After being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and being forced to embrace an online model, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) has opted to do something a little special for their 30th anniversary. In addition to the main festivities which will take place in Townsville from 23 July until 1 August 2021, the team has confirmed they will be pushing forward with a 3-day online Festival Overture on 16-18 April 2021. For this event, chamber musicians and soloists around the world will be streaming into the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, where it will be watchable by music fans around the world.
Last year, in the height of coronavirus and the shutdown of live music, we presented our very first online festival. It was a wonderful opportunity to stay connected with our audiences and our musicians. Now in 2021 we are even more excited to present our second online Festival. Overture will be a three-day digital event featuring a program of stellar music and visual delights, culminating in a nightly concert streamed from London. Our three evening concerts feature international artists who were to appear this year, instead, they will delight with stunning performances all the way from the VOCES8 Centre in the UK
Kathryn Stott – AFCM
The line-up of artists to perform across the Festival Overture programme include: Stott herself, Jack Liebeck, Katya Apekisheva, Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Wu Qian, Yasmin Rowe, Yelian Ho, Natsuko Yoshimoto, Imants Larsen, Timothy Young, Goldner String Quartet, David Greco, Vatche Jambazian, Elina Faskhi and Kristian Chong.
There will be a mix of free and paid content, with daytime content generally free and evening concerts priced between $20-$57 depending on how many concerts you wish to watch. Tickets can be purchased via the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall website.
More information on the Festival Overture line-up can be found below:
Feature Concerts
Internationally acclaimed British violinist, and incoming AFCM Artistic Director Jack Liebeck opens the evening concert program on Friday April 16, alongside one of Europe’s most renowned and gifted pianists Katya Apekisheva, who has been described by Gramophone Magazine as a ‘profoundly gifted artist’.
Famed UK opera and concert soprano Carolyn Sampson, winner of the 2020 BBC Music Magazine Award, and Joseph Middleton, described in Opera Magazine as “the rightful heir to the legendary accompanist Gerald Moore” and by BBC Music Magazine as “one of the brightest stars in the world of song and Leider” feature in the Saturday evening feature concert, titled Elysium and featuring songs by Schubert.
The finale feature concert on Sunday April 18 at 5pm stars two members of the of famous Sitkovetsky Trio in superstar Chinese pianist Wu Qian and Russian born, London-based violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, both revered internationally for their solo and chamber music performances…and a hugely talented married couple!
In a nod to the AFCM’s much loved Concert Conversation Series, each concert will have a 10-15 minute Q&A before or after the performance.
Morning Performances:
Mid-morning performances star artists who will feature at the real-life AFCM in Townsville this July:
- UK-born, Melbourne-based concert pianists Yasmin Rowe and Australian-Chinese cellist and fellow Melbournian (and martial arts teacher!) Yelian Ho;
- Married string superstars, violinist Natsuko Yoshimoto (violin), recently appointed Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) Co-Concertmaster and her husband, Imants Larsen, QSO Principal Viola,and
- AFCM Artistic Director and internationally revered pianist Kathryn Stott with Timothy Young, current Head of Piano at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and a founding member of the dynamic Ensemble Liaison.
Lunchtime Concerts:
Free half-hour lunchtime concerts will be performed each day in a musical gift to fans. Day One is a special concert by the Goldner String Quartet; Day Two features Australian baritone David Greco with pianist Vatche Jambazian; and Day Three is a magical concert by cellist Elina Faskhi and pianist Kristian Chong. These concert will be available to view at 12noon and can be viewed on mobile phone, tablets or computers!
