Conservatorium's concerted effort

Music

The Elder Conservatorium of Music will again affirm its status as one of the State's most important musical institutions with its Lunch Hour and Evening concerts for 2006.

A date for lunch

The Lunch Hour concerts in Elder Hall are a staple of live performance for most Fridays during the university year, and feature staff and students from the Elder Conservatorium of Music and distinguished visiting artists from across Australia.

The renowned Macquarie Trio Australia will launch the 2006 series on March 17, and will be followed by a succession of outstanding performers, many of whom are well known to Adelaide audiences.

These include pianist Clemens Leske, the Australian String Quartet and ASQ members Natsuko Yoshimoto and James Cuddeford who are also performing individual recitals.

Others like Igor Machlak and his wife Olga Kharitonova will be performing in Elder Hall for the first time. Also pianists, they were born and trained in Russia but are now based in Melbourne where their performances have won wide critical acclaim.

As in previous years the Conservatorium's large ensembles form an important part of the program and this year some exciting performance opportunities have been given to students. In April, Joanna Drimatis, a PhD candidate, will conduct the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra for the first time. The soloist is also a student, Amy Ellks, who will join the orchestra to play Mozart's Flute Concerto in G major. Then in May Masters student Yuh T'Sun Wu will perform Mozart's Piano Concerto in A major with the Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra.

Lunch Hour concerts at Elder Hall every Friday at 1.10pm from March 17 until June 23. Admission is $5 and tickets are available at the door from 12.30 pm on the day of each concert.

Make an evening of it

The Evening Concert Series opens its 2006 season on June 10, featuring the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra at Elder Hall under the baton of Conservatorium Dean and Elder Professor of Music, Professor Charles Bodman Rae.

Subsequent Elder Hall concerts will follow on August 12, September 9, October 14 and November 25, and will highlight the diversity and quality of music emanating from the Elder Conservatorium and featuring rising stars in voice, wind, string and jazz.

For more information about all Elder Conservatorium concerts, visit its website.