Presented by the Sapphire Coast Music Society.
The Twyford – Hall (Beach St entrance).
2.30pm Sun 27 August 2023.
BOOK NOW at https://www.trybooking.com/CKGAJ
Note : This is a change from the usual venue for the Sapphire Coast Music Society concert, due to planned renovations at Wolumla Hall.
ENSEMBLE
- Josephine Chung, violin
- Nicholas Waters, violin
- Ruby Shirres, viola
- Mee Na Lojewski, cello
PROGRAM
- Haydn, String Quartet op.50 no.5 in F Major ‘Dream’
- Interval
- Beethoven, String Quartet no.8 in E minor op 59 no 2 ‘Razumovsky’
ABOUT AFFINITY
Formed in 2015, Australia’s Affinity Quartet appeared on Melbourne’s classical music scene as ‘one of the most exciting ensembles to make their mark.’ Violinists Josephine Chung and Nicholas Waters, violist Ruby Shirres and cellist Mee Na Lojewski have recently won major prizes in four international string quartet competitions. At the 2023 Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition Affinity Quartet was awarded the Audience Prize, the Robert Salzer String Quartet First Prize, and the Monash University Grand Prize; the first Australian group to win the competition in its 32 year history.
This milestone follows their Second Prize awards at the 2023 Bad Tölz International String Quartet Competition, Germany, and the Mozart International String Quartet Competition, Austria. At the latter, Affinity Quartet was also awarded Special Prize for the Best Interpretation of a Contemporary Work for their performance of Brett Dean’s String Quartet no.3 ’Hidden Agendas’.
In 2022 Affinity Quartet became the first Australian string quartet to reach the Finals of London’s Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, winning Third Prize.
Affinity Quartet continues to receive formative guidance from Günter Pichler, Alban Berg Quartet founder and first violin, at the Escuela Reina Sofia Madrid, and has also recently benefited from the support of the McGill International String Quartet Academy Montreal; the Amsterdam String Quartet Biennale; the Australian National Academy of Music; and from quartet musicians Jonathan Brown (Cuarteto Casals); Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartet); Heime Müller (Artemis Quartet).
The group’s work includes performing and commissioning new Australian works for string quartet. Their première performances include works by Brett Dean (AU), Darrin Archer (AU), Matt Laing (AU), Tom Misson (AU), and Sally Beamish (UK). Affinity Quartet’s 2022 commission of I by Matt Laing, funded by Kingsley Gee, was premièred at The Melbourne Recital Centre with acclaimed performances at the ANAM Quartetthaus Festival, Melbourne, in May 2023.
Affinity Quartet receives generous ongoing support from Melbourne architects Kennedy Nolan, Cope-Williams Arts Foundation, Alex Grant Violins Melbourne, private instrument assistance, advisors, and a growing community of supporters.
This Merimbula concert is not to be missed!
(Twyford Gift Certificates NOT valid for this performance)
The Sapphire Coast Music Society gratefully acknowledges the support of:
- ABC South East NSW
- Grand Matriarch Distilling Company
- Candelo Books
- The Twyford Hall Complex Ltd
- Brief Affairs Lingerie
- Carbon Copy Printers
