed fairly recently, so I guess Mozart wanted to try them both out to compare their characteristics.

Basset horns are rather like a bass clarinet.  Whereas saxophones, also single reeds, sound brighter and more colourful that clarinets, basset horns sound mellower.  It’s not that much of a difference, but it is noticeable, and, Mozart being Mozart, he probably chose them for the Requiem because he wanted that particular sound.

But basset horns are like needles in haystacks.  Clarinettists usually own the full range of clarinets and sometimes they own saxophones, but not basset horns.  So how to find not just one, but two?

After interminable phone calls, texts, and emails with our many contacts and in turn with their contacts, including instrumentalists, orchestras, and music schools, it appeared that there is just one basset horn in the Sydney area  available for hire in April.   Further consultations with Carlos, and with our two clarinettists, Natascha and Ben, revealed that orchestras sometimes use one basset horn and one clarinet, so that will be the line up for our performance on April 16th.

Marj says that assembling  an orchestra is, on the whole,  straightforward,  especially as Manly Warringah Choir has a lengthy list of highly competent musicians who enjoy playing with us.  But 90 percent of the effort is spent on 10 percent of the instruments.  The case of the basset horns proves the point.  And I think that our skilled researchers sniffed out the basset horns better than any basset hound might have done.

Saturday April 16th – 7.30 pm Cardinal Cerretti Chapel

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem in D Minor
Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major – Soloist: Alexandra Loukianova

We are very fortunate that our soloists for the Mozart Requiem are unchanged from the wonderful line up for our last concert.  We welcome them back.

Click here for tickets or telephone 9451 0595 or 9977 4776

Manly Warringah Choir Concert Flyer –  How to get to Cardinal Cerretti Chapel

Alexandra Loukianova and the language of Russia

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We have a real treat in store with Alexandra’s performance of Prokofiev’s 1st violin concerto at our Easter Classical Concert.  I spoke with Carlos at the rehearsal this week.

Carlos and Alexandra last performed this work together when they were living in Colombia and Carlos thought “Wow!! That strange extravagant music.  Those wild intervals.  And she makes it all sound so natural.”

Carlos believes that you need to be born in Russia and grow up with the language of Russia to achieve full mastery of this vernacular. Funny and ironic, laughing at the destiny of Russia, and yet intelligent, approachable music.

A bit of a rebel, like Mozart, Prokofiev could see the world from another perspective, but without being involved with the political situation.  He left Russia soon after this work was composed to seek more artistic freedom in America.

Alexandra’s earliest performance of Prokofiev’s 1st violin concerto was when she was only 15.

Alexandra Loukianova

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She subsequently studied and performed the work whilst studying under Galina Barinova at the Moscow conservatorium.

Barinova was one of the leading, some would say the leading, violinist of her day and she was a young musician entering her prime when Prokofiev returned to Russia in 1935.  She had the privilege to be contemporary with some of the big names in Russian 20th century music and provides an impeccable musical lineage for Alexandra.

Carlos also studied at the Moscow conservatorium though, as always, he is modest about his own mastery of the music.  For those who may look for an artistic comparison he suggests that the painting of Chagall best mirrors the music of Prokofiev.  Avant garde, yet approachable.

Judge for yourselves when you hear the work performed by our own master in the language of Russia,  Alexandra.

Saturday April 16th – 7.30 pm Cardinal Cerretti Chapel Manly Sydney

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem in D Minor

Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major
Soloist: Alexandra Loukianova

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Click here for tickets or telephone 9451 0595 or 9977 4776

Manly Warringah Choir Concert Flyer –  How to get to Cardinal Cerretti Chapel