Harpist Alice Giles, flautist Jonathan Henderson and violist James Wannan join forces to present a programme centred around French music and contemporary living composers. Together, these three artists bring extensive international experience as soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral performers.
The sonority of the flute, drawn from the human breath, the sombre timbre of the viola’s bow across its strings, and the resonant vibrations of the harp combine to create a unique sound world that is both fragile and richly expressive.
French influence lies at the heart of the programme, whether directly through Debussy’s visionary Sonata and his evocative Syrinx, Fauré’s luminous Impromptu, or more distantly through the impressionistic language underlying Bax's deeply expressive Elegiac Trio. Alongside these works are two contemporary voices: the French composer Bruno Mantovani and Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin.
As the concert unfolds, each musician breaks away as a soloist, giving audiences the opportunity to revel in the individual artistry of the performers. Just as the composer moulds silence between phrases to become as expressive as melody itself, the performers draw out the essence of the music, painting sounds upon a canvas with their instruments – each note tracing the air like incense.
Thanks to the close proximity of audience and performers, every expressive nuance feels personal, each phrase so vivid it seems almost within reach. The music becomes an intimate language, with remarkable ability to activate the imagination, recall our faintest memories and enliven our senses.
To attend a Contra Concert permits you an hour to switch off, recharge and disconnect from deadline mode. We invite you to rebel against your smartphone and dare to get nothing done! Sit back, let your mind wander and share in the rare exchange of music between performers and audience, only achievable in the intimacy of the chamber music salon.
PROGRAMME
ARNOLD BAX Elegiac Trio for flute, viola and harp
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Syrinx for solo flute
GABRIEL FAURÉ Impromptu for solo harp
ELENA KATS-CHERNIN Winter from Seasons for flute, viola and harp
BRUNO MANTOVANI Little Italy for solo viola
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Sonata for flute, viola and harp
ARTISTS
ALICE GILES, harp
JONATHAN HENDERSON, flute & Artistic Director
JAMES WANNAN, viola
REVIEWS
★★★★ ½ “A new chamber music series offers an intelligent, beautifully played program in a glorious heritage venue.”Limelight Magazine
“The pacing of the concert was pleasantly unhurried, and in the close setting it was easy to become lost in the music.” Backstreet Brisbane
“Three excellent musicians. A challenging choice of music. And the hope that we will hear more from all three.”Weekend Notes
“A delight to watch and listen to, and the bonus is that they mingle with the audience at the end of the show. What a wonderful way to experience beloved pieces and also less familiar ones.” Stage Door
“This elegant one-hour salon programme was perfect for a cool Friday night and a great way to shake off the working week to focus instead on beautiful music.” Stage Whispers
Our Supporters
This program is presented with thanks to our supporters for their generous contributions. We are deeply grateful to the music advocates who recognise the value of independent, artist-led initiatives such as Contra Concerts and who understand the importance of enabling musicians to create and share their own artistic projects. If you would like to play a role in bringing our future performances to life, tax-deductible donations can be made here. [https://tinyurl.com/contra2026]
EVENT INFO
WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 7:00PM
Box office 6:00pm
Doors to theatre 6:00pm
Performance 7:00pm
Duration: 70 minutes without intermission
TICKETS
ADULT $66.00 / $70.00 door
Concession $56.00 / $60.00 door
Premium $96.00 / $100.00 door
U30/Student $35.00 / $40.00 door
Group 6+ $50.00ea / $55.00ea door
NOTE: All seats except Premium are General Admission.
Under 18 welcome with parent/guardian