Omega Ensemble to Perform Special Concert A BRAHMS AFFAIR

Friends Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann, were both enamored with Robert's wife Clara Schumann, a virtuoso pianist and a composer. Clara, the muse, is evident in all of Schumann's music and his Fantasiestücke expresses the passion found in the free imagination of the composer.

"Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 forces us to live in and enjoy the moment. The three short 'Fantasy Pieces' are filled with abrupt, slightly schizophrenic, changes in mood. Moments of deep introspection, followed by bursts of euphoria, remind us of Florestan and Eusebius, the split personalities which inhabit much of Schumann's music." Timothy Judd, notes Fantasiestücke

Alexander Borodin was a surgeon and a Professor of Chemistry, publishing several notable papers in the field and establishing medical courses for women. Borodin's first String Quartet shows deep understanding of logic and form, his gift for melody, and the piece contributed to his reputation as one of the significant Russian composers of the late 19th century. This quartet shows the strength of musical ideas that spring from Borodin's trained scientific mind.

In 1890 Johannes Brahms had stopped composing, but after hearing the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, he was so captivated by the clarinet that he retired from retirement and wrote four important works featuring clarinet, including this astounding quintet.

Join Omega Ensemble to celebrate the exquisite chamber music of the Romantic era with these thoughtful works by Brahms, Schumann and Borodin.

The Omega Ensemble are very excited to have international violin superstar Alexandra Osborne join them again as a special guest artist for the upcoming Brahms concert on September 7th, after the sensational Trout performance in July.

Australian violinist, Alexandra Osborne is the Acting Assistant Concertmaster of the Washington based NSO - National Symphony Orchestra. In 2009 she was appointed to the National Symphony Orchestra as the youngest member of the violin section.

Alexandra is now well-established as a superb vioinist in-demand internationally - through performances and positions with many orchestras and ensembles throughout the US and has even performed at the Whitehouse for the former President Barack Obama.

Ms. Osborne has appeared as soloist with all of the major Australian orchestras and recently she was a featured soloist with The National Symphony with Steven Reineke and performed the Dvorák Piano Quintet with Maestro Eschenbach at the Kennedy Center. In 2015 she performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in tours across Australia and the United States.

Alex is a long term friend of Omega's co-Artistic Directors Maria Raspopova (piano) and David Rowden (clarinet) since their student days. On stage you can sense the friendship reflected in the ease and warmth of their performances together.

Program
Schumann Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
Borodin String Quartet No. 1 in A major
Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115

Artists
Special guest: Alexandra Osborne Assistant Concertmaster, National Symphony Orchestra, Washington
Alexandra Osborne violin
Veronique Serret violin
Neil Thompson viola
Paul Stender cello
David Rowden clarinet
Maria Raspopova piano

When
Thursday 7th September
City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney
Pre-concert talk: 6.45pm - 7.15pm
Duration: approximately 2 hours, including interval

About Omega Ensemble
Omega Ensemble was formed 12 years ago by clarinettist David Rowden, now Co-Artistic Director. The ensemble is flexible in size and line-up and can range from full chamber orchestra to duos. Omega Ensemble perform a diverse repertoire, including presenting brand new works, paying due respect to iconic gems and revitalising a rare gem or a neglected beauty.

To date, they have commissioned and performed more than twenty new works from a roster of respected and emerging Australian composers including Daniel Rojas, Mark Isaacs, Cyrus Meurant, George Palmer, Elena Kats-Chernin, Anne Boyd, Matthew Hindson, John Peterson, Margery Smith, Stuart Greenbaum, Paul Stanhope, Ben Hoadley and Andrew Ford.

Omega regularly performs in the iconic Utzon Room at Sydney Opera House, the acoustically superb City Recital Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre and they tour regularly to regional NSW. Since 2014 the ensemble has been Artist-in-Residence at Mitchell Conservatorium and from 2014 - 2016 Ensemble in Residence at City Recital Hall.

The Omega Ensemble reaches audiences outside the concert hall through their OnDemand concerts, a catalogue of high-quality online video performances free to access worldwide. Omega's performances are included as part of Qantas Airline's in-flight entertainment and regularly in broadcasts on ABC Classic FM and Fine Music FM 102.5.

In 2016 Omega Ensemble recorded their first ABC Classics CD which includes Mozart's Clarinet Quintet and George Palmer's double clarinet concerto It Takes Two, where they were joined by acclaimed clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazy.

This year pianist Maria Raspopova joins founder David Rowden as Co-Artistic Director.

TICKET INFO
PREMIUM
Standard $119
City Recital Hall Member $107.10

A RESERVE
Standard $99
Concession $69

B RESERVE
Standard $79
Concession $69
Under 30 $29
Secondary student $25

BOX OFFICE Phone 02 8256 2222 Monday to Friday , 9am to 5pm.

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