Events

Elder Conservatorium’s After Hours Concert Series

Elder Conservatorium’s After Hours Concert Series

After Hours Concert Series

Friday 15 May 7.00pm

Interwoven

Australian String Quartet

Elizabeth Younan  String Quartet No. 1 Interwoven
Haydn  String Quartet in A major, Op. 20 No. 6 
Prokofiev  String Quartet No. 2 in F major, Op. 92 
Clara Schumann Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 20 (arr. Mouret)

The shimmering tapestry of Australian composer Elizabeth Younan’s Interwoven welcomes you into this moving program. This is followed by the vigour, wit and invention of one of Haydn’s most defining works for string quartet. In the second half, Prokofiev’s folk-infused second quartet – written in wartime exile – bursts with colour, grit and lyricism. To conclude, Clara Schumann’s Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann pays heartfelt tribute to the timeless melodic beauty of her husband’s music. The music of Interwoven captures the deeply human impulse to create, connect and express.

Please visit asq.com.au for bookings, or call 1800 040 444.

Saturday 30 May 7.30pm

Wildsong

Elder Conservatorium Chorale and Graduate Singers

Michael Ierace  piano

Wildsong examines humanity’s relationship with nature, through choral music ranging from the playful to the profound. From chirping crickets and soaring birds to bustling farmyards and the tranquillity of the rainforest, discover how composers have portrayed fauna both tame and wild, allegorical and literal. This performance features the Elder Conservatorium Chorale in collaboration with Graduate Singers, conducted by Karl Geiger.

Bookings

Saturday 5 September 7.30pm

Opera Gala

Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
with Classical Voice Students
and special guest Desiree Frahn  soprano
Dane Lam  conductor

The Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra joins forces with classical voice students and a special guest soloist for an evening of operatic favourites. From beloved arias to stirring choruses, this gala concert celebrates the drama, passion, and vocal brilliance of the operatic tradition under the baton of Dane Lam.

Bookings

Saturday 3 October 7.30pm

Across the Centuries

Festival Statesmen

Fresh from winning two Championship Trophies at the World Choir Games in Auckland, a sold-out Adelaide Cabaret Festival performance at the Dunstan Playhouse, and headline appearances at South Korea's Youngnak International Sacred Choral Festival and Gyeongnam International Choral Festival, Festival Statesmen present a diverse program showcasing male voice a cappella choral works from around the world and across the centuries.

Bookings

Saturday 17 October 7.30pm

Tales of Two Cities

Elder Conservatorium Chorale
Carl Crossin OAM  conductor
Karl Geiger  piano

With special guests
Sydney Conservatorium Chamber Choir
Paul Stanhope  conductor

Two of Australia’s finest collegiate choirs share the stage for a choral collaboration that offers a veritable smorgasbord of vibrant, varied and inspired choral music from across the centuries, across Australia, and across the world.

Bookings

Friday 23 October 7.00pm

Voyager

Australian String Quartet

Garth Knox  Satellites
Bartók  String Quartet No. 4 
Beethoven  String Quartet in B-flat major Op. 130, and Grosse Fuge, Op. 133

Garth Knox’s Satellites opens the Australian String Quartet’s Voyager program with a kaleidoscopic exploration of sound and texture that expands the sonic possibilities of the string quartet. Bartók’s arresting String Quartet No. 4, a tour de force of rhythmic energy, then takes you to a playground of Hungarian folk influences and raw emotion. In the second half, Beethoven’s monumental String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130 unfolds with lyricism and grandeur, before concluding with the awe-inspiring Grosse Fuge – a work of uncompromising power that pushes the boundaries of musical form.

Please visit asq.com.au for bookings, or call 1800 040 444.

Sunday 25 October 12.30pm

Trumpet Portraits

Selina Ott  trumpet
Simón Pazos Quintana  piano

Arthur Honegger  Intrada
Eugène Bozza  Rustiques 
George Enescu  Légende
Sofia Gubaidulina  Lied ohne Worte 
Alexandra Pakhmutova  Concerto for Trumpet  in E-flat minor
Jean-Baptiste Arban  Variations on a Theme from Norma
Alexander Goedicke  Concert Etude, Op. 49

Trumpet Portraits traces the expressive range of the trumpet across styles, eras, and national traditions. Arthur Honegger’s Intrada opens the concert with bold, declamatory gestures and a striking sense of ceremonial grandeur. Eugène Bozza’s Rustiques offers a contrasting sound world, blending pastoral lyricism with moments of brilliance and lightness. At the heart of the program is Alexandra Pakhmutova's Concerto for Trumpet, a powerful and expansive work combining virtuosity with lyrical intensity and revealing the trumpet as both dramatic and deeply expressive. The concert is complemented by George Enescu's Légende and Sofia Gubaidulina's evocative Lied ohne Worte, alongside virtuosic works by Jean-Baptiste Arban and Alexander Goedicke, rounding out a richly varied exploration of the instrument’s voice.

Bookings

Tuesday 27 October 7.00pm

The Trumpet Calls

Elder Brass
Emma Gregan  conductor 
Selina Ott  trumpet 
Teddy Tahu Rhodes  voice  

Edward Gregson  Fanfare for a New Era 
Benjamin Britten  Russian Funeral 
G.F. Handel  ‘Revenge, Timotheus cries’ from Alexander’s Feast, HWV 75 
Christer Danielsson  ‘Moderato misterioso’ from Concertante Suite 
Arvo Pärt  Arbos 
Eric Ewazen  Symphony in Brass

Brass instruments have long captivated audiences, conveying both grandeur and intimacy, from triumphant fanfares to reflective lyricism. Joined by guest trumpeter Selina Ott and acclaimed baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Elder Brass presents a program of remarkable emotional range. Edward Gregson's Fanfare for a New Era opens with radiant optimism, while Britten's Russian Funeral offers sombre  reflection. Handel's dramatic ‘Revenge, Timotheus cries’ showcases Tahu Rhodes in music depicting Alexander the Great's fury, while Christer Danielsson's movement from Concertante Suite adds cinematic mystery. The evening moves through Arvo Pärt's meditative Arbos before concluding with Eric Ewazen's Symphony in Brass, celebrating the ensemble's full virtuosity with vigour, colour,  and joyous resonance.

Bookings

Saturday 14 November 7.30pm

Guitarissimo

Elder Conservatorium guitar students

Curated by Dr Oliver Fartach-Naini, the annual Guitarissimo concert presents Elder Conservatorium guitar students in solo and chamber works, culminating with a performance by the Elder Conservatorium Guitar Ensemble. From intimate solo pieces to the impressive power of massed guitars, this showcase celebrates the classical guitar's remarkable range and versatility.

Bookings

Friday 4 December 7.30pm

Christmas with Chorale

Elder Conservatorium Chorale
Carl Crossin OAM  conductor
Karl Geiger  piano / organ

Musically, Christmas is a favourite time of year for everyone!  Great choral music, well-known carols to sing along with, and the warm, generous spirit that is an invaluable and treasured part of all collegial music-making.  Share Christmas with Chorale and explore the range and power of Christmas music!

Bookings