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TOWNSVILLE |
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27/07 — 05/08/2018 |
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With less than 40 days until Lift-off!, there’s a lot of excitement building here in the Festival office. All of the musicians’ flights have been booked, the official program has been sent to print, street banners have gone up around town and the artists are busy rehearsing their pieces (we hope!).
This year, we received a record number of applications for the Advanced Masterclass Program. Our Winterschool Director, Pavel Fischer, was impressed with the incredibly high standard of candidates and selected 6 ensembles for the 10 day program. We look forward to welcoming the one duo, three trios and two quartets to Townsville for this amazing opportunity.
If you’ve been contemplating whether to come to this year’s Festival, were worried you couldn’t stay for long or thought there weren’t any good seats left…then think again and book a Festival Holiday Package. Each package includes three nights’ accommodation (although you can extend) and reserved seating at three of the Festival’s most popular concerts. Choose an Opening Weekend, Closing Weekend or mid-week Sunset Spectacular package, priced from $364pp. You can also add on concerts, including the sold-out Orpheus Island concert. So a holiday package is one of the only ways left to get to Orpheus! Be quick as packages close on 30 June. Find out more here.
New to the festival this year are our dinner options. Following feedback from last year's survey, we are pleased to announce the brand new dining package for in between Sunset Series and Evening Series. Based along the lines of our long table restaurant options, meal tickets which include dinner and a glass of wine at a reserved table will be available to purchase from today until sold out. See below for full details.
Kind regards, The AFCM Team.
Image: Aerial Townsville Image courtesy of Townsville Enterprise
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Alison Harvie has always had the Festival on her bucket list. A regular at the Music in the Hunter, Alison was one of the first people to purchase a platinum pass this year.
Q. This is your first festival, what made you make the decision to attend? I have chosen a Platinum pass. I couldn’t choose nor did I want to miss any of the wonderful concerts so this way I get to go to them all including all the special events. I’m very pleased to have the convenience of a bus service timed specifically for each concert. Flying from Sydney I won’t have any use of a car as the Festival will absorb me completely.
Q. What are you expecting to be the highlights at the festival? I am particularly looking forward to starting my days at Concert Conversations. The opportunity to listen to Kathy Stott chatting with the musicians followed by the music sounds perfect.
The cruise to Orpheus Island and the concert on the beach with the combination of Chinese instruments, bandoneon, clarinet, flute and trumpet also sounds idyllic. The trip back cruising in the sunset while being served food and wine will be a real treat.
Q. Of our 2018 Artist line up, who are you most looking forward to see? I am a keen follower of the Goldner String Quartet, and have regularly attended their chamber music festival in The Hunter Valley. It will be wonderful to see them performing in Townsville.
Q. Are there any other attractions you are looking forward to experiencing in North Queensland while you are here? I am looking forward to experiencing the tropical winter weather that Townsville offers, it will be a delight.
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Claire Edwardes (Australia) |
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Q. What are you most looking forward to at AFCM 2018? The music, the weather and the people!
Q. Is there a song that never fails to move you emotionally? It’s not really a song but the 1st movement of Schubert’s B flat (last) Piano Sonata gets me every time - it begins in a seemingly understated way but is actually very weighty and heartfelt - and then it goes to some totally amazing places as the work progresses. It makes me wish I was still a pianist (I did play this in my late teens when I was still playing).
Q. What is your greatest concert experience? I don’t think I can go past my 1999 Young Performers live TV concert presentation with Markus Stenz and the MSO - I was so young (23) yet not at all nervous and I just felt totally in the moment and focused the entire time - I enjoyed it so much - and winning was the icing on the cake!.
Q. What is the best piece written in the past 50 years? Since I specialise in the music of the last 50 years it is totally IMPOSSIBLE for me to single out a specific work from that period of time (in my view the most exciting and varied period of music and art making in the history of the world) - BUT if I had to single out one that I am currently really inspired by (and have been for many years) it would have to be Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich - in my view the best minimal work written for large ensemble in history and so fun to play!
Q.What is your fondest musical memory? Well I had the same piano teacher, Faye Lake from the age of about 7 till I was 20 - and now my daughter Poppy goes to her for piano lessons and they are in the exact same room that I learnt in and every time I drop her off all manner of fond memories return to me.
Q. What was the last piece of music you danced to? I’m not a big dancer so probably a song that my girls (Poppy 8 and Violet 10) put on in the living room before dinner last week - lets say it was Shake It Off by Taylor Swift.
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The Artist behind the Piano
Join us for a journey of pianistic history by unravelling the hidden elements and how music transcends from wood and strings, to the magic melodies that we hear.
On Monday July 30 at 3pm at St James' Cathedral, concert technician, Ara Vartoukian of Theme & Variations brings this together in a simple and interesting way.
This Free Event is not to be missed.
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Support the AFCM Winterschool
The AFCM Winterschool can transform a young musician’s life and Artistic Director Kathryn Stott believes passionately in this process and how it can inspire and stimulate a young musician. Please consider an end of financial year donation in support of our next generation.
All donations are tax deductible and no matter how big or small they are all very much appreciated.
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