Above: The Australian Brass Quintet, Concert 1, Thursday March 24. Photo Credit: Matt Galligan. Featured image: The Acacia Quartet, Ensemblemble in residence at BAMF. Left to right: Myee Clohessy -violin and BAMF Artistic Director, Anna Martin-Scrase-cello, Stefan Duwe-viola and Lisa Stewart-violin. Photo credit: Chris Donaldson.
For the past fifteen years the Bowral Autumn Music Festival (BAMF) has celebrated the colours of the changing landscape and the power of music in what is now a much-anticipated part of the region and this country’s Arts calendar.
Starting tomorrow, Thursday March 24, the festival stretches its exciting tapestry over the town. It is set to lift spirits as well as encourage an inspiring discovery discussion music at St Judes Church, 38 Bendooley St Bowral.
Above: Australian Composer Jessica Wells wrote a new work especially for premiere performance at BAMF this Friday. Photo Credit: Steven Godbee.
BAMF, under the artistic directorship of violinist Myee Clohessy, is providing a plethora of music concerts, workshops and fellowship for musicians from Australia and abroad as well as music fans, who are perhaps this year more hungry for the comfort and inspiration to be found via live music than ever before.
Escape the damp weather, world news, recorded or streamed concerts and celebrate Australian musical artists, artistry, by heading to St Jude’s to catch workshops, discussions and eight concerts over the four day festival.
Above: Treble Michael Alsop-Orchard performs Faure’s Pie Jesu with vocal ensemble Bel a capella this Saturday. Photo Credit : Barbara Griffin.
Programmes include music from seven Australian composers. The newest of these will be heard on Friday, in a world premiere of a work by Jessica Wells. This is part of a concert by BAMF’s resident string quartet, Acacia Quartet, alongside works by Shostakovich and Borodin.
Holly Harrison is set to delight all ages with Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, featuring Ensemble Offspring and narrator. This can be heard on Saturday.
Also that day, audiences can immerse themselves in vocal music with celebrated ensemble Bel a capella. This concert features the sublime Pie Jesu from Faure’s Requiem sung by a twelve year old treble and the atmosphere is set to be stunning at St Jude’s.
Above: Pianist Andrea Lam is visiting Bowral from her now home in the USA to perform Chopin, Schubert, Bach and Vivien Fung this Saturday. Photo credit: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco.
One of the many highlights will be pianist Andrea Lam in a recital including the Chopin Ballade in G minor and Schubert’s Sonata in A major D 959 . The Australian Brass Quintet opens BAMF tomorrow night with a programme featuring Monteverdi, music from Bernstein’s ‘Westside Story’ and works by David Stanhope as well as Andrew Ford.
The instrumental solo, ensemble and vocal music of offer is interspersed with organ recitals on the newly renovated church instrument, discussions, pre-concert talks, refreshments, showcases of local musicians and workshops across all instrumental groups, with constant activity from Thursday through to Sunday.
Ticket sales for single concerts or to hear it all across the quartet of days on a full festival pass are still available from the festival website at:
https://www.bowralautumnmusicfestival.org.au