Trio Élan

Concerts 2021

Sunday 11 April

Trio Élan

“Sarah Watkins spun textures of exemplary clarity”
(William Dart, NZ Herald)

Programme

Russ Peterson: Trio for Alto Saxophone, Violin & Piano
Peter Liley: Deux Images for Trio
Claude Debussy: Violin Sonata in G minor
Marc Eychenne: Cantilène and Dance
Gareth Farr: Meditation (saxophone and piano)
Astor Piazzolla: Otoño Porteño
Gareth Farr: Tango: Un Verano de Passion

Donald Armstrong (violin), Sarah Watkins (piano), Simon Brew (saxopohone)

This is sure to be fun. Three highly experienced musicians combine their considerable skills to present a programme for the unusual combination of violin, saxophone and piano, and we can expect to be entertained by a variety of colourful music from France, New Zealand, Argentina and the United States. Donald Armstrong needs no introduction in Waikanae, Sarah Watkins is highly regarded as a fine collaborative pianist, and Simon Brew, who has played for us in the past with Saxcess and Tango Virtuosi, is one of New Zealand most successful saxophonists.

The programme opens with an energetic Trio by American composer, saxophonist and bassoonist Russ Peterson. Peter Liley’s Deux Images is a miniature introducing us to the work of this young NZ composer. That will be followed by the major work of the day – Debussy’s astonishingly beautiful Violin Sonata.

Debussy and Ravel’s use of the magical sound of the saxophone has influenced later composers such as Algerian-born Marc Eychenne whose evocative and beguiling Cantilène and Dance we will hear next. Popular New Zealand composer Gareth Farr contributes a lyrical Meditation and a toe-tapping Tango. And from Argentina’s greatest master of Tango – Piazzolla – experience the yearning nostalgia of Otoño Porteño (Autumn in Buenos Aires).

This concert is presented in association with Chamber Music New Zealand. The CMNZ Regional Series is supported by the Deane Endowment Trust Artist Development Fund.

Martin Setchell (Organ)

Concerts 2021

Sunday 14 March

Martin Setchell – Organ

“real artistry . . . it’s fun listening to such splendid playing,
meticulous and flawless . . .” Bruce Steele – Organ Australia

Programme

Bach: Praeludium in Eb Major, BWV 552
Vivaldi (arr Walther):  Concerto in B minor
Pescetti: Sonata in C minor

Bach: Fugue in E flat major, BWV 552

Interval

Reger: Variations and Fugue on ‘God save the Queen’
Vierne:  Clair de Lune (from Pièces de Fantaisie, Opus 55)
Widor: Toccata from Symphony No 5 in F (Opus 42)

Martin Setchell

This concert is the first organ recital in the Waikanae Music Society’s 40 plus years. Christchurch city organist Martin Setchell was recently called ‘New Zealand’s most widely travelled concert organist’ since over the last 20 years he has performed in New Zealand, Australia, America, Canada, Europe, the UK and the Far East. Highlights include the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, the Hill organ in Sydney Town Hall, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Oriental Arts Centre in Shanghai, St Paul’s Cathedral, London and the Bergen International Festival in Norway.

Born and educated in England and awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists, he studied with Pierre Cochereau, Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, and Peter Hurford. After teaching for over 40 years at the University of Canterbury, he is now a freelance performer, writer, music editor and conductor.

His programme will focus on major works from two great eras of organ music. The first half will feature German Baroque music including Bach’s monumental BWV 552 Prelude and Fugue (St Anne) and Walther’s transcription of a Vivaldi violin concerto. The second will include highlights from Romantic organ literature and French symphonic music written for the great Parisian churches like St Sulpice and Notre Dame.

Martin will be playing on the latest Rodgers organ – an incredibly sophisticated musical instrument. You will hear more than just one type of organ:  German Baroque sounds at Baroque pitch and with an authentic tuning in the first half, and French and German Romantic voicings in the second.

This concert is generously supported by the Deane Endowment Trust.

Amici with Jian Liu

Concerts 2021

Sunday 14 February

Amici Ensemble with Jian Liu (Piano)

“The sheer brio and vibrancy of Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor Op 10 was thrilling: its four movements wonderfully expressive and exuberantly played.” – Alison Boulton (Daily Info)

Programme

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No 9 in E, Carnaval de Pest (piano trio)

Mozart: String Quintet in G minor, K516
Chausson: Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Opus 21

Malavika Gopal (violin), Jian Liu (piano), Donald Armstrong (violin), Andrew Joyce (cello), Andrew Thomson (violin/viola), Julia Joyce (viola)

What a perfect way to open the season. Our favourite ensemble – Donald Armstrong’s Amici – will be joined by brilliant pianist Jian Liu in a programme filled with classical and romantic delights. With Donald and Jian will be a top-class lineup of NZSO musicians: violinist Malavika Gopal, Andrew Thomson (violin and viola), Julia Joyce (viola) and cellist Andrew Joyce. 

The programme will start with Liszt’s arrangement for piano trio of one of his delightfully tuneful and cheerful Hungarian Rhapsodies. Then we will be treated to one of Mozart’s String Quintets. This work, written for string quartet plus an extra viola and composed in the last years of Mozart’s life, is considered
to be one of the finest inspirations of Mozart’s chamber music output. The addition of the second viola seems to have lifted him to still greater heights.

After the interval we are treated to a seldom-performed work – Concert by the French composer Ernest Chausson. Chausson, best known for his beautiful Poème, died in an accident just as his career was blossoming. His music is dense, virtuosic and very romantic. The Concert is written for solo violin and piano set against a string quartet, sometimes a concerto and sometimes a sextet.