International soloists join forces to present an intimate evening of chamber music at Perth Concert Hall

International soloists join forces to present an intimate evening of chamber music at Perth Concert Hall

Last Updated: 25 May 2021
Cate Tweedie

NOTE: Unfortunately due to the Melbourne-based nature of the musicians involved in this concert, and Melbourne's current lockdown due to COVID-19, the Perth leg of this tour has been cancelled. The concert can still be viewed via a ticketed live stream, scheduled for June 21, at 5pm Perth time (7pm Sydney time), with tickets available to purchase here.

Perth concertgoers will have their first opportunity to hear Australian professional violinist, Emily Sun, perform alongside the talented Nicolas Fleury and Amir Farid in an intimate chamber music concert at Perth Concert Hall on June 13.

Chamber music is a special genre of classical music, inherently intimate and filled with depth. Often featuring a small number of musicians, there is a unique level of connection felt during the best performances: a sense of unity between the musicians themselves and the audience. It is this sense of communication and intimacy that brings Australian professional violin soloist Emily Sun to the genre, and Perth audiences will have the exciting opportunity to hear her in action alongside fellow musicians Nicolas Fleury (Horn) and Amir Farid (Piano) this June thanks to Musica Viva.

Having lived in London since the age of 18, Emily regularly performs as a soloist throughout Europe and is thrilled to be able return home to Australia for this concert series. This will be her first visit to Perth, and the opportunity to perform in the famed acoustics of Perth Concert Hall is a quite exciting prospect.

The concert will consist of three pieces: Mozart’s Trio for Piano, Violin and Horn K407, Brahms’ Horn Trio in E-flat, Op. 40, and a brand new work, Gordon Kerry’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, which has been commissioned especially for this concert. An Australian composer who resides in rural Victoria, Kerry has written this work specifically to be performed by Emily and Amir. Such a task requires an understanding of the performers’ unique styles, and he has referred to videos of the two performing separately in order to achieve this.

As there are currently no recordings of the piece available, Emily’s preparation for the performance has relied on her skills on the piano as well as the violin. She is able to play both the violin and piano parts, so she can effectively hear how the harmonies and textures of the piece work together in preparation for rehearsals with Amir.

Emily, Amir and Nicolas have never performed together before. Their first time playing together will be in rehearsals for this concert. This is standard practice for professional musicians, who will typically master their own parts during individual practice sessions. For Emily and her colleagues, rehearsals are a time to establish and develop their cohesion as performers. Each musician is essentially a soloist in these pieces, and during rehearsals they work dynamically with their individual styles, finding inspiration in each other to make each performance the best it can be.

The performance venue also has a massive impact on the end result of each piece, especially for smaller ensembles, where a slight change in volume or projection can vastly alter its dynamics. For performers like Emily, having to adapt to each space keeps her on her toes, but allows each piece to grow and develop as the concert is toured across Australia. Because of this, at each venue on tour the pieces will be heard and performed slightly differently, with Emily, Amir and Nicolas’ musical skill and adaptability exploring each work to its greatest potential in every space.

After the tour, Emily intends to take Kerry’s sonata with her and perform it around the world, programming it in concerts wherever she goes for the rest of her life. Through her practice and preparation, she’s already fallen in love with it, and having a piece written specifically for her is a special gift not all soloists can claim. Within it, Emily carries with her a piece of her home country and her own musical identity. Its premiere performance at venues across Australia will no doubt be an extraordinary experience for audience members and musicians alike.

Nicolas Fleury, Emily Sun & Amir Farid will perform at Perth Concert Hall on June 13 at 6:30pm. Tickets are available here.

If you cannot make that date, or would prefer to watch the performance from home, there is a ticketed live stream scheduled for June 21, at 5pm Perth time (7pm Sydney time), with tickets available to purchase here.

Emily’s debut album for ABC Classics, Nocturnes, is out on 11 June.

Header Image Credit: Jacquie Manning

See more upcoming concerts from Musica Viva

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