Chamber music fans are in for a “musical experience not to be missed” with the welcome return of the Crossroads Festival to the Central Coast on 10 and 11 September.

The Crossroads Festival has been delivering high-quality chamber music to the Coast for 14 years and is back at Greenway Chapel in Green Point after a two-year hiatus.

Bringing together local and international chamber musicians for a weekend of performances, this year’s festival will feature an exciting program of four concerts featuring one of Australia’s foremost concert pianists Phillip Shovk, violinist and Bach Akademie founder Madeleine Easton, Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Australian World Orchestra cellist Peter Morrison, renowned viola player Simon Oswell and the Central Coast’s Concertante Ensemble chamber orchestra.

Concertante Ensemble Artistic Director and Conservatorium Head of Strings, Karina Hollands, said she is looking forward to performing in the festival again. “Concertante Ensemble are very excited to be part of Crossroads again. We are passionate about chamber music, and have loved being part of this festival since its inception. The theme of “crossroads” is very apt, exploring music at the crossroads of different eras.”

The program on Saturday features a morning piano recital with Phillip Shovk, performing Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110 and two Schubert Impromptus. In the afternoon Crossroads Festival Artistic Director, Madeleine Easton, will be joined by Phillip Shovk, Simon Oswell and Peter Morrison for Concert No 2 – ‘Music at the Crossroads of Time’ featuring works by Mozart, Beethoven, CPE Bach and Saint Saens.

On Sunday Bach Akademie Australia will give a morning concert, Bach on a Sunday, with violinists Madeleine Easton and Rafael Font, cellist  Anthea Cottee, soprano Susannah Lawergren and Heidi Jones on harpsichord.

The festival will wrap up with an afternoon concert with Concertante Ensemble. 

“Join us at the “crossroads” of the major movements in music, experiencing the transition from baroque to classical with CPE Bach’s “Sinfonia 5”, from classical to romantic with Haydn’s stormy “La Passione” sinfonia and Beethoven’s lyrical “Cavatina”, and Schubert’s dramatic “Erlkönig,” said Karina. 

“High romantic paves the way to modern with Mahler’s “Adagietto”, Debussy’s “Andantino, doucement expressif” and Bartok’s cheeky “Allegretto Pizzicato”. This is a musical experience not to be missed!”

Crossroads Program

Saturday 10 September

11am  Piano Recital – Phillip Shovk

• Beethoven Sonata op 110
• Schubert 4 Impromptus D.899
• Schubert 3 Impromptus D.935

2.30pm Concert no.2 ‘Music at the crossroads of time’

• W.A Mozart Piano Quartet no.1 in G minor KV 478
  1) Allegro
  2) Andante
  3) Rondo
  Madeleine Easton – violin, Phillip Shovk – piano, Peter Morrison – cello
• L.V. Beethoven Sonata for violin and piano op.24 no.5 in F major ’Spring’
  Madeleine Easton – violin, Phillip Shovk – piano
• CPE Bach violin Sonata in D minor, Wq. 72
  Madeleine Easton – violin, Phillip Shovk – piano
• C. Saint Saens Piano Quartet in B flat major op.41
  1) Allegretto
  2) Andante maestoso ma con moto
  3) Poco allegro più tosto moderato
  4) Allegro
  Madeleine Easton – violin, Phillip Shovk – piano, Peter Morrison – cello, Simon Oswell – viola

Sunday 11 September

11am  Concert no.3 ‘Bach on a Sunday’ – Bach Akademie Australia

Madeleine Easton, Rafael Font – violins, Anthea Cottee – cello, Susannah Lawergren – soprano, Heidi Jones – harpsichord

• J.S. Bach Concerto for 2 violins in D minor BWV 1043
• J.S. Bach ‘Art of Fugue’ – Contrapunctus 1-4
• J.S. Bach Aria no.3 ‘Die Seele ruh’ from Cantata BWV 127
• J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto no.3 BWV 1048, 1st movement ‘Allegro’ arr. for string quartet
• J.S. Bach Aria no.8 ‘Heute noch, lieber Vater’ from The Coffee Cantata BWV 2

3pm Concert no.4 ‘Crossroads’ – Concertante Ensemble

• CPE Bach Sinfonia V in B minor Wq 185/5
• J. Haydn “La Passione” Sinfonia 49 in F minor arr. Organ and Strings.
• L.V Beethoven String Quartet no.13 Op 130, 3rd movt “Cavatina”
• G. Mahler Symphony 5, 4th movement “Adagietto”
• B. Bartok String Quartet no. 4, 4th movement, “Allegretto pizzicato”
• C. Debussy String Quartet no 1 in G minor, 3rd movement, “Andantino doucement expressif”
• F. Schubert “Die Erlkönig” arr. for Strings.

Tickets

There are multiple concert packages including individual concert tickets, a two-concert pass and a four-concert pass. Click HERE for tickets