5 October
Alastair Duff-Forbes (violin)
Tracy Wan (violin)
Violin Duos - W.A. Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Duetti per due violini - Luciano Berio (1925 - 2003)
Duet in D Major for 2 violins - Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809)
Moz-Art for 2 violins - Alfred Schnittke (1934 - 1998)
Alastair's involvement in music began at an early age, playing the violin at the age of five and the piano at the age of seven. He attended the Conservatorium High School on scholarship. During that time, he studied the violin with Alice Waten and Goetz Richter, and the piano with Stephanie McCallum. Alastair obtained his A.Mus.A for violin in 1998 and for piano the following year. He was awarded the L.Mus.A for violin in 2002.
In 2001, Alastair began his studies for a Bachelor of Music at the Sydney Conservatorium, majoring in violin performance, continuing his studies under Goetz Richter. Since then, he has received a number of Scholarships including the Matteson and Nancy Roberts Scholarship, the Chapple Bremner Award and a Rotary Scholarship. Alastair graduated with honours at the end of 2004 and studied for a Master of Music in violin performance at the Sydney Conservatorium under Chris Kimber and Carl Pini.
Alastair has participated in masterclasses with artists of international renown, including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Dene Olding, Lara St. John, Walter Verdehr, Charles Castlemann, the Borodin Quartet, the Goldner String Quartet and the Belcea Quartet. Alastair reached the semi-finals of the Kendall National Violin Competetion in 2001.
Alastair performed the Barber Violin Concerto with the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, in 2004, and the Mozart A Major Violin Concerto with Orchestra 143, in 2007. He recently performed the Bach Double Violin Concerto with Tracy Wan and Orchestra 143, in May 2011.
Alastair has been an active chamber musician for many years, performing as a member of many different ensembles including the Sapphire String Quartet, the Stables Quartet and the Stables Trio. He has performed in a wide variety of events including the 2006 Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville, with the Stables Quartet, and the 2007 APEC leaders' conference at the Sydney Opera House, with the Sapphire String Quartet.
Alastair has been a member of many orchestras, including the Australian Youth Orchestra, the Sydney Youth Orchestra and Eminence Symphony Orchestra. He was a member of the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, performing as Concertmaster on many occasions. Alastair was Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra in 2010 and Associate Concertmaster in 2009. He is Concertmaster of the Bourbaki Ensemble, since 2007, and is currently a member of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra.
Alastair also has an interest in viola, singing and conducting. He conducted Orchestra 143 in concert in November 2010.
12 October
"Charisma"
David Miller (piano), Julia Ryder (cello) &
Ros Dunlop (clarinet)
Trio op. 34 - Wilhelm Berger (1861 - 1911)
Trio op.27 - Robert Kahn (1865 - 1951)
Charisma was founded by clarinettist Roslyn Dunlop and cellist Julia Ryder in 1995 to explore and develop music for clarinet and cello. The group has premiered many works and enjoys an international reputation for lively and virtuosic music-making, receiving critical acclaim for tours in Australasia and Europe. Programmes include works spanning four centuries and four continents. Many composers from Australia, New Zealand, USA, Britain and Germany have written works for Charisma. They Frequently conduct composer workshops, and are particularly keen to encourage emerging composers. Charisma moves easily across all kinds of musical boundaries – from classical to blues, avant-garde to tangos, and minimalist to multi-media works. The marriage of styles has led to performances in unconventional venues such as jazz clubs, art galleries, bars and open spaces as well as traditional concert halls. Collaborations with musicians and organizations have led to concerts of eclectic repertoire, such as the art exhibition "State of Art Peace", giving multimedia performances about human rights commencing in Manly Gallery and then regional NSW in 2004. They frequently collaborate with other musicians to expand on the trio repertoire. With guest Violinist Chris Kimber they gave many performances of the Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time, in 2004 & 2005. Recently with guest violist Valmai Coggins they gave a stunning performance of Moya Henderson's "G'day Africa" pieces. They have recordings on CD and record for the ABC.
Ros Dunlop is one of Australia's leading clarinetists/bass clarinetists. She has been a strong advocate of new music for the clarinet & bass clarinet all her professional life. She has commissioned many Australian Composers and premiered many new compositions by composers worldwide. Ros has performed throughout Australia, New Zealand ,Canada, the UK, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, East Timor and the USA, Her CDs have received International acclaim. Ros is a founding member of Charisma, with whom she has commissioned and premiered many new works including many multimedia premieres. She is currently enrolled as a PHD student at Newcastle University to research the traditional music of East Timor which she has spent 10 years recording. She is writing the first definitive book on the music of East TImor to be released in September 2012. Ros teaches clarinet at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Julia Ryder has earned a reputation as one of Australia's most accomplished performers. She has won various prizes for her interpretation of Beethoven and chamber music as well as for her performances at the Darmstadt Ferienkurse für Neue Musik. She has worked with composers such as Messiaen, Xenakis, Ferneyhough and Finnissy and has toured and recorded extensively as a soloist and with Australian and European ensembles and also appearing regularly at major festivals in Australia, Asia and Europe. Julia records for ABC Classics, Etcetera records (Holland) and Virgin Classics. She is a founding member of Charisma and Michelangeli Ensemble. She has taught chamber music at Melbourne University and Sydney Conservatoirum of Music.
David Miller is one of Australia's leading chamber musicians and vocal accompanists. The Sydney Morning Herald described him as "the role model of Australian accompanists. He has been awarded an AM for his services to Music. His distinguished career has included partnerships with many internationally renowned artists, Joan Carden, Marilyn Richardson John Pringle, to name but a few. He has performed with The HuntingtonTrio, Flederrman, The Song Company, The Australia Ensemble. He is a founding member of the Grevillea Ensemble. He has performed in the U.K, New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, New Caledonia, Korea, Vanuatu and Vietnam. He has recorded for Walsingham Classics, Tall Poppies, Vox Australis, 2MBS-FM and ABC Classics. David Miller is on the staff of Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is Chair Ensemble Studies.
19 October
Raisa Dobrinsky (piano) and Gregory Elmaloglou (cello)
Sonata No. 4 in B flat, KV 40 - Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Largo - Allegro - Largo - Allegro
Sonata 1, Op 5 in F - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Adagio sostenuto - Allegro - Allegro Vivace
Raisa Dobrinsky was an outstanding graduate of the Mussorgsky College of Music as well as the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, from which she graduated with honours in solo recital, chamber music, accompaniment and teaching.Immigrating to Australia in 1977, Raisa has been teaching part-time at the Conservatoriums of Sydney and Wollongong, allowing time to pursue her career as a concert performer. She has performed regularly with leading Australian music groups and given many solo recitals and radio broadcasts.
Gregory Elmaloglou is a graduate of Lyons Conservatorium, France, where he was born. As a member of the Austral String Quartet since 1959, he undertook two international tours, playing in 15 countries. Later he founded the Trio Australis, and in partnership with Raisa Dobrinksy, has given many concerts and broadcasts. Gergory has made solo appearances at the ABC Prom concerts and Gold Concerts, and has been soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for whom he was the Associate Principal Cellist from 1972 – 1992. He has made numerous television broadcast appearances for the ABC.
26 October
Heather Moen-Boyd (organist, Scots Kirk, Mosman)
Chorale prelude on 'A mighty fortress is our God' - Johann Pachelbel (1653 -1706)
Fantaisie - Léon Boëllmann (1862 - 1897)
Larghetto - Samuel Wesley (1766 - 1837)
Capriccio - John Ireland (1879 - 1962)
Dance with the Saints - Colin Mawby (1936 - )
Heather Moen-Boyd studied at Sydney Conservatorium, where she gained a Bachelor of Music, and also holds the A Mus A and FTCL diplomas. An experienced recitalist, she has been organist and choir director at Scots Kirk, Mosman, since 2006. During the mid-1980's she was Sunday morning organist here at St Stephen's.
She has accompanied major choral works with various choirs throughout Sydney and regional areas. Performances in 2009 included Haydn's The Creation, Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, Stainer's The Crucifixion, Requiems by Mozart and Durufle, Handel's Messiah, and Mendelssohn's Elijah.
As well as a busy private studio, Heather teaches piano at Bankstown Grammar School, and is an examiner with the Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts. She represented the Presbyterian Church on the editorial committee for the revised Australian Hymn Book, 'Together in Song'.
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