2023 Festival Program
Event 1: Catgut and Quills
Shaun Ng (viola da gamba) and Anthony Abouhamad (harpsichord) perform Telemann’s Trio in G TWV 42:G6, J. S. Bach’s Sonata in D BWV 1028, Gottlieb Muffat’s Ouverture for solo harpsichord, Marin Marais’ Les Folies d’Espagne and, premiere of a festival commission, Benjamin Thorn’s Catgut and Quills in the Forest.
Event 2: Double Suites - Cello and Percussion
Rachel Scott (cello) and Ben Sibson (percussion) explore Bach’s cello suites. The Suite for solo cello in G major BWV 1007 performed by Rachel alone, and then Suite for solo cello in C major performed in collaboration with Ben, improvising using rhythms and drums from around the world.
Event 3: La Follia
Joanne Arnott (recorders), Alana Blackburn (recorders), and Anthony Abouhamad (harpsichord) perform music by composers who influenced each other at the turn of the century, including Bach, Telemann, Corelli and Jean Daniel Braun.
Event 4: The Peasant Cantata
Free dramatised performance of the Peasant Cantata in Hanna’s Arcade, performed by Joanna Fairs-Wu (soprano), Greg McPhan (bass), April Kelson (violin), Jhana Allan (violin), Mia Baivucago (viola), Charlotte Low (cello), Benjamin Thorn (baroque flute), Nick Hadfield (horn), Lena Schmalz (harpsichord), Gordon Cope (actor), and Stephen Sharpe (actor).
Event 5: Cello and Guitar
Rachel Scott (cello) and guitar duo, Duo Agostino, perform a program featuring original arrangements of Bach’s music.
Event 6: Armidale Organ Crawl
An ambulatory concert featuring four organs (Uniting Church, St Paul’s, St Peter’s, Saints Mary and Joseph) featuring Heather Moen-Boyd, Anthony Abouhamad, and Lena Schmalz. Like a pub crawl but with an organ recital in each church rather than a beer in each pub.
Event 7: Bach and the Edge of Sky
Re-workings and re-imaginings of works by Bach and others, in the tradition of the 1970s band “Sky”. Performed by Warwick Dunham, Stephen Tafra, Stephen Thorneycroft, Sarah Thorneycroft, Dave van Tongeren, with visuals by Iain Mackay.
Event 8: Heroic Marches and Recorders
A program featuring arrangements of Telemann’s Heroic Marches and a Bach Orchestral Suite, as well as a commissioned work by local composer Matthew Minter, Solidarity. Performers: Joanne Arnott, Alana Blackburn (recorder), Robert Manley (recorder), Benjamin Thorn (recorder), Li Ling Chen (oboe), Jhana Allan (violin), April Kelson (viola), and Charlotte Low (cello).
Event 9: 2 + 2 = 4 Guitars
EphenStephen and Duo Agostino share the stage in performance of Bach, Rameau, Scarlatti, Handel, Pretorius, Celso Machado, Phillip Houghton, Richard Charlton, Vivaldi, and Turlough O’Carolan.
Event 10: Festival Evensong
Bach’s sacred music performed in the context for which it was written. Featuring St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral Choir, David Watson (bass) and Heather Moen-Boyd (organ).