1 August
DJ Ha (one-handed pianist)

Two songs by Sayat-Nova the Ashugh: travelling poet of 1712-1795, transcribed by George Vardovich Saradjev 1919-1986, adapted for left hand by DJ Ha (2025)
"Qamancha"
"As long as I am alive" (Qani vour jan im)
Two songs by Soghomon Soghomonian 'Komitas' Vardapet 1869-1935, transcribed by George Vardovich Saradjev 1919-1986, adapted for left hand by DJ Ha (2025)
"No, no, no point in dancing" (Cem Cem Krna Khagha)
"I was walking, my sparkling girl" (Qeler Tsoler)
Frederic Franciszek Chopin (1810-1849)
6 Etudes from op 10 for left hand, transcribed by Leopold Godowsky
1. Etude in C major, 'Waterfall'
2. Etude in A minor, 'Chromatique'
3. Etude in E major, 'Tristesse'
4. Etude in C-sharp minor, 'Torrent'
5. Etude in G-flat major, 'Black Keys'
6. Etude in E-flat minor, 'Lament'
Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938)
Alt Wien: Old Vienna, "Whose Yesterdays look backwards with a Smile through Tears" (1919) adapted for left hand by DJ Ha (2025)
DJ Ha is a pianist who studied with late Alexandra Vinokurov and late Aleksei Nasedkin. In his youth he was injured with a stroke, but thanks to discovering music of Leopold Godowsky, he resumed playing.
DJ now specialises in transcribing conventional two handed repertoire into five compact fingers of left hand, just like Godowsky did.
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8 August
Lin Xu-Zhang (pianoforte) [London]

Selections from Pièces de Clavecin - François Couperin (1668-1733)
La Logivière (Allemande)
Le Rossignol-en-Amour
Double du Rossignol
La Misterieuse
Avant-dernières Pensées (Penultimate Thoughts) - Erik Satie (1866-1925)
Idylle
Aubade
Méditation
Variations, Interlude and Finale on a Theme by Rameau - Paul Dukas (1865-1935)
Menuet [Theme]
Variation I. Tendrement
Variation II. Assez vif, très rythmé
Variation III. Sans hâte, délicatement
Variation IV. Un peu animé, avec légèreté
Variation V. Lent
Variation VI. Modéré
Variation VII. Assez vif
Variation VIII. Très modéré
Variation IX. Animé
Variation X. Sans lenteur, bien marqué
Variation XI. Sombre, assez lent
Interlude
Finale (Variation XII). Modérément animé – Vif
"London-based Australian pianist Lin Xu-Zhang is increasingly recognised for his dual artistry as both a solo performer and a collaborative musician. Celebrated for the refinement of his tonal imagination and the emotional intensity of his interpretations, he has forged a bold and distinctive artistic voice, informed in part by his engagement with historically informed performance practices on the modern piano. His interpretative curiosity and adventurous spirit lend remarkable range and depth to his performances, which encompass an expansive repertoire from the Renaissance to the present day - including over a dozen piano concerti - and have earned him critical acclaim from audiences, colleagues, and reviewers across the globe.
Recent highlights include a rare performance of Arnold Schoenberg's Piano Concerto and his appearance at the Royal Academy of Music's Summer Piano Festival, where he presented selections from György Kurtág's complete Játékok as part of the Academy's Kurtág Project. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Lin has also given premieres of works by leading Australian composers including Gerard Brophy, Alex Pozniak, Ian Munns, and Katia Beaugeais. In the current season, he is scheduled to appear in more than three dozen solo recitals internationally.
Lin has recorded as a soloist for the Cranbrook Recording Studio label and recently graduated with first-class honours from the Royal Academy of Music, London, where he studied under Joanna MacGregor CBE and received additional mentorship from Steven Osborne OBE. A distinguished laureate of several international competitions, he is also a recipient of the Academy's Mozart Piano Concerto Prize and the University of Sydney's Sydney Scholars' Award. His formative training was shaped by Laurent Boullet, Clemens Leske Jr., and Lina Petkova. He continues at the Academy for postgraduate studies." |
15 August
Catherine McKay (pianoforte)
Steve Meyer (violoncello)

Sonata No 2 for cello & piano in D Major, Op 58 - Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1947)
I Allegro assai vivace
II Allegro scherzando
III Adagio
IV Molto allegro e vivace
Steve Meyer is a versatile cellist who performs regularly in a broad range of concerts throughout Sydney. He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium with Susan Blake and has appeared at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville. As an orchestral player Steve has performed with many ensembles including the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Sydney Opera House Orchestra and has played principal cello for The Metropolitan Orchestra, the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Chamber Orchestra. As a theatre performer Steve has performed in many stage productions throughout Australia including The Lion King, Les Miserable, Matilda, Ghost Dream Lover, Ladies is Black, Hamilton and Moulin Rouge. He toured to Broadway New York with Belvoir St Theatre as solo musician in The Book of Everything. Steve has appeared as soloist with Orchestra 143, the Sydney Chamber Orchestra and premiered the cello concerto Cyan Echo by Mark Oliveiro with the Bourbaki Ensemble. In the popular music world Steve has performed with John Farnham, Olivia Newton John, Jimmy Barnes, Elaine Paige, The Church and toured Australia with Air Supply. Steve has taught Chamber Music at the Sydney Conservatorium and is currently a freelance cellist in Sydney performing with the Azumi Quartet and with pianist Catherine McKay.
Catherine McKay was awarded an Associated Board Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London with Irina Zaritskaya and then completed the Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées under Marc Durand at the Université de Montréal.
Her musical background is mainly in chamber music, collaborating with ensembles and as pianist of the Turnovsky Trio during its 4-year residency at the University of Waikato. She has also performed as concerto soloist, recitalist & accompanist, a highlight living for several months in Venice playing the Parekowhai piano for the NZ Pavillion at the Venice Biennale. Currently she works as accompanist at Gondwana Choirs & SCEGGS, Darlinghurst and as piano tutor at Kambala, Rose Bay.
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22 August
Louise Keast (operatic soprano)
Bradley Gilchrist (pianoforte)


"Venezia e Verdi"
Venezia: Chansons in Venetian Dialect (1901) - Reynaldo Hahn (1874 - 1947)
I. Sopra l'acqua indormenzada
II. La Barcheta
V. Che Pecà!
"Come in quest'ora bruna" from Act I of Simon Boccanegra (1857) - Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
In solitaria stanza (1838)
"Timor di me… D'amor sull'ali rosee… Tu vedrai che amore in terra" from Act IV of Il Trovatore (1853)
Il Bacio (1859 - 60) - Luigi Arditi (1822 - 1903)
Based in Sydney, Louise Keast's voice has been described as a "splendid lyric soprano instrument" with the capacity to "rattle the walls". Louise debuted with the Opera Australia Chorus in the 2021 Melbourne Season production of Aida. She has since performed more than thirty operas as a chorister and became a permanent member of the Opera Australia Chorus in 2022. A particularly treasured opportunity was performing alongside her colleagues as soprano soloist in Fauré's Requiem in 2024. In February 2024 Louise performed her mainstage debut at the Sydney Opera House in the role of Papagena (The Magic Flute). Other roles and covers with Opera Australia include Freia (Das Rheingold), Spirits (Cinderella), Le Novizie (Il Trittico), First Page (Tannhäuser) and Cretan (Idomeneo). In 2025 Louise coached the role of Violetta Valéry (La Traviata) at Opera Australia, and is covering Frasquita (Carmen) in Sydney and Melbourne.
Earlier in her career, Louise performed the role of Fiordiligi in the Green Room Award nominated production of Così fan tutte (IOpera), and was a Richard Divall Emerging Artist with Melbourne Opera. Additionally, Louise has performed with Victorian Opera, Operantics, Gertrude Opera, BK Opera, National Opera, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and the Mediterranean Opera Studio, Sicily. She has presented solo operatic recitals at the Festival Junger Künstler, Bayreuth, in Germany.
Bradley Gilchrist completed undergraduate piano studies in Perth and post-graduate studies in piano accompaniment and piano performance in Sydney and Madrid. Bradley is and in-demand accompanist, chamber musician and vocal coach based in Sydney. Bradley has been a concerto soloist with the Slovakia Philharmonic and the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestras and has given numerous solo and chamber music recitals across Australia and New Zealand and in South Korea, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom. Bradley has broadcast for the ABC Young Australia programme, ABC Classic FM, Radio National and Fine Music FM.
Bradley enjoys chamber music and has performed in a variety of ensembles, particularly in flute and piano and piano trio repertoire. As repetiteur, Bradley's early experience in ballet repertoire extended to opera and he has been repetiteur and pianist for WA Opera, Opera Australia as well as many chamber and emerging opera companies. Bradley has also worked in musical theatre and cabaret, as a pit musician, vocal coach and musical director.
Bradley leads a busy life as a freelance accompanist and vocal coach for auditions, recitals, recordings, broadcasts and concert performances.
Bradley is very interested in participating in music making in community settings and has always directed and participated in community theatre and choral groups. He is the conductor of Canada Bay Community choir but is sought after as a guest conductor and accompanist for many other groups.
Bradley works extensively as a mentor for young vocal and instrumentalArtists. He has until very recently held the positions of Music Director of the Young Artist Programme at Pacific Opera and Music Director at Australia's oldest Music Club, Music at Manly.
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29 August
Judith Rough (soprano)
Mark Quarmby (organ)


Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten BWV 202 - J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750)
[Dissipate, you troublesome shadows]
(Wedding Cantata
for soprano solo, oboe, string orchestra and basso continuo)
(i) Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten (aria with oboe solo)
(ii) Die Welt wird wieder neu (recitative)
(iii) Phoebus eilt mit schnellen Pferden (aria with bassoon and cello solo)
(iv) Drum sucht auch Amor sein Vergnügen (recitative)
(v) Wenn die Frühlingslüfte streichen (aria with violin solo)
(vi) Und dieses ist das Glücke (recitative)
(vii) Sich üben im Lieben (aria with oboe solo)
(viii) So sei das Band der keuschen Liebe (recitative)
(ix) Sehet in Zufriedenheit
(aria - Gavotte)
Nulla in mondo pax sincera RV 630 - Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
(Motet for soprano and string orchestra)
(i) Nulla in mondo pax sincera (aria)
(ii) Blando colore oculos mundus decepit (recitative)
(iii) Spirat anguis inter flores (aria)
(iv) Allelulia
Versatile soprano Judith Rough has extensive experience as a soloist in concert and oratorio, having performed most of the major soprano repertoire with various choirs and orchestras in Sydney.
While living in Philadelphia, USA she performed as soloist with professional choirs Voces Novae et Antiquae and The Lady Chapel Singers, recording with them and touring in USA and Europe. She performed in recital, sang with the Mainline Opera Guild, and performed opera in a music education programme in Philadelphia schools. She was resident cantor & soloist for historic St David's Episcopal Church and St Martin's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
Judith performs frequently in concert and recital in Sydney and the Southern Highlands. She is a regular recitalist for St Jude's Concert Series in Bowral, St Stephen's Macquarie Street Sydney, and St Paul's Anglican Church Burwood. She is also a regular soloist for The Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra and The Highland Sinfonia.
Enjoyable performance highlights have included performing the role of the Old Woman in a world premiere of Philip Rugel's Chamber Opera "Purgatory" for Soprano and Tenor, performing at Government House in Hobart in the presence of the Governor of Tasmania, Opera Afloat in Association with Sydney's Vivid Festival, and performing Strauss' Four Last Songs to a standing ovation with Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra. Judith be performing the 4th movement of the Mahler 4th Symphony with the Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra in September, along with Zaïde by Berlioz. |
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Mark Quarmby graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying organ under Norman Johnston and piano under Marjorie Hesse. He has given recitals throughout Australia, Europe, North America, Asia and New Zealand. For over 20 years he was the Assistant Organist of St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, playing the organ for national live broadcasts, visits of the Queen, funerals of State governors and national memorial services. In August 2009 he was appointed Director of Music at St Stephen's, Macquarie Street.
In Europe he has played in the Cathedrals of St Paul's, London, Canterbury, Salisbury, Oxford, Winchester, Lichfield, Westminster Abbey and Notre-Dame, Paris, with recitals in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, and Holland. In 2009 he gave the opening recital of the American Guild of Organists Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
He has been the President of the Organ Music Society of Sydney, has served on the committee of the Royal School of Church Music (NSW) and is currently a National Director of the Organ Historical Trust of Australia and teaches piano, organ and keyboard musicianship at the Conservatorium High School, St Patrick's College, Strathfield, and privately. |
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