NSW Doctors Orchestra Gives Sydney Premiere Of Kats-Chernin Flute Concerto
The NSW Doctors Orchestra presents Contrasts, its annual fundraising concert offering afternoon of sublime music from France, Russia, Mexico and Australia. The highlight will be soloist Sally Walker giving the Sydney premiere of Elena Kats-Chernin’s flute concerto Night and Now, written by Elena especially for Sally. The program will also include the popular Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80 by Gabriel Faure, the Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34 by Rimsky-Korsakov and Danzon No.2 by Arturo Marquez.
The chosen msic charity of the NSW DO this year is the ACMF (Australian Children’s Music Foundation). Under its auspices, a children’s choir from Banksmeadow School will sing, along with a special appearance by Don Spencer (founder of ACMF) performing some of his iconic songs from Playschool days.
Sally Walker is Lecturer of Flute at the University of Newcastle and Lecturer in Classical Performance (Woodwind) at the Australian National University. She has had success in many international competitions, and performed with several orchestras in Germany, England and Wales. She has played with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and is guest flautist with the Omega Ensemble. She has performed in over twenty countries and numerous composers have dedicated works to her.
Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and immigrating to Australia in 1975, Elena Kats-Chernin is one of Australia’s leading composers. Musicus Medicus celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013 with a commissioned piece Scherzino by Kats-Chernin.
Elena Kats-Chernin composed the concerto for flute, Night and Now for her friend, flautist Sally Walker, in 2015, with assistance from the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts. The work is in three movements, presenting a wide variety of contrasting moods and colours. The piece is written to showcase Sally’s musical talents, her unique sound and the potential of the flute. Elena says:- “Sally’s sound is full-bodied. It isn’t a little flute which flies away – it has earth. That is Sally… how she is, very earthy, and elf-like at the same time. “
Musicus Medicus was founded in 2004 by General Practitioner Dr Cathy Fraser to give NSW Doctors and medical students an opportunity to enjoy music together. Every year over 80 medical musicians come together to raise money for medical charities and young musicians. They are conducted by GP Dr David Banney, winner of the 1995 ABC-Westfield Australian Young Conductor of the Year Award.
In keeping with their mission, the NSW DO will be raising funds for charitable causes in both the arts and medicine. The NSW DO has an ongoing relationship with Sydney Eisteddfod funding the NSW Drs Orchestra Sydney Eisteddfod Instrumental Scholarship for 16-25 year olds, worth $10,500 annually. This scholarship is a major highlight of the Sydney Eisteddfod program, attracting the finest talent from Australia. Since beginning in 2006, over 400 aspiring instrumentalists have performed on its stages. Investing in the arts is always worthwhile, and over the past twelve years, this scholarship has contributed well over $100,000 to the cultural capital of the nation by making it possible for outstanding young musicians to establish their careers locally and to study abroad.
This year the medical charity supported is the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF). The funds raised from this concert will help ACMF to continue to provide free music education and instruments to disadvantaged children and youth at risk throughout Australia. Lessons can take place at schools, drop-in centres, juvenile justice Centres, or childrens’ hospitals, identifying those most in need in urban, regional and remote communities across the country.
Tickets: Adults: $49, Concession $38, Child $28, Family: $102
Bookings: www.theconcourse.com.au or www.ticketek.com.au call The Concourse, Chatswood 8075 8100 or Ticketek 1300795012 or visit The Concourse Box Office (Corner Victoria Avenue and Anderson Street, Chatswood)
