Rachel Smith, Artistic Director of the Stradbroke Chamber Music Festival, at the Bathing Gorge Point Lookout (photo by David Collins).
Chamber music was traditionally played for small groups of people in someone’s home. That atmosphere of community intimacy is very much a part of Stradbroke Chamber Music Festivals, which are held in Point Lookout Community Hall.
“The hall seats about 160 people, so every member of the audience gets up close and personal with the musicians,” says Col Cunnington, the group’s secretary. “It’s not quite barefoot on the beach, but it’s not a black-tie affair. Our audiences are a mix of all ages, die-hard aficionados, mainland Redlands, all of Southeast Queensland and local people, and the festivals always have a really nice feel to them.
“The classic combination is a string quartet – first and second violin, a viola and a cello. You can add a piano or a flute or have duos, trios or solo performances. There’s an established classical music repertoire that stretches from Bach to the end of the nineteenth century, when the nature of chamber music changed from the classical romantic style.”
Edinburgh-based violinist Rachel Smith, who plays with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, has been the Artistic Director of the festival since she and Jani Haenke founded it in 2007, and she devises the entire program for each festival.
“That makes it possible for her to invite some noted overseas performers to play at the festival, such as violinist Hed Yaron Meyerson, currently associate concertmaster of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, who will be playing with Rachel this year,” says Col.
The festival’s six concerts will all be held in the hall. Performers include violist Sally Boud, pianists Liam Viney and Stephen Emmerson, jazz trio Trichotomy, African kora player Ziggi Mabeye Diagne and Tim Munro performing Lachlan Skipworth’s ‘Cavern’ for alto flute and string quartet. An additional magic element of the festival experience is the chance of seeing humpback whales offshore and meeting the curious curlews that often congregate on the hall’s deck to share the music.
To share the music with the curlews on 18,19 and 20 July, go to www.stradmusic.org.au.
