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20 March 2012
CMNZ affiliate and independent music society, Wellington Chamber Music proudly presents Sunday Concerts 2012, featuring the finest of New Zealand’s musicians and some from further afield.
The season opens with the Akoka Quartet, comprising talented young New Zealanders now based in the UK, who play Milhaud’s witty and sparkling Suite (1936), Fauré’s Piano Trio (1924) with its graceful lyricism, and Messiaen’s astounding Quartet for the End of Time.
New Zealand pianist Stephen de Pledge joins with British cellist Martin Rummel to present the powerful Beethoven C major cello sonata, and three works from the Russian romantics: Schnittke’s exciting cello sonata; Stravinsky’s virtuosic Suite italienne from the ballet Pulcinella; and the extraordinary Shostakovich cello sonata.
The Wellington-based Kugeltov Klezmer Quartet, with guest NZSO clarinetist Philip Green, present a varied programme of traditional Jewish folk music ‘spiced up’ with original pieces by Ross Harris. A fabulous mix of virtuoso, semi-improvised chamber music with all the passion and pathos of klezmer!
A collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, China, Confucius Institute, Wellington, and Te Kökï the New Zealand School of Music offers a rare opportunity to hear the complete Etudes by Ligeti and Debussy, performed by virtuoso pianists Xiang ZOU and Jian LIU. Ligeti’s 18 Etudes, written between 1985 and 2001, are rarely performed in concert because of their technical challenges. Debussy’s “fiendishly difficult” 12 Etudes date from 1915, and are also seldom heard in concert.
The Amici Ensemble, comprising NZSO musicians Donald Armstrong and Cristina Vaszilcsin (violins), Julia Joyce (viola) and Rowan Prior (cello), perform the fascinating string quartet Ainsi la nuit by Dutilleux. They are joined by pianist Diedre Irons for the mighty Brahms Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor and the beautiful Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor.
Richard Mapp joins with NZSO violinist Anna van der Zee and cellist Paul Mitchell as the exciting new Poneke Trio. They play works strongly influenced by folk music: Dvořák’s best-known trio, the Dumky; Kodály’s Duo for Violin and Cello; and Shostakovich’s deeply felt masterpiece, the Piano Trio No 2, written in secret tribute to the victims of the Holocaust.
Claim your 22% discount
Subscribe to the whole series of six Sunday Concerts 2012 and save 22% on the cost of individual concerts. This discount applies for all subscriptions booked before the first concert on 22 April.
There are excellent concessions for people under 26.
Alternatively book by phone on 04 384 3840 or online through Ticketek
(an $8.50 handling fee for phone and mail bookings will apply)
For more information about the concert programmes or artists, visit www.sundayconcerts.org.nz
Download the Brochure and Booking Form for Sunday Concerts 2012 here (1.3MB)
For enquiries or to join the email news list email sundayconcerts@paradise.net.nz