The Windsong Pavilion is considered a home for Australian Music. The building, but also the site on which it rests is spectacular, and the acoustics are exceptional, it is a truly creative space.

A creative residency means that over a number of days artists can focus and rehearse, improve their practice, create and develop new work. Aside from birdsong and the natural bush surroundings, there are few distractions.

“The idea is for artists to develop and focus on their work, it is very much about their practice” says Executive Director David Francis, “how they use the time is really up to them. However, many enjoy and choose to engage with the community in some way. Artists do this because it is meaningful to them as musicians and enhances their experience of coming to the region.”

Some artists and ensembles choose to present concerts, conduct masterclasses, reach out to the community or perhaps visit and work with young musicians in the region, some choose to participate in all of these opportunities. For example, the week Enigma Quartet are spending here at Four Winds comprises intensive rehearsal, performing two sold out concerts on Saturday (one of which is being filmed for Digital output) as well as travelling to a Bega Valley Youth Orchestra rehearsal to spend time with our budding young string players.

The quartet are an Easter Festival favourite, having performed their spectacular Five Elements collaboration with Shakuhachi player Riley Lee, plus works by Elena Kats-Chernin and others at last year’s festival.

Enigma are looking forward to soaking up some of our beautiful sea air, swimming, sharing morning coffee with locals and rehearsing and honing works for their performances, from Brahms and Beethoven and Margaret Sutherland.

Enigma are inviting audiences along for two performances at the end of their residency, which is an incredible opportunity to hear this fabulous quartet. At this time both concerts have sold out.