FROM SILENCE AND SNOW

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN String Quartet No.4 in C minor, Op.18 No.4 

OLLI MUSTONEN String Quartet No.2 ^* 

JEAN SIBELIUS String Quartet in D minor, Op.56 Voces Intimae ^

HOLLY HARRISON Swoop ^

^ These works comprise the St Johns Southgate 60 min concert program

* Australian premiere, commissioned by the Stift Festival and Daniel Rowland and Flinders Quartet, supported by Ulrike Klein AO

ST JOHNS SOUTHGATE • THURSDAY 26 MARCH, 1PM
(approx 60 min performance, plus post-concert Q&A)

GEELONG CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY • FRIDAY 27 MARCH, 7.30PM BOOKINGS
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

ST JOHN’S CHURCH, FLINDERS • SATURDAY 28 MARCH, 2.30PM
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

MONTSALVAT BARN GALLERY • SUNDAY 29 MARCH, 2.30PM
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

PRIMROSE POTTER SALON • TUESDAY 31 MARCH, 7PM
(approx 120 min performance, including interval)

Visit FQ Digital to relive the works in this concert program, as well as bonus FQ Discover videos.

“Beethoven, Mustonen, Harrison and Sibelius — they may seem like chalk and cheese but I think this program’s a real winner! An eclectic and complementary mix of the highest quality from Beethoven to literally now will reward us all. I have a personal reason for wanting to play each of these pieces. After nearly a lifetime of playing quartets, I still haven’t played all of the Beethovens! Op.18 No.4 is on my never-played list so this performance will be a personal premiere.

I admired at close quarters the original thought, brilliant execution, and warmth of Olli Mustonen during his several visits to the MSO as piano soloist and also conductor of his own music. It’s a great honour for us to be co-commissioners of a new string quartet by him, thanks to the generosity of Ulrike Kleine AO, Daniel Rowland and the Stift Festival in The Netherlands, and to give its first Australian performance.

The beautiful work by Olli’s famous compatriot, Sibelius, first crossed my path when I played quartets with a Finnish violinist and since then, several wonderful collaborations with other Finnish musicians have whetted my appetite for returning to Voces Intimae with even more appreciation of that Finnish X-factor.

The Aussie voice in this program belongs to the irrepressible Holly Harrison whose rhythm and flair caught my attention years ago when I was looking for someone to write the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition string quartet test piece. Holly gave us a dazzlingly original and virtuosic work that all the quartets loved playing and I’m looking forward to playing another piece of hers myself.”

WILMA SMITH, VIOLIN