C8 Sibling Revelry
-
Monday, 1 May 2023
-
Fitters' Workshop
Printers Way, Kingston, ACT 2604
The history of music is full of talented siblings and multi-generational musical families. Fanny Mendelssohn was as musically gifted as her brother Felix and their personal bond remained strong until the end. Her untimely death in 1848 prompted the dramatic outpouring of Felix’ string quartet op 80, his sixth and last.
The contrasting fate of the Boulanger sisters is also documented. The elder of the two, Nadia, lived well into her nineties and taught composers from Gershwin to Glass. Her younger sister Lili died at the age of 24, her creative potential largely unfulfilled.
Closer to home, the Wesley-Smith twins, Peter and Martin share a knack for words and wit. Using Lewis Carroll’s double persona as a source of inspiration, they left us countless songs and music theatre works including Boojum!, first performed at the 1984 Adelaide Festival in front of Queen Elizabeth. Brother Jack is Martin’s four-hand piano take on the old French round ‘Frère Jacques’.
Flora and Theo Carbo, two young musicians out of the Melbourne jazz scene, surprised us all at the 2022 festival. They are jointly creating a new work for ensemble for this sibling occasion.
Program
Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn, Four Songs op 8
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, String Quartet op 80
-Interval-
Nadia and Lili Boulanger, Two Songs
Martin Wesley-Smith, Brother Jack
Martin Wesley-Smith, Three Songs from Boojum!
Flora and Theo Carbo, Momentually (WP)
Artists
Quatuor Van Kuijk
Edward and Stephanie Neeman, piano
Susannah Lawergren, soprano
Anna Fraser, soprano
Luminescence Chamber Singers
Roland Peelman, piano
Theo Carbo, electric guitar
Flora Carbo, saxophone
Katie Yap, viola
Donald Nicolson, keyboard
ARTIST Learn more about the artist
Artist Roland Peelman AM
“His encyclopaedic understanding of performing and visual arts and his theatrical instinct place him in constant demand as a musician of flair and imagination.” – Antony Jeffrey, Many Faces of Inspiration.
Born in Belgium, Roland Peelman has been active in Australia over 30 years as a conductor, pianist, artistic director and mentor to composers, singers and musicians alike. He has established a reputation as one of Australia’s most innovative musical directors, awarded with numerous accolades. On the sidelines, Roland remained active as a pianist, putting his fingers in the service of social activism, in particular Human Rights.
Artist Luminescence Chamber Singers
The unbound expressive potential of our original instrument: the human voice
Comprised of six professional singers, Luminescence Chamber Singers is a virtuosic vocal ensemble based on Ngunnawal and Ngambri country (Canberra, Australia). Performing music that spans Medieval chant and Renaissance polyphony as well as folk song, pop, and contemporary art music, Luminescence has rapidly emerged as one of Australia’s leading ensembles.