Ashley Smith, Paul Wright, Sophie Curtis & Gladys Chua (expired event)

Musica Viva has drawn together the compelling artistic forces of Ashley Smith, Gladys Chua, Sophie Curtis and Paul Wright for a program to inspire and delight.

Described by The Age as ‘incandescent…a masterly display of skill and insight’, Ashley has presented major public recitals throughout Australia and the east coast of the USA. Sophie Curtis most recently performed to critical acclaim with WA’s Cygnus Arioso ensemble and Paul Wright has performed with ensembles including ACO, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and WASO.

Gladys has performed in projects with the West Australian, Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, and at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Perth International Arts Festival, and Synaesthesia at the Music of Old and New Art (Hobart).

The repertoire includes Smetana’s enthralling G minor Piano Trio alongside Debussy’s Première rhapsodie for clarinet and piano – one movement of vitality and real beauty.

Concluding the program is the Trio in E-flat major for clarinet, cello and piano, composed by Louise Farrenc, a French musician who was a significant and influential teacher at the Paris conservatoire during its most glorious era. Her style is of Beethoven’s classicism melting into more lyrical, Romanticism of late Mendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms.