A Message Welcome to from our Patron our Silver Jubilee Season! I am thrilled to invite you to join Southern Cross Soloists for our 25th Anniversary (Season). 2020 promises to be a year-long celebration, dedicated to the exquisite chamber music, fond memories and wonderful friends – both old and new – that we have made along the way. Southern Cross Soloists’ journey began 25 years ago as a group of friends coming together to play chamber music and promote the genre in a unique format. The It is an honour to be Patron of one of ensemble has grown and developed over the Australia’s oldest and most-loved chamber years, and now sits at the forefront of the music ensembles, the Southern Cross Soloists. Australian classical music industry. We plan Twenty-five years is a major milestone for an to celebrate this incredible milestone with ensemble, as it is for any organisation. I see Someone who needs no introduction – one you, our wonderful supporters, as we present this quarter-century milestone as not only a of our closest friends from the early days of memorable and magical performances chance to celebrate, but also an opportunity Southern Cross Soloists – is superb guitar throughout the year. to pause and reflect on the journey taken to soloist, Slava Grigoryan. I’m very excited reach it. Our 25th anniversary celebration will explore that he is able to join us for a sublime a theme that is close to the heart of Southern program of guitar masterworks in October, Over the many years I have been attending Cross Soloists: our friends. Over the last 25 including the iconic Rodrigo guitar concerto; Southern Cross Soloists events, I have always years we have collaborated with so many it is sure to melt hearts. felt a sense of awe at their ability to reimagine incredible and inspiring artists, who have classical music in a way that transports We also welcome an outstanding lineup since become our dearest friends, and we are the listener to another place and time. The of Associate Artists in 2020, who will be honoured to have many of them joining us for commitment of the core musicians to their performing with us throughout the season. our 2020 concert season. craft shows in their ability to continually deliver So join us in 2020 as we celebrate this soul-stirring, invigorating concerts to their I am delighted that Miroslav Petkov will momentous achievement – 25 outstanding appreciative audiences. return to perform with us again, after his years of music-making! We look forward to electrifying Australian debut in 2018. As the As the Southern Cross Soloists enter their performing for you this year, and the next 25 Principal Trumpet of the Royal Concertgebouw Silver Jubilee year, having withstood the test of years to come! Orchestra, we can definitely expect some time, they have reached their full maturity as dazzling virtuosity from Miroslav in February. an internationally renowned chamber music ensemble. I look forward to sharing in this Our July concert will be a pinnacle of TANIA FRAZER next sophisticated chapter with them, and I celebrations, as we commemorate Southern Artistic Director welcome you to celebrate with me during their Cross Soloists’ quarter-century milestone 2020 Concert Season. alongside the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest musical THE HONOURABLE DAME QUENTIN BRYCE AD CVO geniuses of all time. Patron of Southern Cross Soloists 2 3 The Trumpet Unleashed with Miroslav Petkov After a sell-out performance in 2018, Southern Cross Soloists are delighted to welcome back Miroslav Petkov, Principal Trumpet of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to kick off our 25th year. Unleashing a potent mix of virtuosity and supreme artistry, this concert features Maurice Andre’s iconic arrangement of Vivaldi’s Trumpet Concerto, Rachmaninov’s stunning Romances arranged for trumpet solo and Stravinsky’s ballet masterpiece Petrushka, featuring the heroic trumpet in one of the instrument’s most challenging works of all time. Finishing with the quintessential La Virgen de la Macarena by legendary Mexican trumpet virtuoso, Rafael Mendez, this concert is a rare chance to hear one of the most exciting trumpet soloists in the world today. VIVALDI Trumpet Concerto in A flat Major, RV 20 JABRA LATHAM Solo for Clarinet DOBRINKA TABAKOVA Frozen River Flows RACHMANINOV Romances – selections STRAVINSKY Petrushka RAFAEL MÉNDEZ La Virgen de La Macarena WHEN Sunday, 23 February 2020 at 3pm WHERE Concert Hall, Reverse Mode, QPAC DURATION 90 minutes (no interval) 4 5 MOZART Oboe Quartet in F KV370 BERLIOZ Harold in Italy: Harold in the Mountains Op. 16 In the Footsteps BRUCH Kol Nidrei, Op. 47 NICHIFOR Two Dances for solo clarinet of Giants DEBUSSY Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue Join Southern Cross Soloists for a special performance to commemorate our silver jubilee anniversary. Southern Cross Soloists celebrates in style with a program of masterworks by composers renowned for WHEN Sunday, 19 July 2020 at 3pm their bold risks, brazen originality, and unusual sounds and textures. These musical mavericks pushed boundaries like never before, leaving their distinctive mark on all those who followed. From Berlioz’s WHERE Concert Hall, Reverse Mode, QPAC quirky viola showpiece (possibly composed during an opium haze), to Bruch’s evocative Kol Nidrei and DURATION 90 minutes (no interval) Debussy’s risqué Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, this program shares some of our favourite works and highlights the outstanding virtuosity of the Southern Cross Soloists. The concert concludes with a piece that has become a signature work for Southern Cross soloists, Gershwin’s daring and fearless hybrid piano concerto, Rhapsody in Blue. We continue the festivities after the performance with a special toast in QPAC’s Concert Hall foyer to celebrate 25 years of exquisite music-making. 7 Souvenirs de Aranjuez with Slava Grigoryan ARIA Award-winning virtuoso guitarist and longtime friend of the Southern Cross Soloists, Slava Grigoryan headlines our final concert of 2020. Celebrating a quarter-century of chamber music with a program of Spanish and French masterworks, we traverse through European musical history, moving from the sizzling guitar works of the Spanish Baroque to the evocative masterpieces of Belle Époque greats, Debussy and Ravel. This exotic program briefly visits Australian shores with the world premiere of a new work by Sydney composer Natalie Nicholas before culminating with the sultry, intoxicating beauty of Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez. VARIOUS The Spanish Baroque – works by De Ribayaz, De Murcia and Matteis DEBUSSY Préludes (selections) NATALIE NICHOLAS ‘Their Secrets’ World Premiere RAVEL Piano Concerto in G major RODRIGO Concierto de Aranjuez WHEN Sunday, 18 October 2020 at 3pm WHERE Concert Hall, Reverse Mode, QPAC DURATION 90 minutes (no interval) 8 9 Coffee Conversations Enjoy aromatic coffee and fascinating conversation at Brisbane’s favourite book nook, Avid Reader BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS West End, with the 2020 SXS Coffee Conversations Series. This intimate event featuring music, avidreader.com.au interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights into the world of our 25th anniversary guest virtuosos, composers, and Southern Cross Soloists is the perfect Friday pre-dinner event. (07) 3846 3422 Friday, February 21: In Conversation with international trumpet soloist, Miroslav Petkov Friday, July 17: Meet The Soloists: SXS turns 25 [email protected] Friday, October 16: In Conversation with Slava Grigoryan, award-winning classical guitar soloist From 5.30–6.15pm at Avid Reader, 193 Boundary St, West End, Qld, 4101 Seating is limited; pre-booking advised. BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS avidreader.com.au (07) 3846 3422 [email protected] SXS Next Gen Artists Program The SXS Next Gen Artists program offers outstanding mentorship, professional development, and performance opportunities to exceptional young Queensland February 21 In Conversation with international trumpet soloist, Miroslav Petkov musicians on the cusp of their professional careers. The recipients of the program are provided with opportunities to perform professionally alongside July 17 Meet The Soloists: Southern Cross Solists turns 25 leading Australian and international performers, while receiving valuable October 16 In Conversation with Slava Grigoryan, award winning classical guitar soloist mentoring. WHEN 21 February, 17 July and 16 October 2020 at 5:30pm WHERE Avid Reader Books, 193 Boundary Street, West End, QLD 4101 DURATION 45 minutes Bangalow Music Festival 2020 WHEN 13–16 August 2020 WHERE A & I Hall, Station St, Bangalow, NSW This August, we continue our 2020 theme of ‘music with friends’ at the Bangalow Music Festival. In its 19th year, the 2020 festival program will once again feature a glittering line-up of acclaimed chamber music ensembles and leading Australian and international soloists in a cornucopia of music works and genres inspired by friendships. 11 Tania Frazer Ashley Smith Blair Harris Alex Raineri Artistic Director, Oboe Clarinet Cello Piano Artistic Director of Southern Cross Soloists Described as ‘Incandescent…a masterly Blair is a highly regarded solo cellist and Twenty-four year old Australian pianist Alex since 2011, Tania Frazer completed her display of skill and insight…as an apologist for chamber musician, known particularly for Raineri, described by Limelight Magazine as degrees at the Guildhall School of Music contemporary music-making, you would search his strikingly individual interpretations and ‘a soloist of superb skill and musicality’, is a in London on full scholarship. Tania has hard to find this young clarinettist’s equal’ (The innovative collaborative projects. Passionate sought-after recitalist, concerto soloist and performed as Principal Oboe with the Age), Ashley is an internationally acclaimed about the creation and performance of chamber musician. International performances Schleswig-Holstein Orchestra under Maazel, clarinet soloist, recitalist, and chamber new music, Blair is a member of Ensemble include tours of California, South-East Asia, Rostropovich and Solti; the Israel Philharmonic musician.