“...An utter privilege to witness – KAYE BLUM (AUSTRALIANJAZZ.NET) ON SHAUNTAI BATZKE

The 2019 festival emerges – from the harmonious opening bells of the Vingt Regards, as Messiaen fixes our gaze on the dawn of creation – from the mellifluous Adagio movement of the Beethoven violin sonata now synonymous with springtime – and from Ravel’s jubilant 1914 masterwork Piano Trio, which drew its inspiration from the unfinished composition Zazpiak Bat, Ravel’s patriotic celebration of the ancient Basque culture of south-western Europe.

EMERGENCE concludes with a celebration of our own First Nations culture, in the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by Shauntai Batzke – one of Australia’s leading sopranos, and a major emerging compositional voice in the Australian art music scene, migrating across genres. Her visionary project is an epic song cycle exploring her Wiradjuri heritage, with her own powerful lyrics written in First Nations language. For the world premiere, Shauntai collaborates with an ensemble of leading Melbourne string players, together with festival directors Monica Curro and Stefan Cassomenos.

MESSIAEN Regard du Pére (from Vingt Regards)

BEETHOVEN Adagio molto espressivo (from Spring Sonata, Op 24)

RAVEL Piano Trio

BATZKE New Work (World Premiere)

ARTISTS

• SHAUNTAI BATZKE

  Voice

• STEFAN CASSOMENOS

  Piano

• MONICA CURRO

  Violin

• JENNY KHAFAGI

  Violin

• JASON BUNN

  Viola

• MICHAEL DAHLENBURG

  Cello

• EMMA SULLIVAN

  Double Bass

DATE & TIME

Friday 11th October, 
8:00 PM

• DURATION

  80 minutes

• PRICE

  $49/$39 conc.

• VENUE

  Reardon Theatre