The biennial Adam Chamber Music Festival returns to Nelson from January 31 - February 9 2019, bringing with it a feast of chamber music spread over ten glorious days in the delightful surrounds of sunny Nelson. An excitingly different concert programme with International artists joining New Zealand’s best to perform in beautiful venues renowned for their acoustics. All staged in the scenic resort town of Nelson – famous for it’s wine, seafood and wild places.
The New Zealand String Quartet plays a major part in this festival both as performers and through the artistic co-directorship of our first violinist Helene Pohl and violist Gillian Ansell. The festival features international guest artists as well as leading New Zealand artists performing exciting chamber music works, many made possible by the musical collaborations created during the festival.
PROGRAMMES
Adam Chamber Music Festival 2019 The NZSQ, or members of NZSQ, are featured in 14 different concerts over the 10-day Adam Chamber Music Festival. Details of these concerts can be found below and further details of the programme can be found here. Thursday 31st January
Gala Dinner Come together over a gourmet meal, served with a musical taster menu of coming Festival attractions! Say hello to old and new musical friends and dive into the special Festival Universe.
A surprise selection from the Festival programme.
Featuring Helen Pohl (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello), Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello), Nikki Chooi (violin), Samuel Jacobs (horn) Friday 1st February
Grand Opening Concert Opening the festival with a fanfare, Mozart's witty horn quintet is a real crowd-pleaser, followed by late Brahms at his most poignant in the hands of Dénes Várjon. We introduce our two stunning violin soloists Anthony Marwood and Nikki Chooi in Prokofiev and close with members of the Jerusalem Quartet plus Gillian in a thrilling rendition of Brahms' great quintet.
Mozart - Horn Quintet in E-flat major, K. 407 Brahms - Intermezzi op. 118 nos. 1, 2 and 6 Prokofiev - Sonata for 2 violins op. 56 Brahms - String Quintet no.2 in G op. 111
Featuring Helen Pohl (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello), Sam Jacobs (horn), Dénes Várjon (piano), Anthony Marwood and Nikki Chooi (violins), Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello) Saturday 2nd February
Hungary for Bartók Why is Bartók at the top of the list of many musicians' favourite composers? Join us in this special Conversation Concert to find out! Lift the lid on the inner workings of his piano works, the 2nd Violin Sonata, and the 5th Quartet.
Featuring Helene Pohl (compere), Monique Lapins (violin), Dénes Várjon (piano), Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello)
Romantic Colours Introducing Thomas Hutchinson, NZ's wunderkind oboist, prizewinner at the 2017 Munich Competition and recently appointed Associate Principal Oboe of the Melbourne Symphony, along with the first of our Schubert Violin Cycle performances and some of the most-loved chamber works by Brahms and Schumann.
Schubert - Violin Sonata no.3 in G minor D. 408 Dorati - 3 pieces for Oboe Solo, La Cigale et la Fourmi (D'après La Fonaine), Lettre d'amour Legerdemain Schumann - Piano Quartet in E flat op. 47 Brahms - Horn Trio in E flat major op. 40
Featuring Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Dénes Várjon (piano), Thomas Hutchinson (oboe), Helene Pohl (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello), Anthony Marwood (violin), Sam Jacobs (horn)
Textural Landscapes The Schubert Violin Cycle continues, and we are delighted to feature NZSO's Principal Horn Sam Jacobs in a solo role, and Monique Lapins with Naoto Segawa as Ensemble Go.
Schubert - Violin Sonata in A minor D. 385 Kohei Mukai - Prelude and Allegro John Rimmer - Smooth Surfaces Simon Eastwood - Triptych for Two
Featuring Monique Lapins (violin), Izabella Simon (piano), Naoto Segawa (marimba), Sam Jacobs (horn) Monday 4th February
Bach by Candlelight Festival tradition continues - there's always more delicious Bach to savour in the rapturous acoustic of the Nelson Cathedral! Featuring Anna Fraser from the Song Company, singing the Wedding Cantata and other selections.
Oboe Sonata in G minor BMV1030b Violin Partita no.1 in B minor, BWV 1002 Aria from Cantata 187 'Gott versorget' Aria from Cantata 21 'Seufzer, Tränen' Sarabande from 5th Cello Suite Aria from Cantata 84 'Ich esse mit Freuden' Cantata 202 'Wedding Cantata' Brandenburg Concerto no. 3 in G major, BWV 1048
Featuring Thomas Hutchinson (oboe), Anthony Marwood (violin), Anna Fraser (soprano), Nikki Chooi (violin), New Zealand String Quartet, Wilma Smith (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello), Anna Pokorny (cello), Douglas Mews (harpsichord), Joan Perarnau Garriga (double bass) Tuesday 5th February
Slavic Rhapsody A Dvořák Sandwich! The Slavonic Dances, here played by husband-and-wife duo Dénes Várjon and Izabella Simon, made him famous and the Piano Quintet has remained one of his most enduring masterpieces. In between, you will hear the gripping Bartok 2nd violin sonata and the first 2019 Festival Commission by Louise Webster.
Dvořák - Slavonic Dances in E minor op. 46/2 and D major op. 46/6 Louise Webster - Violin Duo Bartók - Sonata for violin & piano no. 2 in C major, Sz. 76, BB 85 Dvořák - Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, op. 81
Featuring Dénes Várjon (piano), Izabella Simon (piano), Wilma Smith (violin), Helene Pohl (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello) Wednesday 6th February
Te Ao Hou A special programme of Taonga Pūoro inspired works, linked by improvisations by Rob Thorne Toi Pūoro. The concert also includes the world premiere of Anthony Ritchie's Trio.
Salina Fisher – Torino Rob Thorne - Tomokanga Gillian Whitehead - Poroporoaki Gareth Farr – He Poroaki Anthony Ritchie - Violin Trio Gillian Whitehead – Puhake ki te rangi
Featuring Helene Pohl (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello), Rob Thorne (Taonga Pūoro)
Fantasy Two great Viennese masterpieces frame this fascinating concert - Beethoven's first late quartet and Schubert's last work for violin and piano. The Jerusalem Quartet's violinists premiere Ken Young's new violin duo, and the harmonium part in Dvorak's colourful Bagatelles is here given a delicious new twist by the versatile accordionist James Crabb, in his first Festival appearance.
Dvořák - Bagatelles op. 47 1. Allegretto scherzando 4. Canon. Andante con moto 5. Poco allegro Kenneth Young - Violin Duo Schubert - Fantasie in C major, D. 934 Beethoven - String Quartet in E flat op. 127
Featuring James Crabb (accordion), Rolf Gjelsten (cello), Helene Pohl (violin), Anthony Marwood (violin), Jian Liu (piano), Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello) Thursday 7th February
From Vienna with Love More musical highlights by Schubert and Brahms! Many children play Schubert's D major sonatina - come and hear it in the hands of master-musicians Helene Pohl and Denes Varjon. We continue our violin commissions with Martin Lodge's new duo, and are excited to present more piano 4-hand music by Schubert and a wonderful Kurtag arrangement of Bach. Brahms told the publisher of his F major quintet, "You have never before had such a beautiful work from me"- not to be missed.
Schubert - Violin Sonata no. 1 in D major, D. 384 Martin Lodge - Violin Duo Bach/Kurtag - Transcriptions: 1. Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, Sonatina BWV 106 'Actus tragicus', 2. O Lamm Gottes unschuldig BWV Deest Schubert - Lebensstürme Brahms - String Quintet no.1 in F major op. 88
Featuring Helene Pohl (violin), Dénes Várjon (piano), Monique Lapins (violin), Nikki Chooi (violin), Izabella Simon (piano), Ori Kam (viola), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello) Friday 8th February
Swedish Fantasy A festival first - Swedish composer Torbjörn Lundquist's saucy and jazzy 'Bewegungen' for accordion and string quartet. Schubert's glorious A Major Duo for violin and piano with its soaring opening melody and lively teasing Scherzo is sure to lift your hearts.
Lundquist - Quintet for Accordian and String Quartet 'Bewegungen' Schubert - Violin Sonata no. 4 in A major D. 574
Featuring James Crabb (accordion), Helen Pohl (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello), Sergei Bresler (violin), Izabella Simon (piano)
Rapture Beginning with rapturous violin/piano playing in Gershwin's Preludes, the concert continues with a real tour de force - the Jerusalem’s playing Bartok's most virtuosic quartet with its rigorous opening repeated-note motive, a Bulgarian folk dance in 10/8 and much "night-music." Schubert's heart-rending String Quintet, written shortly before his death and on many people's desert island wish list will be a festival highlight.
Gershwin/Heifetz - 3 Preludes Bartok - String Quartet No. 5 Sz. 102, BB 110 Schubert - String Quintet in C major D. 956, Op. posth. 163
Featuring Nikki Chooi (violin), Izabella Simon (piano), Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello), Rolf Gjelsten (cello) Saturday 9th February
Violin Heaven A real festival treat for violin-lovers, with all 6 resident Festival violinists taking to the stage for 2 world premieres, a klezmer medley, and perennial favourites such as the soaring Massenet Meditation, Sarasate fireworks and Saint-Saens' sparkling Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.
Kreisler - La Gitana Massenet - Meditation Alex Taylor - Violin Trio Saint Saens - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Leonie Holmes - Violin Trio Ross Harris - Retenishn (Mysteries) Francois Schubert - L'Abeille Sarasate - Navarra
Featuring Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Anthony Marwood (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Nikki Chooi, (violin), Helene Pohl (violin), Jian Liu (piano)
Grand Finale Enjoy the farewell performances of our mesmerising Hungarian pianists playing Debussy's Petite Suite and violin/ accordion duo Anthony Marwood and James Crabb in some of Piazzolla's most popular works. Schubert's dramatic and virtuosic B minor Rondo will get your blood zinging and what better way to round off the festival than with Mendelssohn's ever-popular, effervescent and joyous Octet with our 2 string quartets in perfect harmony!
Debussy - Petite Suite Astor Piazzolla - Oblivion Astor Piazzolla - Libertango Schubert - Rondo in B Minor for Violin and Piano D. 895 Mendelssohn - Octet in E flat op. 20
Featuring Dénes Várjon (piano), Izabella Simon (piano), Anthony Marwood (violin), James Crabb (accordion), Nikki Chooi (violin), Jian Liu (piano), Alexander Pavlovsky (violin), Sergei Bresler (violin), Ori Kam (viola), Kyril Zlotnikov (cello), Helen Pohl (violin), Monique Lapins (violin), Gillian Ansell (viola), Rolf Gjelsten (cello)