Spring is coming to a close with a high quality concert at Benalla Art Gallery. This will be the Gallery's third concert for the year, following successful performances by Jonathon Glonek and the Benalla Classical Guitar Ensemble.
The concert will be held on the afternoon of Saturday 19 November, and headlined by Aequales Ensemble, a close-knit group of professional musicians with a common passion for chamber music.
Back in January 2014 these four musicians were participating in the Summer Chamber Music School held annually at Mt Buller. Damien Mansfield was playing piano in a group from Adelaide and Edwina Kayser, Danny Neumann and Sarah Cuming were with their string quartet, Aequales Ensemble from Melbourne. As is the tradition at Mt Buller there were plenty of late night ad-hoc hours of music making, and these musicians bonded with their love of playing the Brahms piano quartets.
Aequales explained they were "keen to relive the experience and to give back to the rural community in Victoria who helped to support the Summer School each year. We will be performing Beethoven's String Trio in D major, Op.9 Nr.2 and Brahms' Piano Quartet in A major Op.26"
With the concert also coinciding with the final weekend of Showcase, Benalla Art Gallery's annual celebration of the region's best student artists, Aequales Ensemble will also fittingly share the stage with some of the district's finest music students from Goulburn Valley Grammar School.
The student section of the performance will include a clarinet ensemble and chamber strings.
Genevieve Bihun, Director of Music at Goulburn Valley Grammar School, said "Music has always been an integral part of the learning programme at Goulburn Valley Grammar School. The Year 5, 6 and 7 classroom Music Programme is both instrumental and performance based. After this time Music is available as an option through to VCE level. Many students participate in private instrumental tuition at school with a full range of orchestral instruments available for study and all students are encouraged to join the many ensembles, bands, choirs and orchestras."
Members of the public can purchase tickets for the concert directly from Benalla Art Gallery.
Image: Aequales Ensemble
