Sunday 22 February, 2.00pm
Madgwick Hall, UNE
BEETHOVEN: Piano Quartet in E flat major Op 16
DVOŘÁK: Piano Quartet in E flat major Op 87
SCULTHORPE: Landscape 11
The acclaimed New England Ensemble was established as Ensemble-in-Residence at the University of New England from 1975-1982. The Ensemble was the first full time professional chamber ensemble to be formed outside a capital city in Australia and it quickly achieved national and international recognition in Asia, Europe and America.
Andrew Lorenz (violin), Robert Harris (viola), Janis Laurs (cello) and Wendy Lorenz (piano) were ambassadors for the New England region and UNE and forged a very loyal and supportive concert audience wherever they performed. They will reunite for this once-only concert on Sunday 22 February to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
The School of Arts UNE and NECOM (New England Conservatorium of Music) will present their 40th anniversary concert in Madgwick Hall, the venue for some of the quartet’s finest performances – it will bring back many fond memories for Armidale audiences.
Grab your tickets for this once-only concert:
Tickets: Click on this direct link for ticket purchase
$40 adult, $30 pensioner, $15 full time students (30c booking fee applies)
Some history of the New England Ensemble
As the University of New England’s ensemble-in-residence from 1975 to 1982, The New England Ensemble – Andrew Lorenz/violin, Robert Harris/viola, Janis Laurs/cello and Wendy Lorenz/piano – achieved national and international recognition, carrying the UNE banner to concert halls, festivals, radio and television networks and schools, regionally, nationally and throughout Asia, Europe and America.
Assisted by the Whitlam government’s policy to decentralise the arts, the residency was the brainchild of UNE’s former Head of Music, the late Cecil Hill, at whose prompting the four young musicians returned from studies abroad to set up Australia’s first full time professional ensemble based outside a capital city. Dividing their time between academic duties and rehearsal and performance activities, the group quickly made their mark, resulting in invitations to perform at major concert venues across the nation.
Their strong commitment to the New England and surrounding regions was always a major focus of activities however, including the presentation of concerts, workshops, music camps and literally thousands of schools concerts in regional and remote areas. The New England Sinfonia, the chamber orchestra they established at UNE also had a strong regional presence.
On the national level the Ensemble performed extensively for both Musica Viva and the ABC – giving frequent live broadcasts in the Sydney Opera House Midday Music series, as well as pre-recorded radio and television performances. They also produced several commercial LP’s for the Cherry Pie label.
During their residency they undertook a number of successful international tours, including an extensive Asian tour organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs during which they performed at the opening of the Hong Kong Arts Centre and were the first Australian group to appear for Japanese network NHK. European engagements included broadcasts for the BBC London, Sender Freies Berlin, Suisse Romande Geneva and Radio Bern, as well as concerts in major venues in England, Switzerland and Italy – where they also did two comprehensive tours for Gioventu Musicale. The group also gave concerts at major festivals and conferences in America and Canada.
The ensemble was always active in commissioning and performing new music – and premiered works by Australians Graeme Koehne, Peter Sculthorpe, Felix Werder, Ann Ghandar and Kim Jones, as well as international composers such as Canadian Talivaldis Kenins, British John McCabe and Swiss Ernst Widmer amongst others.
Although they have all since moved to take leading roles in the country’s major orchestras and musical institutions, the ensemble members look back on their NEE years with great fondness, and were particularly touched by the way the University and the Armidale community embraced the ensemble as their own. They are very much looking forward to returning to perform at UNE in February 2015 to mark the fortieth anniversary of their debut concert and also to working with a new generation of young musicians through workshops and masterclasses.