12th November 2020
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Australia House Ensemble,
We hope that you continue to safe and well in these unprecedented times of Covid-19. The UK is in lockdown again so that means live events cannot take place although rehearsals are allowed! In Melbourne where I am we are thankfully emerging from a long time of severe restrictions which have borne fruit- now the challenge to keep the gains made.
On November 12th it was one year since the inaugural concert of the Australia House Ensemble in the magnificent Exhibition Hall at Australia House in the presence of our Patron, HE the Hon George Brandis QC, the High Commissioner for Australia in the UK! After such a magnificent evening what a different year it has turned out to be. It has meant that concert activity had to be presented online, and just as we were about to announce a live concert with social distancing, London has gone back into lockdown.
Despite the restrictions of the last 8 months the Ensemble were able to present two online concerts. The Australia House Ensemble was particularly pleased to partner with the Australian High Commission in London for their day of special commemorative events, which included our pre-recorded concert entitled Hope and Remembrance at 3pm Anzac Day 2020. Australia House Ensemble musicians on that occasion worked with colleagues in London including the wonderful Australian pianist Cameron Roberts, and in New Zealand soprano Eliza Boom, to present that special online concert. It was a fantastic collaborative effort aided by the wonder of technology to bring together artists from both sides of the globe. You can still watch it on our website www.australiahouse-ensemble.com via this link – Anzac Day concert and commemoration.
In June the Ensemble with new members Naoko Keatley and Jeremy Watt, presented a concert –Night & Day – for the Tait Tuesdays at Home (TTaH) online concert series, and some of our artists (Naoko Keatley and Morgan Goff) also performed in the TTaH Australia High Commission series in August which was streamed in collaboration with the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall.
We will keep you informed about the next concert- whether it be live or online if that is what the restrictions require. Wishing you all stay safe and well as we navigate through these challenging times towards Christmas and a New Year.
With all good wishes
Dr Margaret Mayston AM, AHE Founder
James Hancock, AHE Operational Manager
Rebecca Chan & Naoko Keatley, AHE Leads and all the wonderful AHE musicians.
8th June 2020
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Australia House Ensemble,
We hope that you were able to join the many people who enjoyed our Anzac Day concert, ‘Hope and Remembrance’ presented in partnership with the Australian High Commission in London. The concert received over 4000 views on their Facebook page. The longer version on our website page which included readings and The Last Post received over 200 views, and is still available to view.
We are now preparing for a concert titled ‘Night and Day’ to present for the Tait Tuesdays at Home which raises money for the Emergency Relief Fund set up by the Tait Memorial Trust to assist Australian and New Zealand musicians who are facing tough times during the current coronavirus lockdown and cancellation of performances. The concert will feature music by Australian composers Matthew Hindson (Little Chrissietina’s Magic Fantasy , a violin duo played by AHE lead Rebecca Chan and Naoko Keatley our newest member), and Percy Grainger (Irish Tune performed by the AHE as a quintet). A violin solo composed by Prokofiev will be performed by Iona Allan, and music by Strauss, Bach and Beethoven will complete the programme presented by AHE. We welcome guest Jeremy Kleeman, baritone, who will join the AHE to sing Morgen and Die Nacht by Richard Strauss. Programme notes and performer biographies will be available on the AHE website for the concert.
Please book your tickets and encourage your friends to do so too, so that we can support these young talented Australian performers.
As always, please stay safe and well- follow all the Government guidelines- and together we can walk into a new and positive future.
With all good wishes
Dr Margaret Mayston AM, AHE Founder
James Hancock, AHE Operational Manager
Rebecca Chan, AHE Lead, and all the wonderful AHE musicians.
Night & Day
PROGRAMME
Australia House Ensemble
present
in association with the Tait Memorial Trust
Tait Tuesdays at Home
with guest Jeremy Kleeman, baritone
Tuesday 23rd June – 9pm AEST | 8pm NZST | 7pm BST
In support of the Tait Emergency Relief Fund for Australian & New Zealand Artists
Night & Day
PROGRAMME
‘Little Chrissietina’s Magic Fantasy’ (Matthew Hindson 1968- ): Rebecca Chan and Naoko Keatley (violin duo)
BWV 731: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (Johannes Bach 1685-1750): Rebecca Chan (Lead, violin), Iona Allan (violin), Sascha Bota, (viola), Daniel Pini (cello)
Die Nacht (The Night) (Richard Strauss 1864-1949): Rebecca Chan (violin), Iona Allan (violin), Sascha Bota, (viola), Daniel Pini (cello), Jeremy Watt (bass). Baritone: Jeremy Kleeman
Violin Sonata Op. 115 (Sergei Prokofiev 1891 -1953): Iona Allan, solo violin
Morgen (Morning) (Richard Strauss 1864- 1949): Rebecca Chan (Lead, violin), Sascha Bota, (viola), Daniel Pini (cello), Jeremy Watt (bass). Baritone: Jeremy Kleeman
Irish Tune from Country Derry. (Percy Grainger 1882 – 1961); Rebecca Chan, Naoko Keatley & Iona Allan (violins), Sascha Bota, (viola), Daniel Pini (cello), Jeremy Watt (bass)
Cavatina from String Quartet no. 13 in B flat Op 130 (L van Beethoven, 1770-1827): Rebecca Chan (Lead, violin), Naoko Keatley (violin), Sascha Bota, (viola), Daniel Pini (cello)
ARTISTS
Rebecca Chan, violin (leader)
Naoko Keatley, violin
Iona Allan, violin
Sascha Bota, viola
Daniel Pini, cello
Jeremy Watt, double bass
Jeremy Kleeman, baritone
To book click here
AUSTRALIA HOUSE ENSEMBLE AND FRIENDS
Hope and Remembrance
Broadcast on the Australian High Commission UK Facebook page on Anzac Day 2020.
The AHE full concert is available here on our Facebook page and YouTube here at 4pm BST
For this performance the AHE, who are currently located in both London and Australia, are joined by friends in Australia and New Zealand to bring you this concert on Anzac Day, thanks to the wonder of modern technology. Our web version will also include messages and readings. We are extremely grateful to Lt Gen Greg Bilton AO CSC, Chief of Joint Operations Australia for his message, who only recently headed up the Bushfire operations in Australia on behalf of the Australian Defence Force. We are pleased to partner with the Australian High Commission to bring this concert of music for Anzac Day, to enable Remembrance of the struggles of the past, and to inspire Hope as we chart our way through this current crisis to the future.
Please stay safe and well- follow all the Government guidelines- and together we can walk into a new and positive future.
With all good wishes
Dr Margaret Mayston AM, AHE Founder
James Hancock, AHE Operational Manager
Rebecca Chan, AHE Lead, and all the wonderful AHE musicians
Australia House Ensemble
Australian musicians travel to Australia each year to perform in the Australian World Orchestra (AWO) and the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) and highly value and enjoy the opportunity to perform with fellow Australians. This is an opportunity for London/UK based musicians to have a similar experience in the place where they are living and working.
The ensemble aspires to be a world-class ensemble featuring the finest Australian musicians in London, UK and worldwide, named the “Australia House Ensemble. This ensemble will be a flagship for Australian musical excellence of which it is hoped Australia will be proud.
