Southern Cross Soloists | Sunset Soiree & Season 2025 Launch
November 24, 2024, Judith Wright Arts Centre, QLD
After a week of rainy weather in Brisbane, the sun came out just in time for Southern Cross Soloists’ final Sunset Soiree for the year. Held at the Judith Wright Arts Centre on Saturday afternoon, this concert gave us the chance to reflect on the year that has been and hear about what’s in store for their 2025 season.
Before the concert began, SXS took the opportunity to officially launch their 2025 season. The ensemble will be celebrating their Pearl Anniversary in 2025, celebrating 30 years of virtuosic chamber music. They will present their 16th QPAC Concert series, their 3rd Sunset Soiree Recital series, and their 21st Chamber Music Festival, held at Mount Tamborine.
SXS’s Chair of the Board, Marg O’Donnell AO announced that Ashley Smith and Margaret Blades will take up the position of Co-Artistic Directors for the 2025 season. They will be joined by flautist Tim Munro, who will be responsible for programming the chamber music festival and the SXS Didgeridoo Commissioning Project.
Starting the year with a bang, their first QPAC concert will be a Viennese birthday gala, featuring well-loved waltzes and arias by Johann Strauss II. Other highlights to look forward to include music from Mendelssohn’s ballet A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as Schumann’s Fairytales.
Their 2025 Sunset Soiree series will focus on telling Australian stories, from the poetry of Judith Wright and Zora Cross to the Bee Gees, to a recital commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing.
On Saturday, the Sunset Soiree program featured Ashely Smith (clarinet) and Margaret Blades (violin) alongside Next Gen artists Chaeeun Oh (violin), David Tan (viola), and Milo Duval (cello). They were also joined by operatic bass Jack Bolton, recipient of the SXS Margaret Schindler Vocal Scholarship.
First, we heard two string quartets, by Philip Glass and Schubert. Margaret led the three Next Gen artists, Chaeeun, David and Milo, in a dynamic and moving performance. I enjoyed the gradually building layers of the Glass piece.
Jack then gave us a stirring rendition of Bach’s Mache Dich Mein Herze, Rein (Purify Yourself, My Heart) from St Matthew’s Passion, accompanied by the string quartet. This aria comes towards the end of the story, when Jesus’ body is being laid to rest in the tomb. It is a moment of reflection for the individual believer.
Ashley had his moment to shine in Gerald Finzi’s Bagatelles. Across the five movements, he took us on a lyrical journey, from the peppy prelude to peaceful romance, the tender carol, the calm dance, and to the animated, zesty finale.
We then had a contemporary piece, by Australian composer Sean O’Boyle. Shapes and Signs evoked the feeling of being trapped in a bad dream, with the various instruments bursting in and out in a chaotic frenzy.
To close, Jack sang the well-known folk tune O Waly Waly (The Water is Wide) by Benjamin Britten, also accompanied by the strings. This song tells the story of two lovers who are separated and longing to be united. Jack’s voice carried us away.
After the concert, we had refreshments and the chance to meet the artists, before going outside to catch the last of the sunset.
