The University of Queensland’s School of Music will present some of Tchaikovsky’s most favoured works at the concert finale of the 2004 4MBS Festival of Classics.
The concert will be held on Sunday, May 23 at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Concert Hall.
Head of the School of Music Professor Philip Bracanin said the festival would close on a high note with performances by the UQ Symphony Orchestra conducted by the University’s Music Director Gwyn Roberts.
“While it can be said that Tchaikovsky dominates nineteenth century Russian music, he stands outside the circle of nationalist composers. Nevertheless, his music is essentially Russian in character through nostalgic recollection of folk-music,” Professor Bracanin said.
“Tchaikovsky’s great genius was an ability to combine memorable melodies with dramatic impact in the expression of heightened emotions in a musical language of secure craftsmanship.”
Now in its 11th year, the 4MBS festival is one of the largest celebrations of classical music in Australia. It is proudly sponsored by Ray White, Clayfield and The University of Queensland Alumni Association Inc in association with 4MBS and QPAC.
Tchaikovsky is the featured composer in the festival that consists of 25 concerts in 11 venues, involving about 750 Queensland musicians.
Professor Bracanin said that in continually wrestling with creative problems Tchaikovsky produced substantial yet popular music in all major genres, excelling especially in the composition of symphonies, concertos, ballets and operas.
“Particularly endearing to audiences is the music for the ballets Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty and his blockbuster with added cannons, the 1812 Overture,” he said.
Soloist Pamela Page, who is regarded as one of Australia’s finest concert pianists, will play the most favoured of Tchaikovsky’s concertos, the first piano concerto. Other favourites will include Capriccio Italien Serenade for String Orchestra Op. 48 (first movement), excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite and the charming Mélodie for violin.
UQ lecturer in violin Spiros Rantos, who will perform the violin solo in Mélodie, will conduct the String Orchestra.
Tickets for the concert (adults $16.50 or concession $11.50) can be purchased from the QPAC box office or from QTIX (telephone: 136 246 or Web: www.qtix.com.au).
For more information about other UQ School of Music concerts visit www.music.uq.edu.au
Media: For more information, contact Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email: c.saxby@uq.edu.au).
