Acacia Quartet red chairs

The Acacia Quartet: Five Chapters Concert @ The Australian Hall

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The very hip Acacia Quartet celebrated their fifth birthday with a wonderful concert. The audience serenaded the quartet with a loud and rousing vocal rendition of “Happy Birthday To You”, an old classic by Patty and Mildred J. Hill  from Warner/Chappell Music.

The evening of classical ear-candy began with “Untitled”, composed by Lyle Chan. This was its world premiere performance.

Next was Elena Kats-Chernin’s “Five Chapters” composed for piano quintet, in a new arrangement prepared for guest pianist, Tamara Anna Cislowska. This represented the longest piece of the first half- just under a half an hour long.

The final piece  before interval was another brief Elena Kats- Chernin piece entitled “Slicked Back Tango” for string quartet, piano four hands (piano duet with the composer and the guest pianist).

After the break the ACACIA QUARTET treated the audience to some Claude Debussy music. Such an important composer. He created new rules for classical harmony in chamber music.

The Quartet delivered a lovely rendition of Claude Debussy’s 1893 “String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10”,  a very well known chamber piece for strings, played out in four movements, and featuring many tonal shifts within its cyclical structure. The four movements were:-

1. Animé et très décidé
2. Assez vif et bien rythmé
3. Andantino, doucement expressif
4. Très modéré – En animant peu à peu – Très mouvementé et avec passion

There was one very unexpected surprise, an intensive dynamic selection for the encore. Another fine piece by Lyle Chan entitled  “Dextran Man, Part 3”.

A memorable concert, the Acacia Quartet featured Lisa Stewart and Myee Clohessy on violins, Stefan Duwe on viola and Anna Martin- Scrase on cello with a guest appearance by pianist Tamara Anna Cislowska.

The concert was performed last Thursday evening at the Australian Hall, 150 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW

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