12th April, Sunday 2.30 pm
Bede Hanley, Oboe, Robert Ashworth, Viola, Sarah Watkins, Piano
Award-winning musicians Robert Ashworth and Sarah Watkins (Aotearoa Music Awards 2022 Classical Artists of the Year) join forces with Auckland Philharmonia principal oboist Bede Hanley to present a dynamic and colourful, virtuosic, evocative and thought-provoking programme.
Composers August Klughardt and Charles Martin Loeffler tap into the romantic and impressionist sound worlds from which they emerged. Alyssa Morris (a rising star on the US music scene) tackles some of life’s Big Questions in a powerful, whimsical, profound and goofy masterpiece, while New Zealand composer Janet Jennings shares her warmth and eloquence in a brand-new work for the group.
Programme
August Klughardt | ‘Schilflieder’ (Song of the Reeds), Five Fantasy Pieces Op.28 20’
Charles Martin Loeffler | Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola and piano 21’
– interval –
Janet Jennings | Five Emotional States (new commission) 10-12’
Alyssa Morris | The Big Questions 20’
This concert is approximately 75 minutes of music, plus interval.
Artist Biographies
Admired for his “gorgeous tone and buoyant phrasing”, Canadian oboist Bede Hanley is principal oboe with the Auckland Philharmonia. Bede has also held positions with Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Spain. Bede has performed with many symphony and opera orchestras internationally and is in demand as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and teacher. In 2021 he was featured by Chamber Music New Zealand in the Fantasy and Romance tour. His world premiere performance of Gary Kulesha’s Oboe Concerto, written for him in 2020, received international recognition.
Robert Ashworth is Principal viola for the Auckland Philharmonia. He has been guest-principal viola for the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, as well as assistant-principal for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is the violist for the Jade String Quartet in Auckland, and also plays with the Australian World Orchestra. Robert appears regularly as soloist and chamber musician throughout New Zealand. He has recorded for the Naxos, Atoll, and Rattle labels as well as having many performances recorded for Radio New Zealand and SOUNZ. In 2022, he was awarded a Tui for Best Classical Artist.
Sarah Watkins is an active performer and recording artist specialising in collaborative piano and chamber music. She performed across Australasia, Asia, the USA and Europe as a founding member of NZTrio, and now enjoys a wide variety of collaborations with musicians throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. A three-time winner of Classical Artist of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards, she also recorded Chris Watson’s “sing songs self” for solo piano and orchestra with the NZSO. Sarah earned both Master of Muisc and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from the Juilliard School, New York, and is now a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland.