Piano At Ten - VoCE
VoCE is the result of three internationally experienced artists’ desire to seek out and perform repertoire specifically written for voice and a chamber ensemble using viola and piano, hence the title VoCE - Vocal Chamber Ensemble. Our search for repertoire has taken us to music houses in America, Great Britain and Europe and we have been able to uncover some exceptional musical gems many of which are little heard. Forming VoCE has enabled us to explore in depth the unusual use of the voice in a chamber setting and all the particular demands this genre brings to all the instruments. We have found that the combination of female voice and viola lends itself to wonderful rich timbres, dramatic music and surprising depths of expression. It is a combination which was particularly attractive to late Romantic and 20th century composers where we have found some real treasures. www.voce.com.au
GAIL ROBERTSON Mezzo soprano
Gail Robertson obtained a BMusEd from the Sydney Conservatorium, and studied singing with Raymond Myers, Lauris Elms, and Gregory Yurisich. A finalist in the Sydney Sun Aria and the Metroplitan Opera (regional) competitions, after winning the Covent Garden Scholarship, Gail joined the National Opera Studio, London. Subsequently, Gail performed in opera and concerts throughout Australia, England, Europe and Asia. For Opera Australia Gail has appeared as Stephano (Romeo & Juliet), Presiozilla (The Force of Destiny), Apprentice (Die Meistersinger), and Sandman (Hansel & Gretel). After touring with their Young Artists Starburst program, Gail made her debut with the Queensland Lyric Opera singing Carmen, and later performed the role in Sydney. In the UK, Gail has performed and covered for English National Opera roles include Hansel and the Sandman, Olga (Eugene Onegin) and Amastris (Xerxes), Grandmother Buryja (Jenufa) and the Fox (The Cunning Little Vixen). In Europe, Gail appeared at the Festival de Vezere at Brive, in France, singing Dorabella and Cenerentola, at Aix en Provence (Third Lady), Schloss Ramholz in Germany (Maddalena and Second Lady) and understudied Melanto (Il Ritorno D'Ulisse) for Netherlands Opera. Gail toured with Pavilion Opera throughout the UK and to Tokyo, Madeira, Germany, Holland , France and Boston performing Cenerentola, Second and Third Ladies, Maddalena, Dorabella, Annina (Traviata) Nicklausse, Musetta, and Alisa (Lucia). Qualified as a secondary school music teacher, Gail has taught singing privately and at schools both in England and Australia, and has been a vocal tutor at Frensham since 2002.
SABINE MADDEN Pianist Konzertexamen (Hons), M. Mus (Hons), B. Mus (Hons) Karlsruhe, Germany, L.Mus.A, A.Mus.A (Dist.)
Sabine completed three music degrees in Germany – culminating in the post-Master’s degree Konzertexamen – with distinction at the Staatliche Hochschule fuer Musik (Music University) in Karlsruhe. In 2004 she was awarded a piano teaching position at this university. In 1999 she made her London debut and was a scholarship winner of Kulturfonds Baden, the Richard Wagner Society, the Johannes Brahms Society, Germany and the Australian Music Foundation, London. In 2001 she was chosen to be a representative artist for the Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation in Oberrhein and she was also Artist-in-Residence at the Brahmshaus in Baden-Baden. In 2003 she was invited to work with Elisabeth Leonskaja in Luebeck, as part of the Schleswig-Holstein Festival. Sabine has made radio and television appearances and performed as a soloist, accompanist and chamber music partner in Australia, Germany, England, Estonia, Norway and China. She is presently Mentor for Gifted and Talented Musicians at Winifred West Schools in Mittagong, NSW, Australia and an AMEB State Piano Examiner.
CHRISTINE JARCZEWSKI Viola
Christine studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Alex Todicescu (student of David Oistrach) and then at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music with Keith Crellin and Jan Sedivka (O Sevcik, Max Rostal) completing her Bachelor of Music degree and Postgraduate Diploma (Performance). An experienced chamber musician and orchestral performer, Christine has played with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. More recently she was Principal Violist with Steel City Strings, a professional string ensemble directed and conducted by David Pereira, and also toured NSW and Queensland with Jane Rutter (flute soloist) and her ensemble. Christine has performed in a Prom Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Edinburgh Festival under the baton of Sir Charles Mackerras, South Bank Festival London supporting John Williams, guitar soloist. She has also performed in Holland, France, Germany, Japan and China. She has taught for both the Sydney and Tasmanian Conservatoriums of Music and is currently teacher of violin and viola, chamber music and conductor of the Frensham ensemble, Kennedy Strings. Piano at 10 May 4th 2013 Program to include Four Poems Opus 5 by Charles Martin Loeffler ( 1861-1935) and Four Songs by Andre Previn(1929-) Text Toni Morrison ( 1931-)
Piano at 10 VoCE - Concert Review Date: Saturday, 4th May, 2013 10:00am
Venue: Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, Bundanoon
The Artists: VoCE Vocal Chamber Ensemble comprising Gail Robertson (mezzo soprano), Christine Jarczewski (Violin, Viola) and Sabine Madden (Piano).
The Program: The program comprised a varied selection of art songs and an aria from an operetta – all of them from the past two centuries, all romantic in feel. 1. Louis Spohr (1784 - 1859) Vier Deutsche Lieder from op.103 for Voice,Piano and Clarinet (Adapted for Violin, Voice and Piano): Zwiegesang; Wiegenlied; Das Heimliche Lied; Wach Auf 2. Charles Martin Loeffler ( 1861-1935) Quatre Poèmes Op. 5 for Voice, Viola and Piano: La Cloche fêlée; Dansons La Gigue; Le Son Du Cor S'afflige vers les Bois; Sérénade 3. André Previn ( b.1929) Two Remembrances for Voice, Alto Flute and Piano ( adapted for Viola,Voice and piano): A Love Song; Lyric 4. Frank Bridge (1879 - 1941) Three Songs for Voice, Viola and Piano: Far, Far from each other; Where is it that our soul doth go?; Music when soft voices die. 5. Franz Lehar (1870-1948) "Vilia" from The Merry Widow. There was no encore offered as the concert ran over time.
Reviewer: Neil Mitchell
Reviewer’s comments: Please also see the Program Notes elsewhere on this site. One might observe that the programme comprised items by three forgotten composers and two well-known ones (Previn, Lehar). This does not reflect on the quality of the music of those who are not well-remembered. Ludwig Spohr was, in his time, seen as a giant of historic importance. He was one of a group of composers whose career spanned the end of the classical era and the commencement of the romantic era in music. The songs presented clearly show this: they were melodic yet restrained. The performances were crisp and even brisk – it would have been tempting to dwell on the lovely melodies but this temptation was avoided. Charles Martin Loeffler seems to have been a man of mystery who reinvented himself. Although born near Berlin, he always claimed to have been born in Mullhouse, Alsace – a myth that is perpetuated in the French language but not the English language entry in Wikipedia. Of some regret, not all of his music has survived. The Quatre Poèmes had a delightfully nostalgic air to them even though published in 1904. Loeffler would have been a contemporary of Reynaldo Hahn and – like him – looked back to Fauré and the Belle Époch. We are fortunate to have been treated to songs in the French style from both of these non-French composers who are little heard these days. The performances were clean, accurate, balanced and did justice to these works. Frank Bridge, regrettably, is a composer who is not well remembered today, having been outshone by his pupil Britten and his older contemporary, Elgar. This is a pity because his music never disappoints, particularly anything that was written before World War I, as in these items. André Previn must now be considered to be late in his career. The two songs offered showed an interest in New England’s traditional music. The concert was held before a moderate audience (ca. 60 persons) on a seasonably cold but fine day. The audience was warm and the performers were lively. There was consistent feedback from a number of audience members, all were delighted by the performance but some were most grateful for the well-known final item, the song about Vilia. This can be taken as an indication that the audience does appreciate a mix of old favourites as well as novelty. General Comments: The artists were well-prepared, more than equal to the demands of the program and they were well-matched. Ms Robertson’s voice is rich, secure in its intonation, capable of subtle colouration and still in its prime. It may be the case that Jarczewski is more at ease with the viola than with the violin (or simply that there were a few initial problems): there were a few minor lapses of intonation in the Spohr songs. The piano accompaniment by Ms Madden was measured and secure. It is hoped that a CD will be produced by this highly polished trio. The performers offered translations of a number of songs and some informative announcements.
Neil Mitchell, May 2013