Southern Cross Soloists (SXS) yesterday unveiled a stellar Bangalow Music Festival program for August 2021. The theme for the 19th festival is ‘music’s inexhaustible joie de vivre’.
After 25 years, SXS is known as one of Australia’s most formidable and long-running chamber music ensembles. The group perform chamber music internationally with world-renowned, virtuosic artists, run educational programs, and have a progressive touring program, in addition to presenting the Bangalow Music Festival.
Sadly, the 2020 festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2019 was a musical triumph.
Artistic Director Tania Frazer launched the 2021 program at Manor House in Bangalow yesterday. The festival will include seven curated concerts across three days in Bangalow’s A&I Hall from Friday August 13 to Sunday August 15.
Ms Frazer said, ‘This year’s festival celebrates music’s ability to influence our “joie de vivre” in a program that evokes the spirit of the human soul, from the delicate and tender to the spirited and dramatic.
‘Each of the bespoke concert programs highlight music’s kaleidoscope of colours, vivid imagery, passion, nostalgic memories and love. We have a sensational line up of guest artists joining SXS at the festival this year,’ she said.
On the bill
The 19th BMF will play host to over 25 internationally regarded and young up and coming artists, with seven featured artists, including three new work, world premieres.
The festival is accompanied by three (often sold-out) pre-festival events.
New this year is ‘BMF Bite Size’, a variety of small bite size performances and conversation events taking place in and around some of the most beautiful venues in the centre of Bangalow.
Headline artists for 2021 include the renowned Orava Quartet, who are commencing a three year residency with the BMF.
Other acclaimed chamber musicians and international soloists include:
- Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham, one of the finest pianists of his generation.
- award-winning New Zealand soprano Isabella Moore, a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara.
- SXS Artist in Residence Chris Williams, a descendant of the Wakka Wakka people from Queensland, who studied trumpet at the Royal College of Music in London and now plays trumpet and didgeridoo.
- Australian cellist Richard Narroway, praised by Gramophone Magazine for his ‘captivating sensitivity’ and ‘exhilarating authority’.
- Eric Avery, a violinist, dancer and composer from the Ngiyampaa, Yuin, Bandgalang and Gumbangirr people of northern NSW.
- Paula Nazarski, First Nations Aboriginal Quandamooka Ngugi Actor, Playwright and Storyteller.
The BMF says it is also thrilled to welcome Perth-based guest concert pianist, Gladys Chua, as well as French Horn soloist Nick Mooney, who has recently returned from playing Principal Horn in the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Musical highlights will include loved compositions from Ravel, Debussy, Scriabin, Brahms and Verdi, as well as new original works by Brenda Gifford, Eric Avery, Sean O’Boyle and Chris Williams.
Tickets for the Bangalow Music Festival can be purchased through SXS’s website: www.southernxsoloists.com.
