Recitals Australia Presents
The Final of the 2024 Spring Lunch Hour Series
North Adelaide Baptist Church Hall – Tynte Street, North Adelaide
Judges
The Lunch Hour Series Spring Final will be judged by Michael Ierace, Dr. Carl Crossin and Dr. Graham Strahle with Jury Chair, Julie Quimby. Recitals Australia thanks them for sparing their time to adjudicate this event.
Program
AJ Singh (cello) and Simón Pazos Quintana (piano)
Lera Auerbach (1973 – )
Excerpts from 24 preludes
i. Andante
ix. Vivace
x. Adagio sognando
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953)
Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op.119
iii – Allegro, ma non troppo
Adam Draper (trombone) and Simón Pazos Quintana (piano)
Gordon Jacob (1895 – 1984)
Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra
i. Andante Maestoso
iii. Vivace alla marcia
Esmond Choi (piano)
Charles Ives (1874 – 1954)
Piano Sonata no. 1
i. Adagio con moto
George Crumb (1929 – 2022)
Metamorphoses Book I
The Blue Rider (Kandinsky)
Issie Watson (violin) and Simón Pazos Quintana (piano)
Robert Schumann
Violin Sonata Op. 105, No. 1 in A major
i. Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
Chiara Kelle (cello) and Simón Pazos Quintana (piano)
Cesar Franck (1822 – 1890)
Sonata in A major
ii. Allegro
Nadia Boulanger (1887 – 1979)
Trois Pièces
ii. Sans vitesse et à l’aise
iii. Vite et nerveusement rythmé
Sean Zhang, (piano) – Guest Artist
Josef Haydn (1732-1809)
Variations In F Minor, Hob Xvii:6
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Etude In F Minor, Op. 25 No.2
Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
Román Népi Táncok (Romanian Folk Dances) Sz 56/ Bb 68
1. Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă (Stick Dance)
2. Brâul (Sash Dance)
3. Topogó / Pe loc (In One Spot)
4. Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana (Dance from Bucsum)
5. Román polka / Poarga Românească (Romanian Polka)
6. Aprózó / Mărunțel (Fast Dance)
ABOUT AJ
Adelaide-based cellist Arjun Singh is currently completing their bachelor degree in advanced classical performance at the Elder Conservatorium under the guidance of Professor Edith Salzmann. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Arjun has participated in masterclasses worldwide, including sessions in Singapore, the International Nice Academy in France, the Accordi Academy in Pescara, and the prestigious Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Italy. They have had the privilege of playing for renowned professors such as David Geringas, Marc Coppey, Gustave Rivinus, Gabriel Schwabe, Alexander Chaushian, Ramon Jaffé, and Marie-Paule Milone.
ABOUT Adam
Adam Draper is a 3 rd year Classical Performance student at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. He developed a passion for the Trombone 7 years ago when he first picked up the instrument and has loved performing on it ever since. Currently, Adam studies under Howard Parkinson, past principal bass trombonist of the ASO. Adam has extensive performance experience, having played as Principal trombone in the Adelaide Wind Orchestra, and in the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra. In July, Adam travelled to South Korea with the Adelaide Wind Orchestra to participate in the World Association for Wind Bands and Ensembles conference and the corresponding chamber competition.
ABOUT Esmond
Esmond Choi is an Australian pianist/composer currently undertaking post-graduate studies at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, researching on how one can experience and enrich one’s own understanding of Transcendentalism through the works of Ives and Cage. He currently holds eight scholarships, including The Daisy Burmeister Salotti Scholarship for Pianoforte, The Diana Harris Prize for Accompaniment, and The Maude Puddy Scholarship. Esmond has played for Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Nicholas Mathew, Paavali Jumppanen, Neal Peres Da Costa and Stefan Ammer.\Esmond is the current pianist for the Novus ensemble, and he is the current organist for St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church. He has collaborated with numerous ensembles, including the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra. Esmond recently performed under the name of Elder Music Lab and premièred George Crumb’s Metamorphoses, Book I. Esmond also participated in the PianoLab festival and performed George Crumb’s Eine Kleine Mitternachtmusik to critical acclaim:
“…Choi’s captivating performance was a revelation…”
(Limelight Magazine, November 2022)
ABOUT Isabelle
Isabelle Watson is a violinist and graduate of a BMus (First Class Honours) at the University of Queensland, where she learnt with Adam Chalabi and Natsuko Yoshimoto. Isabelle now studies a PhD in Violin Performance at Elder Conservatorium with Elizabeth Layton. Her practice-based research embeds nineteenth-century expressive devices into modern performances of Schumann’s violin works. Isabelle was awarded the Richard Pollett Prize (2021) and 4MBS Musica Viva Sid Page Chamber Music Prize (2022). She performed Bruch Concerto with Indooroopilly Chamber Orchestra in 2023. In 2018, she received her AMusA. Issie has held principal positions with QYS and ARCO Young Mannheim Symphonists, and participated in AYO National Music Camp (2023 and 2024).
ABOUT Chiara
Chiara Kelle studies cello at the Elder Conservatorium of Music under Edith Salzmann. She previously studied cello at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. In 2023 Chiara was invited to perform live on radio for 3MBS The Talent, performed at the International Women’s Day Gala Dinner for Nillumbik Shire and played with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. In 2022 Chiara completed her LMusA with distinction, and received a 50 in VCE Music Investigations. Chiara frequently performs in various community concerts as well as participating in masterclasses and many chamber music projects.
ABOUT Simón
Simón Pazos Quintana is a classical pianist, accompanist and teacher. He obtained his Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, under the tutelage of Professor Stefan Ammer. In 2018, Simón performed Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro James Lowe. Later that year, Simón was the recipient of the Peter Schodde Memorial Piano Scholarship, which allowed him to travel throughout Germany, Austria and England, playing for highly respected professors to further his technical abilities and musicianship. Upon his return to Adelaide, Simón was a finalist in both the 2019 and the 2021 Geoffrey Parsons Award for piano accompaniment. Most recently, he has performed alongside William Hennessy AM and the Adelaide Hills Chamber Players as part of their 2023 Summer Season concerts. Simón has completed his PhD at the Elder Conservatorium, centred around the works for solo piano by composer Aleksandr Mosolov.
ABOUT Sean
Sean (Shengxuan) Zhang is 11 years old, and began learning the piano when he was five. His current teacher of 3 years is Gil Sullivan. In November 2024, Sean passed the AMEB AMusA Piano exam.
Since 2021, Sean has competed in numerous Adelaide Eisteddfod Piano Competitions, winning first prizes in many diverse sections. For his consistent and outstanding performances, in 2023 Sean was awarded the Dulcie Holland Medallion by the Adelaide Eisteddfod for being the most promising “Pianist 12 Years or Under”. Sean also studies violin, and his current teacher is Minas Berberyan. In the past few years, he has also won many prizes in the Eisteddfod String division.