Events

Elder Conservatorium’s Lunchtime Concert Series

Lunchtime Concert Series

The Elder Conservatorium's Lunchtime Concert Series run from March through to November in 2026. All Lunchtime concerts are held on a Friday. Please see below for Season One and Season Two details and dates.

Time

1:10pm

Doors open 12:30pm

Location

Elder Hall,

Adelaide City Campus – East

Cost

$20 general admission

Gold Pass subscription

Purchase a Lunchtime Concert Gold Pass for express entry, preferred seating, and a saving of up to 35% on single-ticket prices.

Gold Pass subscription

Friday 6 March

Swivel & Swerve

Ensemble Lumen

Holly Harrison Swivel & Swerve
Wynton Marsalis Meeelaan for Bassoon and String Quartet
Maurice Ravel Piano Trio in A minor

Ensemble Lumen has the privilege of opening our 2026 Lunchtime Concert Series with Swivel & Swerve – a recent work by Holly Harrison, a composer noted for writing some of ‘the most exciting works to come out of Australia over the past decade’ (Limelight). Wynton Marsalis’s Meeelaan follows, introducing a taste of the composer-performer’s New Orleans style in an intriguing work for bassoon and string quartet. Rounding out the program is Ravel’s beloved Piano Trio, offering its own exploration of diverse influences: the first movement honouring his Basque heritage, the second an ode to Malayan poetry, and the third a Baroque-inspired Passacaglia.

Bookings

Friday 13 March

Piano Perspectives

Anna Grinberg piano
Liam Viney piano

Francis Poulenc Sonata for Piano Four Hands
Cécile Chaminade 6 Pièces romantique, Op. 55
Carl Vine Piano Sonata No. 1
Peter Sculthorpe Left Bank Waltz

Carl Vine, one of our nation’s foremost composers, gained prominence for his compositions for dance. In his first Piano Sonata (1990), he explores complex textures with interesting cross-rhythms and rhythmic drive, building up layers of resonance that vary from ‘pointed polyphony’ to being ‘granite-like in density, propelling the music irresistibly towards its climax.’ Peter Sculthorpe's Left Bank Waltz is a nostalgic, jazz-inflected piano piece that evokes the atmosphere of 1930s Parisian café culture with its gentle waltz rhythm and wistful melodic charm.

Bookings

Friday 20 March

Twilight to Dawn

Simon Cobcroft cello
Anna Goldsworthy piano

Richard Mills Sonata for Cello and Piano (2025)
Dmitri Shostakovich Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 40

Richard Mills’s recent Sonata for Cello and Piano introduces a contemporary Australian voice, exploring the expressive potential of the duo with inventive textures. Written during a period of separation from his wife, Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata contains his trademark rhythmic drive, wit and intensity, creating a dynamic dialogue between cello and piano.

Bookings

Friday 27 March

Elegance and Energy

Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra
Elizabeth Layton director / violin
Jade Elsdon oboe

Mozart Divertimento in D major, K. 136
Marcello Oboe Concerto in D minor
Nielsen Little Suite for Strings, Op. 1

Elegance, virtuosity, humour and youthful energy will be on display in Mozart’s Divertimento in D major, K. 136. Sparkling with charm and graceful wit, it is a perfect example of his early mastery in light-hearted chamber writing. Alessandro Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in D minor follows, performed by Jade Elsdon. First attributed to Vivaldi, and then his brother, Marcello’s composition is a Baroque pearl renowned for its expressive lyricism and ornamentation. Rounding out the program is Carl Nielsen’s Little Suite for Strings, Op. 1, a youthful yet inventive work, with lively themes and textures that hint at the bold voice he would later develop.

Bookings

Friday 10 April

New Blood

Timothy Clarkson saxophone
Alex Taylor trombone
with guests

Join us in welcoming newest jazz faculty members Timothy Clarkson (saxophone) and Alex Taylor (trombone) for an afternoon of chamber jazz featuring special guests from Adelaide's vibrant jazz scene.

Bookings

Friday 17 April

Sacred and Secular

Joshua van Konkelenberg organ

J.S. Bach Fantasy and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546
François Couperin Selections from Messes pour les couvents et les paroisses
Joshua van Konkelenberg Humoresque (2026)
Franz Liszt Fantasy and Fugue on ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’, S. 259

In this special solo organ recital, Joshua van Konkelenberg (a lecturer at the Elder Conservatorium, and one of its most outstanding graduates) performs four works that showcase the majesty and grandeur of our resident instrument. J.S. Bach’s Fantasy and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546 stands as a monumental work of architectural clarity and expressive depth, pairing sweeping rhetorical gestures with rigorous contrapuntal mastery. Selections from Couperin offers contrasting intimacy, before a new addition to the organ repertoire by the soloist himself reveals new timbral possibilities. The program culminates in Liszt’s Fantasy and Fugue on ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’ – a virtuosic tour de force that transforms a simple chorale into a work of symphonic scale and dramatic intensity.

Bookings

Friday 24 April

Ancient to Modern

Wattleseed Ensemble
Meg Cohen violin
Katie Yap viola
David Moran cello

Hildegard von Bingen Ave generosa (arr. Donald Nicolson)
J.S. Bach Selections from the Goldberg Variations
Jakub Jankowski The Orchid and the Wasp
Missy Mazzoli Lies You Can Believe In
and a selection of folk tunes from Bulgaria and Scandinavia

A fascinating aspect of music is its capacity to transport us through time. The luminous, ethereal sound world of Hildegard von Bingen is brought to life by her Ave generosa, arranged here by Donald Nicolson. Selections from J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations follow, featuring the immortal aria transformed across a vast universe of variation. Contemporary voices then take the stage, with Jakub Jankowski’s The Orchid and the Wasp and Missy Mazzoli’s Lies You Can Believe In – works combining lyricism with inventive atmospheres. The program concludes with a selection of folk tunes from Bulgaria and Scandinavia.

Bookings

Friday 1 May

For the End of Time

Ensemble Lumen

Elizabeth Layton violin
Edith Salzmann cello
Lloyd Van’t Hoff clarinet
Anna Goldsworthy piano

Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time

Captured and imprisoned by the German Army in a prisoner-of-war camp, Messiaen wrote Quartet for the End of Time using paper and a pencil given by a sympathetic guard. The work is a series of eight movements relating to a Biblical passage from Revelation, depicting the Angel of the Apocalypse. Though one might interpret the work as owing to his own experiences as a prisoner, Messiaen intended it to be an acknowledgement of the end of past and future, and the beginning of eternity.

Bookings

Friday 8 May

The Music of Hoagy Carmichael

Jazz Honours Ensemble

The Jazz Honours Ensemble performs the music of Hoagy Carmichael, the legendary composer and pianist behind some of the Great American Songbook's most enduring standards – including Georgia on My Mind, The Nearness of You, Skylark, and Stardust.

Bookings

Friday 15 May

Contemporary Winds

Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra
Colin Prichard conductor

Thomas Godwin New Work
Viet Cuong Re(new)al
Michael Gandolfi Flourishes and Meditations on a Renaissance Theme

Join the Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra for three contemporary works that explore texture, rhythm, and inventive musical landscapes. The program begins with a new work by Thomas Godwin, a talented composition student at the Elder Conservatorium. Godwin’s new work brings a fresh voice to the stage, alongside other contemporary composers. Viet Cuong’s Re(new)al draws inspiration from the constant advancement in renewable technologies aiming to create a better reality for all. A concerto for percussion quartet, the soloists perform on ‘found’ items, such as crystal glasses and compressed air cans. Michael Gandolfi’s work offers a reflective counterpoint, transforming an anonymous Renaissance theme known as Spagnoletta into seven starkly different variations. Together, these works showcase the diversity of music in the contemporary landscape.

Bookings

Friday 22 May

Eroica

Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
Luke Dollman conductor

Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 Eroica

A symphony so monumental it ushered in a new period of composition, Beethoven’s Eroica expanded the possibilities of the symphonic form. For the first time, the symphony became a vehicle to convey ideas, beliefs, and narrative, transcending its status as a purely abstract musical work. Dedicated initially to Napoleon, Beethoven famously scratched out the Frenchman’s name so violently from the manuscript that a hole was left in the page! This heroic masterwork will be brought to life by the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Luke Dollman.

Bookings

Friday 29 May

Versailles to Vienna

Elder Conservatorium Brass Ensemble
Joshua van Konkelenberg organ

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Prélude from Te Deum
Anton Bruckner Tota pulchra es
Jean-Baptiste Lully Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs
Claude Debussy La cathédrale engloutie
Eugène Bozza Messe solennelle de Sainte-Cécile

From the grandeur of ceremonial fanfares to the hushed reverence of sacred reflection, these works chart a journey through time, colour, and sound featuring brass and organ. Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s Prélude from Te Deum greets us with radiant trumpets and jubilant rhythms, announcing celebration and triumph. Anton Bruckner’s Tota pulchra es follows; his lush, devout choral writing, arranged here for brass, provides a moment of sacred introspection. Jean-Baptiste Lully’s Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs brings a theatrical flourish and rhythmic charm, while Claude Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie conjures the mystical image of a cathedral rising from the dark sea. Building on this sense of sacred space and sonic architecture, Eugène Bozza’s Messe solennelle de Sainte-Cécile celebrates the enduring warmth and lyricism of sacred music with clarity, elegance, and devotion.

Bookings

Friday 5 June

Spring and Remembrance

Seraphim Trio

Lili Boulanger D’un matin de printemps
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50, In Memory of a Great Artist

Deeply contrasting with its partner work D'un soir triste, D'un matin de printemps is a brief, sweet and playful work, a fleeting moment of happiness that asks only to be remembered. It is rather appropriate, then, that Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50, In Memory of a Great Artist, follows. Initially hesitant about the trio medium, Tchaikovsky wrote the work after the death of his close friend and pianist Nikolai Rubinstein, ultimately creating a deeply personal work that combines heartfelt remembrance with rich chamber textures.

Bookings

Friday 12 June

The Music of Gao Ping

Gao Ping composer / piano

Featuring members of Ensemble Lumen and Elder Conservatorium students

Prayer Songs for String Quartet
Hui Gao You (Double Cooked Pork) for Speaking Pianist
Ephemera for Clarinet and String Quartet
Searching for the Mountain for Piano Trio

Gao Ping’s music combines his Chinese heritage with his musical education in the United States, bridging tradition and innovation, and blending lyricism, colour, and subtle wit. Prayer Songs for String Quartet evokes moments of reflection and serenity, with meditative lines and rich harmonies. In Hui Gao You (Double Cooked Pork), the pianist becomes the storyteller, combining the spoken word with inventive keyboard textures in a playful exploration of sound. Ephemera for Clarinet and String Quartet weaves delicate, shifting textures with striking clarity, while Searching for the Mountain for Piano Trio captures a sense of expansive landscape and introspective journey. Across these works, Gao Ping's distinctive voice emerges – one that honours tradition while forging new expressive territory.

Bookings

Friday 19 June

She Speaks

Ensemble Lumen

Reena Esmail Saans for Violin, Cello and Piano
Anna Thorvaldsdottir Spectra for String Trio
Amy Beach Piano Quintet in F-sharp minor, Op. 67

Presented in partnership with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO), She Speaks returns in 2026 to spotlight the voices of women composers. Reena Esmail’s Saans was written as a gift for a close friend’s wedding, paralleling her love for Franck’s Violin Sonata. Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Spectra unfolds across six seamlessly connected movements, forming an ‘ecosystem of materials that are carried from one performer to the next… continuously growing in and out of each other.’ Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet reveals her expressive, late-Romantic voice, exemplifying her as a landmark composer in the American tradition.

Bookings

Friday 14 August

In Bloom

Australian String Quartet
Anna Goldsworthy piano

Charlie Wells New Work for String Quartet
Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44

Adelaide University’s Quartet-in-Residence, the Australian String Quartet (ASQ), joins forces with the Elder Conservatorium’s Dean, Professor Anna Goldsworthy, for a program that pairs fresh creative talent with one of the great cornerstones of the Romantic repertoire. A new work by Elder Conservatorium student Charlie Wells is heard alongside Robert Schumann’s timeless Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44 – a piece born of his profound artistic partnership with Clara Schumann and composed during his inspired ‘Year of Chamber Music’ in 1842.

Bookings

Friday 21 August

Vignettes

Dmitri Shostakovich Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano

Ikki Opitz violin
Elizabeth Layton violin
Vivian Milton piano

Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44

Vivian Milton piano
Ikki Opitz violin
Adina Lopez violin
Samvel Berberyan viola
Arjun Singh cello

In his youth, Shostakovich was employed as a cinema pianist, improvising soundtracks for silent films. This theatrical flair and narrative sensibility can be found in his Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano. A suite of vignettes, each piece tells its own story and unfolds like a reel of miniature scenes. Composed during his so-called Year of Chamber Music’ , Schumann’s Piano Quintet won him the valuable approval of Richard Wagner, who remarked, ‘I liked the Quintet very much: I asked your lovely wife to play it twice.’ Guest artist Ikki Opitz’s appearance is made possible by the EMR Distinguished Visiting Artist Fund.

Bookings

Friday 28 August

Flair and Invention

Simon Monger violin
Amir Farid piano
Pablo de Sarasate Habanera in C major, Op. 26 No. 2
Emánuel Moór Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 12
Emánuel Moór Violin Sonata No. 8 in D major (1916)
Emánuel Moór Polonaise in D minor, Op. 10

In the era after the legendary virtuosi of the nineteenth century, instrumentalists continually redefined the limits of technical brilliance and expressive possibility.
Pablo de Sarasate’s Habanera in C major, Op. 26 No. 2, opens the program with irresistible flair, rhythmic vitality, and the composer’s unmistakable Spanish elegance. The focus then shifts to the remarkable Emánuel Moór – composer, polymath, and inventor, whose boundless imagination led him to design a double-keyboard piano. His Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 12 (dedicated to Sarasate), and the later Violin Sonata No. 8 in D major, reveal a richly lyrical and expressive voice, while the Polonaise in D minor, Op. 10, brings the program to a brilliant and virtuosic close.

Bookings

Friday 4 September

Shostakovich and Franck

Ensemble Lumen

Dmitri Shostakovich Two Pieces for String Octet, Op. 11
César Franck Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 14

There is perhaps not a more exciting time in an artist’s career than the beginning: full of possibility and promise, works are infused with a certain youthful vigour. Ensemble Lumen guides audiences back to almost the beginning of Shostakovich and Franck’s careers. Written alongside his first symphony, Shostakovich’s Octet reveals him to be a daring young modernist: edgy, rhythmically driven, and piquantly dissonant, yet remaining lyrical. At the time, Shostakovich himself considered the scherzo ‘the very best thing I have written.’ While it isn’t known if Franck thought the same of his Piano Quintet, Liszt praised it highly, exclaiming it was unexpected from a composer ‘from the organ loft!’ The work provides a powerful counterpoint, with breathtaking colour, dynamics, and texture.

Bookings

Friday 11 September

Waltzes of Love

Magpie Artsong

Jessica Dean soprano
Fiona McArdle mezzo-soprano
Kyle Stegall tenor
Pelham Andrews bass
Jamie Cock piano
Penelope Cashman piano

Johannes Brahms Selections from Liebeslieder-Walzer Op. 52 and Op. 65

Johannes Brahms’s Liebeslieder-Walzer reveals the composer at his most intimate and warmly expressive. Drawing on folk-inspired dance forms and poetic texts about love in its many guises, these short waltzes balance elegance with emotional directness. The music moves effortlessly between light-hearted charm and moments of deep tenderness, combining a vocal quartet with four-hand piano accompaniment Though modest in scale, the Liebeslieder display Brahms’s extraordinary craftsmanship, weaving rich harmony and lyrical melody into works that feel both immediate and timeless. Together, these selections offer a glimpse into Brahms’s deeply human, affectionate musical world.

Bookings

Friday 18 September

In Honour of Beryl Kimber (Leske)

Niki Vasilakis violin
Clemens Leske piano

J.S. Bach Sonata No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015
Johannes Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 Regensonate
Jenő Hubay Carmen Fantaisie for Violin and Piano, Op. 3

This special concert honours the memory of Beryl Kimber (Leske), whose distinguished career as an international virtuoso and violin teacher at the Elder Conservatorium spanned decades, shaping generations of musicians. The program opens with J.S. Bach's Sonata No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015, a work of luminous elegance and contrapuntal beauty. Brahms's Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78, known as the Regensonate (‘Rain Sonata’), follows with its characteristic warmth and lyrical intensity. The concert concludes with Jenő Hubay's virtuosic Carmen Fantaisie, Op. 3, a brilliant showpiece that transforms Bizet's beloved opera themes into a dazzling violin display. Violinist Niki Vasilakis and pianist Clemens Leske bring these works to life in loving tribute to a cherished teacher, colleague, and matriarch of Adelaide's musical community.

Bookings

Friday 25 September

The Adelaide Connection x The Wardells

Experience the full spectrum of jazz vocal excellence as the Elder Conservatorium presents two exceptional ensembles in one lunchtime concert. The Adelaide Connection – Australia's first jazz choir – shares the stage with The Wardells, our newest vocal ensemble. From timeless standards to contemporary arrangements, this concert celebrates the artistry, energy, and innovation that define jazz vocal performance.

Bookings

Friday 2 October

In Colour

Trio Henri
Celia Craig oboe
Mark Gaydon bassoon
Michael Ierace piano

Anne Cawrse Chroma Fantasies (World Premiere)
Andrew Previn Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano
Joe Chindamo Trio Fantastique

While this unusual combination of instruments has little historical repertoire, this concert features three fantastic modern works that illuminate the unique sound world of double reeds and piano. Anne Cawrse’s Chroma Fantasies, premiered in this concert, opens the program with a vivid exploration of colour and texture. Previn’s Trio is a vibrant and contrasting work, underscoring his understanding of the late Romantic and twentieth-century masterpieces for which he is internationally renowned. To finish, a playful nod to Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique: Chindamo’s Trio is an equally sparkling, dancing evocation of Parisian nightlife. Throughout the work Chindamo honours the long tradition of woodwind in France, while remaining distinctively true to his modern compositional style.

Bookings

Friday 9 October

Serenade

Arcadia Winds

The charismatic and energic ensemble Arcadia Winds presents a delightful afternoon of chamber music for woodwind instruments. Much loved by players and listeners alike, Dvořák’s Serenade for Wind Instruments, Op. 44 (which frames the program) evokes an old-world atmosphere of castles and court musicians. Brahms held the work in particularly high regard, declaring that ‘it would be difficult to discover a finer, more refreshing impression of an abundant and charming creative talent.’

Bookings

Friday 16 October

Spring Spectacular

Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra
Colin Prichard conductor
Olivia Marton saxophone

Alfred Reed The Hounds of Spring
Paul Creston Concerto for Alto Saxophone
Frank Ticheli Symphony No. 2

Experience an exhilarating concert featuring the Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra, performing music full of exuberance, virtuosic brilliance, and wonder. Alfred Reed’s The Hounds of Spring, inspired by an ancient Greek tragedy celebrating young love, bursts to life with high-spirited energy and lyrical tenderness. Paul Creston’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone follows, a cornerstone of modern repertoire that showcases the instrument’s full versatility through its exceptionally demanding solo part, performed here by third-year saxophonist Olivia Marton. A radiant, three-movement journey concludes the concert: Frank Ticheli’s Symphony No. 2, evoking shooting stars, moonlight, and sunlight in music that invites imagination.

Bookings

Friday 23 October

Rhapsody

Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra
Lien Boon Hua conductor
Gordon Richter clarinet

Jonathan Shin The Night Bazaar
Claude Debussy Première rhapsodie
Benjamin Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33A

The Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra take to the stage under the baton of Lien Boon Hua from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, National University of Singapore. Be immersed in a bustling nocturnal marketplace with Jonathan Shin’s The Night Bazaar, between commotion and reflection, and fleeting moments in a city after dark. The sound world of Debussy then takes over, with Gordon Richter performing the popular Première rhapsodie. A cornerstone of the clarinet repertoire, Debussy declared it as one of the most pleasing pieces he had written. . Through sharply etched orchestration and dramatic contrasts, Britten’s Four Sea Interludes capture the sea’s beauty and menace, making the suite one of his most powerful orchestral works.

Bookings

Friday 30 October

Bohemian Wanderlust

Deborah Humble mezzo-soprano
Anna Goldsworthy piano

Johannes Brahms Zigeunerlieder
Georges Bizet Habanera from Carmen
Manuel de Falla Selections from Seven Popular Spanish Songs
Carlos Guastavino La rosa y el sauce

Join mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble and pianist Anna Goldsworthy for a journey through the passionate songs of Europe and Latin America. From Brahms's fiery Zigeunerlieder and Bizet's seductive Habanera, to the folk-inspired artistry of Manuel de Falla and the melancholic beauty of Carlos Guastavino's Argentine songs, this recital celebrates wandering spirits and musical passion across cultures.

Bookings

Friday 6 November

Serenity with Strings

Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra
Elizabeth Layton director / violin
Sterling Rieck viola

Hindemith Trauermusik for Viola and Strings
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings, Op. 48

The two works in today’s concert were both composed under remarkable circumstances, and in close connection with other celebrated pieces. Paul Hindemith travelled to London to premiere his Viola Concerto, only for his plans to be interrupted by the death of King George V. In response, Hindemith spent the following day in the BBC studios composing Trauermusik, written between 11.00am and 5.00pm. and broadcast that very evening with the composer as soloist. Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings was written alongside the famous 1812 Overture. Though Tchaikovsky felt little affection for the latter, the Serenade stands as a deeply personal work, inspired by Mozart and infused with the spirit of Russian folk music.

Bookings

Friday 13 November

Top Class

Our annual classical performance showcase concert, featuring top student performers from the Elder Conservatorium of Music and School of Performing Arts. Supported by the Peter Brooker Prize for Musical Excellence.

Bookings

Friday 20 November

Evolution

Transfigured String Trio
Zoe Black violin
Caroline Henbest viola
Molly Kadarauch cello

Beethoven String Trio in G major, Op. 9 No. 1
Schoenberg String Trio, Op. 45

Although Beethoven and Schoenberg were physically and harmonically worlds apart, the Transfigured String Trio presents two works that perfectly complement each other. Beethoven’s Op. 9 trios, while not as perennially popular as the quartets, were among his earliest mature chamber works. Each of the four movements is filled with the humorous wit and joie de vivre for which Beethoven was known. While at this point, Beethoven was likely in denial about the onset of his deafness, Schoenberg was very much open about his own illness: this trio was written after a near-fatal heart attack. He regarded the work as a portrait of his illness in music, a representation of the delirium, agitation, and suffering he experienced throughout his life.

Bookings