Flavours of America

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Australia Ensemble cellist, Julian Smiles

The Australia Ensemble offers some of the tastes of America in a free lunchtime concert today, Tuesday May 9 at 1.10pm in Leighton Hall, as an entree for Saturday evening's subscription season program, Americana.

Flautist Geoffrey Collins takes centre stage for both Corigliano's delightful Voyages, and Liebermann's Sonata for flute and piano. The program concludes with Niels Gade's Novelletten, five attractive character pieces for piano trio.

By contrast, Saturday evening's program begins in the twentieth century with Jennifer Higdon's ball of pure energy, Smash. Geoffrey Collins, flute and Ian Munro, piano present another Duo, this time by Aaron Copland, before the four string players of the Australia Ensemble offer Dvorak's greatly loved American quartet. The program ends with a sensational work - John Adams' quirky and virtuosic Gnarly Buttons has David Griffiths as clarinet soloist, supported by a small orchestra including guest artist Ken Murray on banjo, mandolin and guitar, conducted by Roland Peelman.