The Adelaide Town Hall was full to capacity last night for the Borodin Quartet's final concert of the Australian tour. The Quartet now heads off to New Zealand for Chamber Music New Zealand's 60th anniversary season and the New Zealand International Arts Festival. Our audience response has been incredibly positive, with comments such as "Highly compelling... some of the highest quality playing one could ever hear." We'd like to thank the quartet for such fantastic performances throughout the tour and wish them all the best for the rest of their anniversary season.
...and stay tuned for Musica Viva's next tour, the Harp Consort, presenting the music of Turlough O'Carolan in May...
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
"Pure Musical Virtues"
It must be odd, the life of a professional string quartet. The Borodins travelled from the depths of the Russian winter to the tail end of an Australian summer for their current tour. While many locals were glad of the cool change that greeted Sydney on the 1st of March, the Borodins were less keen to see the sun replaced by clouds, commenting on the efficiency of Australian weather and the immediate change from summer to Autumn. The Quartet did, however, manage to put their disappointment aside and deliver a stunning performance on Monday night. Sydney Morning Herald reviewer Peter McCallum writes "The Borodin Quartet's inscrutable intonation and balance captured [Shostakovich's] comic-tragic quality to perfection. Each phrase is shaped to bring out its musical essence, yet nothing is ever exaggerated and Shostakovich's double-sided message emerges with beauty and unvarnished clarity... what one values about a masterly group like the Borodin Quartet is its focus on pure musical virtues – excellent phrasing, balance, careful listening and impeccable intonation." Read the full review here.
Musica Viva's audience is not shy of expressing their own opinions either, and we've had some great entries in our So You Think You Can Write Competition. Adelaide concert-goers still have the chance to enter. Simply email your review within 48 hours of the concert to knowthescore@mva.org.au. The five best entries (both positive and negative reviews can be winners) will receive a double pass to the second concert in Musica Viva's season - The Harp Consort. The winner will also receive a 8CD set ABC Classic 100 Chamber Music valued at $89.95.
Speaking of the ABC, Emma Ayres of Classic Breakfast has done a great interview with Igor Naidin of the Borodin Quartet as part of her Gracenotes podcast series. Check it out here.
Musica Viva's audience is not shy of expressing their own opinions either, and we've had some great entries in our So You Think You Can Write Competition. Adelaide concert-goers still have the chance to enter. Simply email your review within 48 hours of the concert to knowthescore@mva.org.au. The five best entries (both positive and negative reviews can be winners) will receive a double pass to the second concert in Musica Viva's season - The Harp Consort. The winner will also receive a 8CD set ABC Classic 100 Chamber Music valued at $89.95.
Speaking of the ABC, Emma Ayres of Classic Breakfast has done a great interview with Igor Naidin of the Borodin Quartet as part of her Gracenotes podcast series. Check it out here.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Borodin tour nears end
The Borodin Quartet's tour is fast drawing to a close with a string of successful concerts to wrap up the tour.
The Brisbane concert brought out the who's-who of Brisbane concert goers. One of our annotations writers, Angela Turner, commented she couldn't remember the last time she had seen so many musicians at a concert, and was impressed with the number of students attending as well. Many in the Newcastle audience remembered the Quartet's previous line-up and were eager to discuss the Borodin's history, and while the Quartet was happy to indulge in these memories, they were even happier to indulge in the pavlova served at the post-concert supper!
Our new matinee series in Sydney on Saturday got off to a great start. Musica Viva's CEO Mary Jo Capps commented she had never seen such an attentive, wide-awake audience with "literally not one cough throughout the first half of the concert!" The Sydney branch of the Amadeus society had its first performance on Sunday. The Borodin's performance of Haydn and Shostakovich again captivated an intimate assembly of music lovers and Musica Viva supporters.
And finally, a full house at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, last night enjoyed not only a brilliant concert but an entertaining and insightful post-concert discussion with group members afterwards. When one audience member asked about the instruments the Quartet perform on, Igor Naidin very helpfully explained that the quartet uses two violins, a viola and cello. "They're Russian, you'll have to be more specific!" quipped host Carl Vine, before the ensemble went on to explain the make and history of each instrument.
Today the Quartet heads off to Adelaide for the final concert of the tour tomorrow night. The Adelaide Town Hall is sold out and this promises to be a very special concert indeed.
The Brisbane concert brought out the who's-who of Brisbane concert goers. One of our annotations writers, Angela Turner, commented she couldn't remember the last time she had seen so many musicians at a concert, and was impressed with the number of students attending as well. Many in the Newcastle audience remembered the Quartet's previous line-up and were eager to discuss the Borodin's history, and while the Quartet was happy to indulge in these memories, they were even happier to indulge in the pavlova served at the post-concert supper!
Our new matinee series in Sydney on Saturday got off to a great start. Musica Viva's CEO Mary Jo Capps commented she had never seen such an attentive, wide-awake audience with "literally not one cough throughout the first half of the concert!" The Sydney branch of the Amadeus society had its first performance on Sunday. The Borodin's performance of Haydn and Shostakovich again captivated an intimate assembly of music lovers and Musica Viva supporters.
And finally, a full house at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, last night enjoyed not only a brilliant concert but an entertaining and insightful post-concert discussion with group members afterwards. When one audience member asked about the instruments the Quartet perform on, Igor Naidin very helpfully explained that the quartet uses two violins, a viola and cello. "They're Russian, you'll have to be more specific!" quipped host Carl Vine, before the ensemble went on to explain the make and history of each instrument.
Today the Quartet heads off to Adelaide for the final concert of the tour tomorrow night. The Adelaide Town Hall is sold out and this promises to be a very special concert indeed.
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