Southern Cross Soloists | Sunset Soiree
Saturday April 1, 2023, Fortitude Valley, QLD
Southern Cross Soloists’ inaugural Sunset Soiree Recital concert on Saturday night was an immersive and entertaining chamber music experience.
The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts in Fortitude Valley was the perfect space for an intimate evening of chamber music. Guests could relax, sip their drinks, and watch the sunset between the city buildings, whilst listening to the music.
The recital featured Courtenay Cleary on violin, James Wannan on viola, Tania Frazer on oboe and Guillaume Wang on cello. They performed some classical gems alongside contemporary works.
The concert opened with Courtenay performing the Largo and Allegro Assai movements from Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 3 BWV 1005. Courtenay played the largo with a rich, warm timbre, and then dazzled us with the lively second movement. As an amateur violinist myself, I always love watching Courtenay perform!
Then, the quartet came together for Mozart’s Oboe Quartet K. 370, Movements 2 and 3. SXS artistic director Tania Frazer demonstrated virtuosic skill in this piece, leading the chamber ensemble. The oboe even played in a different time signature to the strings in the final passage, which was quite impressive.
Courtenay and James then took the stage for a dramatic duet moment. They performed two of Martinu’s Madrigals. The violin and viola melodies were feisty and passionate, like lovers having a heated argument.
Guillaume then had his moment to shine, with two solo pieces, Sollima’s Lamentatio and Paganini’s Caprice no. 24. The first one was deeply moving, and even featured Guillaume singing along to the music. Then the Caprice was lively and intense, demanding great skill from the cellist.
The quartet returned to play Bernardo Adam Ferrero’s Homenaje a Garcia Lorca for oboe and strings. This was fun, jaunty Spanish piece with a memorable theme that was passed around the ensemble.
James then performed Percy Grainger’s Arrival platform Humlet for solo viola. This piece evoked the feeling of waiting on a train platform for your loved one to arrive after a long absence. It was full of longing and tenderness.
The next piece had a distinct Spanish flair. It was Piazzolla’s Cafe 1930 from Histoire du Tango, performed by the quartet. This was a romantic, sweeping piece, with an underlying tango dance feel.
SXS ended the program with a bang. They performed an arrangement of ACDC’s Back in Black, featuring Guillaume on electric cello. This was quite a contrast from the earlier pieces, and a fun way to finish.
The Sunset Soiree Recital series has four more concerts coming later this year, which I’m definitely looking forward to!
