1 Chamber Music New Zealand Supported by with Matthew Barley & Stephen De Pledge 2 Chamber Music New Zealand “The Ébène foursome animated an entire universe.” – Bachtrack QUATUOR ÉBÈNE 25 & 26 October chambermusic.co.nz/ebene Tēnā koutou Viktoria Mullova is one of her generation’s most breath-taking violinists, whose versatile musical world stretches right across the genres, from classical to jazz and world music. We are to be treated to Viktoria Mullova’s exquisite violin playing within the intimacy of the piano trio, where she performs with her husband, cellist Matthew Barley and long-time collaborator, one of New Zealand’s favourite pianists, Stephen De Pledge. Their programme is drawn from the cornerstones of the repertoire - the impassioned masterpiece of Schubert’s Trio in E flat followed in the second half by the heartfelt and sensual sonorities in Ravel’s Trio in A Minor, I am sure this will be an evening to remember. The CMNZ commission of a new work by Salina Fisher ‘Mono no aware’ for cello and piano is generously supported by Prof. Jack C Richards and received its world premiere at the Melbourne Recital Centre ahead of the CMNZ tour. I’m thrilled that a brand-new New Zealand work has been internationally showcased in this way. I would like to thank the Turnovsky Endowment Trust, who are the generous supporters of the Wellington concert. Catherine Gibson Chief Executive Chamber Music New Zealand Please kindly remember to switch off all cellphones, pagers and watches. Taking photographs, or sound or video recordings during the concert is prohibited unless with the prior approval of Chamber Music New Zealand. Thank you. “Mullova maybe the most elegant, refined and sweetly expressive violinist on the planet.” – Chicago Tribune Cornerstones WELLINGTON, CHRISTCHURCH, AUCKLAND Franz Schubert Page 6 Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat Major, D. 929 -Interval- Salina Fisher Page 7 Mono no aware ( 物の哀れ) (CMNZ Commission)* Maurice Ravel Page 8 Piano Trio in A Minor * This commission is generously supported by Prof. Jack C. Richards. DURATION:100 minutes including an interval The artists reserve the right to make changes to the programme. The Auckland concert is being recorded for broadcast by RNZ Concert. 2 Chamber Music New Zealand Viktoria Mullova Violin Viktoria Mullova studied at the acclaimed worldwide and led Tim Central Music School of Moscow Ashley to write, “To hear Mullova play and the Moscow Conservatoire. Bach is, simply, one of the greatest Her extraordinary talent captured things you can experience…” in the international attention when she Guardian. Her recent disc of Bach won first prize at the 1980 Sibelius Concerti with the Accademia Bizantina Competition in Helsinki and the Gold and Ottavio Dantone has been highly Medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition praised and her recording of Bach’s in 1982 which was followed, in 1983, solo sonatas and partitas represents by her dramatic and much publicised a significant milestone in Viktoria’s defection to the West. She has since personal journey into this music. The appeared with most of the world’s recording received 5-star reviews greatest orchestras and conductors from all over the world and she has and at the major international festivals. embarked on an international several She is now known the world over as a season-long, series of solo Bach violinist of exceptional versatility and recitals. musical integrity. Her curiosity spans the breadth of musical development Her ventures into creative from Baroque and Classical right up contemporary music started in 2000 to the most contemporary influences with her album ‘Through the Looking from the world of fusion and Glass’ in which she played world, experimental music. jazz and pop music arranged for her by Matthew Barley. This exploration Her interest in the authentic continued with her second album ‘The approach has led to collaborations Peasant Girl’ which she has toured with period instrument bands such around the world with the Matthew as the Orchestra of the Age of Barley ensemble. This project shows a Enlightenment, Il Giardino Armonico, different side to Viktoria as she looks Venice Baroque and Orchestre to her peasant roots in the Ukraine Révolutionaire et Romantique. and explores the influence of gypsy Viktoria has a great affinity with Bach music on the classical and jazz genres and his work makes up a large part in the 20th Century. Her most recent of her recording catalogue. Her project, ‘Stradivarius in Rio’ is inspired interpretations of Bach have been by her love of Brazilian songs by Viktoria Mullova Trio 3 composers such as Antonio Carlos arrangements of Brazilian and Hebrew Jobim, Caetano Veloso and Claudio songs and works by Schumann and Nucci. A CD of the same name has Bach, and duo with Alasdair Beatson, been enthusiastically received and playing Beethoven recitals on gut she is now presenting the project in strings and fortepiano. concerts throughout Europe. As well as her own projects, she has also Mullova’s extensive discography for commissioned works from young Philips Classics and Onyx Classics composers such as Fraser Trainer, has attracted many prestigious Thomas Larcher and Dai Fujikura. awards. Her recording of the Vivaldi This rich musical diversity has been Concertos with Il Giardino Armonico celebrated in several high-profile and directed by Giovanni Antonini, residences, including London’s won the Diapason D’Or of the Year Southbank, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, award for 2005 and her recording the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, featuring Beethoven’s Op.12, No.3 Musikfest Bremen, Barcelona and Kreutzer Sonatas with Kristian Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Bezuidenhout received immense Music Festival. critical acclaim. Other discs have included the Schubert Octet with the This season, Viktoria performs Mullova Ensemble, ‘Recital’ with Katia Classical and Romantic repertoire Labèque, Bach Sonatas with Ottavio with several major orchestras and Dantone and ‘6 Solo Sonatas and conductors. Highlights include Partitas’ by JS Bach. September 2018 performances with the Melbourne saw the release of her new CD of the Symphony Orchestra and Auckland complete works for violin & orchestra Philharmonic; Orchestra National by Arvo Pärt with the Estonian de France and Baltimore Symphony National Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra and a tour with the Paavo Järvi for the Onyx label. Academy of Ancient Music playing Bach and Haydn concerti. Her chamber music projects include ‘Music we Love’; a duo with Misha Mullov-Abbado, double bass, featuring his original compositions, 4 Chamber Music New Zealand Matthew Barley Cello Cello playing is at the centre of Detlev Glanert, Dai Fujikura and Matthew Barley’s career, while many other prominent composers, his musical world has virtually no including with some of the finest geographical, social or stylistic Indian musicians in a new project with boundaries. the Philharmonia Orchestra. Matthew Barley is passionate about Matthew’s recordings have been improvisation, education, multi- released on Black Box, Signum genre music-making, electronics, and Classics and Onyx Classics – the latter pioneering community programmes. included a CD with Viktoria Mullova He is also a world-renowned cellist, on which Matthew was cellist, who has performed in over 50 arranger, composer and producer, countries, including concertos with The Peasant Girl, which has gained the BBC Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio rave reviews worldwide, and is now Symphony, London Sinfonietta, Hong also available on DVD. Kong Sinfonietta, Royal Scottish National, Kremerata Baltica, Swedish In 2013 Matthew undertook a Chamber, Vienna Radio Symphony, 100-event UK tour celebrating Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Benjamin Britten – the tour was Czech Philharmonic, Melbourne and accompanied by a CD release, New Zealand Symphonies and the ‘Around Britten’, described by Sinfini as Metropole Jazz Orchestra. “a defining statement in modern cello playing”. Matthew Barley’s collaborations include Matthias Goerne, the Labèque After the world premiere Sisters, Avi Avital, Manu Delago, Martin performances of a new double Fröst, Thomas Larcher, Amjad Ali Khan, concerto by Pascal Dusapin with Julian Joseph, Nitin Sawhney, and Viktoria Mullova and with Netherlands Jon Lord (Deep Purple), appearing in Radio, there are further performances venues ranging from Ronnie Scott’s with the London Philharmonic, and the WOMAD festivals to Vienna’s RAI Torino, Paris National, Seattle Konzerthaus and Zürich’s Tonhalle. Symphony and Leipzig Gewandhaus. Matthew’s new music group, Between Next season sees a tour with wind The Notes, has undertaken over 60 quintet Calefax, a recording of John creative projects with young musicians Tavener’s The Protecting Veil for and orchestral players around the Signum Classics, the premiere of world. Matthew’s arrangements of Brazilian jazz for cello and string orchestra in Matthew has given premieres by Helsinki, and tours to Australia and James MacMillan, Thomas Larcher, New Zealand. Viktoria Mullova Trio 5 Stephen De Pledge Piano New Zealand pianist Stephen De Tokyo, Cologne, Paris, London and Pledge performs internationally as Edinburgh, as well as throughout New a soloist and chamber musician. Zealand. His extensive discography Following studies in Auckland, London includes works by Bliss, Barber, and Paris he made his debuts in the Messiaen, Shostakovich and Brahms, Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and premiere recordings of Arvo Pärt, and Barbican Hall in London. He Henryk Górecki, Ned Rorem and the has given concerto performances first piano concerto of Lyell Cresswell. with the BBC Scottish Symphony, In addition to his performing schedule Bournemouth Symphony, New Stephen De Pledge teaches piano London and Philharmonia Orchestras, at the School of Music, University of amongst others. Solo performances Auckland. in recent seasons have taken him to Salina Fisher Composer Salina Fisher (b.1993) is a New Zealand Fulbright, Creative New Zealand composer particularly interested in and The Arts Foundation, and is the the musical traditions of New Zealand youngest ever winner of the SOUNZ and Japan. Since recently graduating Contemporary Award (2016, 2017).