Festivals United!

Four Winds now presents two significant Festivals; the Easter Festival and a new Youth Music Festival which was launched in November 2018.

The Youth Music Festival involved hundreds of local children and young people rehearsing and taking part. To help them all prepare, two inspirational artists worked in five schools, singer and composer Geoffrey Badger and percussionist Greg Sheehan.

Geoffrey and Greg worked in the schools each week for two terms and brought the joy of singing and playing music together into the classroom, which is not a given for many children who attend schools on the Far South Coast, so we were delighted to create this opportunity.

This incredible initiative was possible because of the generosity of individual donors to Four Winds, as well as a grant from Festivals Australia.

Geoffrey and Greg inspired over 800 young performers to take part in the Youth Music Festival at Four Winds, which was presented over three days. Two days of performances and one day of coaching, led by our Artistic Director, James Crabb. The Hon. Don Harwin, NSW Minister for the Arts, who attended the event said that the Festival was ‘truly inspirational’.

We will be sharing some of that inspiration with audiences at the 2019 Easter Festival with the second performance of ‘On the Track’ – a suite of three songs commissioned for the Youth Music Festival from composer and singer Lisa Young.

The connections run even deeper! Lisa Young is part of the vocal group Coco’s Lunch who are also performing at the 2019 Easter Festival on Sunday – as well as delivering a singing workshop which anyone can take part in, on Good Friday.

The songs Lisa wrote were a great hit at the Youth Festival. They are entitled ‘To Bermi and Back’, ‘Gerygone’ and ‘On the Track’. The performers from the premiere, Bega Valley Youth Choir, and their conductor Geoffrey Badger will be leading the singing of these songs at the Easter Festival. They will be performing ‘To Bermi and Back’ at the opening concert on Good Friday evening, followed by ‘Gerygone’ and ‘On the Track’ on Saturday in the Sound Shell – with full orchestra!

Four Winds now presents two significant Festivals; the Easter Festival and a new Youth Music Festival which was launched in November 2018.

The Youth Music Festival involved hundreds of local children and young people rehearsing and taking part. To help them all prepare, two inspirational artists worked in five schools, singer and composer Geoffrey Badger and percussionist Greg Sheehan. Geoffrey and Greg worked in the schools each week for two terms and brought the joy of singing and playing music together into the classroom, which is not a given for many children who attend schools on the Far South Coast, so we were delighted to create this opportunity. This incredible initiative was possible because of the generosity of individual donors to Four Winds, as well as a grant from Festivals Australia.

Geoffrey and Greg inspired over 800 young performers to take part in the Youth Music Festival at Four Winds, which was presented over three days. Two days of performances and one day of coaching, led by our Artistic Director, James Crabb. The Hon. Don Harwin, NSW Minister for the Arts, who attended the event said that the Festival was ‘truly inspirational’.

We will be sharing some of that inspiration with audiences at the 2019 Easter Festival with the second performance of ‘On the Track’ – a suite of three songs commissioned for the Youth Music Festival from composer and singer Lisa Young.

The connections run even deeper! Lisa Young is part of the vocal group Coco’s Lunch who are also performing at the 2019 Easter Festival on Sunday – as well as delivering a singing workshop which anyone can take part in, on Good Friday.

The songs Lisa wrote were a great hit at the Youth Festival. They are entitled ‘To Bermi and Back’, ‘Gerygone’ and ‘On the Track’. The performers from the premiere, Bega Valley Youth Choir, and their conductor Geoffrey Badger will be leading the singing of these songs at the Easter Festival. They will be performing ‘To Bermi and Back’ at the opening concert on Good Friday evening, followed by ‘Gerygone’ and ‘On the Track’ on Saturday in the Sound Shell – with full orchestra!

These three songs take their inspiration from place and nature, and celebrate coming together. ‘Bermi and Back’ references towns along the South Coast – where many of the children who took part in the Youth Music Festival go to school; ‘Gerygone’ is a small bird – the name of which can be translated as born of singing, or children of singing and finally ‘On the Track’ not only references the importance of ancient routes, but the physical synchronicity which happens when people sing together. They are a truly uplifting set of songs and we are excited that the Easter Festival audience will have a chance to hear a little of what we have been up to in the Youth Festival. Our aim is to commission songs each year, in order to create the Four Winds South Coast Song Book…

Here is an extract of lyrics from ‘On the Track’

And I can hear the four winds blowing wide and high
and I can feel the breezes moving by my side
I can hear the voices calling across the miles

If you have not already bought your ticket, we hope you will feel drawn to Four Winds on the magnificent Far South Coast of NSW to hear some fabulous music, to be amazed by world-class musicians and to enjoy the pristine natural setting, surrounded by friends.

2019 Easter Festival info and bookings

Discover Music in Nature

Beethoven in the Bush

Discover Music in Nature

Image credits: Chris Sheedy

Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival Early Bird ticket offer ends at midnight tonight (31 December 2018)

Early bird tickets

Easter Saturday and Sunday at the Four Winds 2019 Sound Shell Program Announced

Dear All,

We are at such an exciting stage of our preparations for the Easter Festival and I’m delighted to share the program for the Saturday and Sunday Sound Shell events with you.

Following the 2018 Easter Festival you, the audience, told us that what you loved about the Festival was the opportunity to discover: to discover beautiful music which was new to you, to discover new artists, and to discover new talent, all in the informal setting of the Festival. It was also really clear to me that you love to see familiar artists in new collaborations.

We’ve really listened to you and I am delighted that this Festival builds on all those themes. There is a lot here – so please settle in and read on!

What I am really confident about is that the program comprises music, which is truly beautiful and inspiring, even though the works or composers may not be household names. Who can possibly forget the relatively unknown Peteris Vasks and Osvaldo Golijov performances from the last festival, which were clear highlights.

Come and discover this amazing program of music with us…

On Easter Saturday the Sound Shell program will commence with a special ‘Welcome to Country’ which will feature a local song ‘Mother Mountain’ which was commissioned by Four Winds from Indigenous Opera Singer Deborah Cheetham, who created the song with local Indigenous Children.

Following the Welcome to Country we will enjoy a set of two works by Australian composer Ross Edwards ‘Water Spirit Song’ and ‘ Tyalgum Mantras’, which evoke music from other traditions, and the importance of being ‘present’ in today’s frenetic world. The setting of the Sound Shell provides the perfect backdrop for these works and for us all to be transported from our everyday lives into a musical world evoking other cultures and contemplation. These works will feature Riley Lee – a masterful Shakuhachi (Bamboo Flute) player who is a great friend of Four Winds – and will introduce our visiting musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music who will be a core feature of the Festival Sound Shell program.

More geographical references flow through the program on Saturday morning which includes our featured composer, Elena Kats-Chernin’s work ‘38th Parallel’ which makes literal and musical references to the border between North and South Korea. It features Christina Leonard – one of Australia’s finest Saxophone players who plays ‘an impossibly high, sustained note which appears like the sun to offer hope’….

Two short works by ANAM alumni trumpeter and composer Josh Rogan will provide interludes during the main sets of music.

We are welcoming the Arcadia Wind Quintet to the Festival who, along with musicians from ANAM will be performing an amazing piece called ‘Tetris’ by Lior Navok. For those of you who were at the 2018 Festival, this Israeli composer is a great friend of Ariel Zuckermann who was our featured flautist from Israel. Inspired by the frenetic energy of New York this work for double wind quintet reflects on our modern ‘breathless’ pace of life. What better way to reflect on how fortunate we are that the Four Winds Festival affords us time to breathe?

If you want to dive into the world of a professional musician don’t miss the masterclass in the Windsong Pavilion on Saturday lunchtime during which our international guest, Viennese pianist Stefan Vladar, will be working with pianists and sharing insights into how he approaches learning work and preparing for performances.

Saturday afternoon explores a theme of meeting places. ‘River Meeting Suite’ is not only inspired by the extraordinary life forces that exist at the meeting of rivers, but is a literal meeting of musical genres and traditions. It encompasses Indian music and singing (Sarangan Siranganathan), Tabla (Bobby Singh) and the improvisation common in jazz with the Compass Saxophone Quartet. Rather like the Festival itself, which allows audiences to go on a journey of discovery, this work discovers a space where barriers between classical, world and improvised music are broken down with truly magical results.

Saturday climaxes with a real treat. Our guest pianist, Stefan Vladar will collaborate with the Australian String Quartet in a performance of Brahm’s ‘Piano Quintet in F minor’. This substantial work will immerse you in the musical brilliance of Brahm’s music – referred to as ‘the crown of his chamber work’ – as well as the technical brilliance of these world class musicians. This collaboration is unique to the Festival. You genuinely will not hear this anywhere else so if you are looking for another reason to attend, this is probably it!

On Sunday I’ve created a triple-bill performance called ‘Beethoven in the Bush’.

You may have already read about this event, in which an array of international artists will be presenting a program of jazz and world-music inspired compositions which culminates in full orchestral performances of two works by Ludwig Van Beethoven; Coriolan Overature – which depicts Coriolanius’ dilemma between war and tenderness, followed by Beethoven’s equally dramatic work for piano and orchestra; Piano Concerto No.3.

But it’s not all big orchestral pieces during this ‘triple-bill’. This Easter-Sunday afternoon performance begins with a beautiful and evocative set of pieces for Bamboo Flute (Shakuhachi) and String Quartet performed by the masterful Riley Lee and the Enigma String Quartet. ‘Elements’ will transport listeners to a gentle sound-world inspired by the elements, the perfect piece to relax to and experience outdoors. The concert moves to jazz and world music performed by the award-winning vocal group Coco’s Lunch. This all-female ensemble never fails to enthrall audiences through their infectious energy and charisma. They sing music influenced by traditions from around the globe, generally without instruments, although rhythms and musical grooves from different traditions are often added with an array of exotic percussive instruments played by the singers themselves.

This concert embodies what Four Winds is about. Internationally renowned artists coming together in unique collaborations to perform great music inspired by nature and which places western classical music in the context of other traditions and genres. ‘Beethoven in the Bush’ is a great way for everyone to discover fabulous music in an exceptional setting and to experience the thrill of a full orchestra performing in nature.

The two Easter Festival Sound Shell days are surrounded by a wonderful array of concerts so please be sure to check out our website so that you can discover everything that is on offer at Easter 2019.

I’m looking forward to welcoming you!

Best wishes

James Crabb
Artistic Director

Early bird tickets are available until Monday 31 December 2018.

Image credits: Raine Brown Photography, Ben Marden, Chris Sheedy

The 15% Early Bird ticket offer is available until Monday 31 December 2018. The offer applies to Sound Shell Saturday and Sunday events and Windsong Concerts 1, 2, and 3

Discover Music in Nature

Discover Beethoven in the Bush; Easter Sunday Afternoon

Dear All,

I’m really excited to let you know about a fabulous triple-bill concert we have on Easter Sunday as part of the 2019 Four Winds Easter Sunday.

In a new level of ambition for the Festival, we are going to be delivering the thrilling sound of a full orchestra playing the mighty works of Beethoven. Come and experience one of the world’s greatest and most performed composers in the beautiful setting of the Four Winds Sound Shell.

This special triple-bill will culminate in full orchestral performances of two works by Ludwig Van Beethoven; Coriolan Overature– which depicts Coriolanius’ dilemma between war and tenderness, followed by Beethoven’s equally dramatic work for piano and orchestra; Piano Concerto No.3. Our special international guest pianist Stefan Vladar will be conducting and playing the two Beethoven performances. These are Stefan’s only performances whilst in Australia.

But it’s not all big orchestral pieces during this event. The performance will begin with a beautiful set of pieces for Bamboo Flute (Shakuhachi) and String Quartet performed by the masterful Riley Lee and the Enigma Quartet. ‘Elements’ will transport listeners to a gentle sound-world inspired by the elements, the perfect piece to relax to and experience outdoors. The concert moves from music inspired by the elements to jazz and world-music performed by the award-winning vocal group Coco’s Lunch. This all- female ensemble never fails to inspire through their infectious energy and charisma. They sing music influenced by traditions from around the globe, generally without instruments, although rhythms and grooves in music from different traditions are often added with an array of exotic percussive instruments played by the singers themselves.

This concert embodies what Four Winds is about. Internationally renowned artists coming together in unique collaborations to perform great music inspired by nature and which places western classical music in the context of other traditions and genres.Beethoven in the Bush is a great way for everyone to discover fabulous music in an exceptional setting and to experience the thrill of a full orchestra performing in nature.

I sincerely hope you will not miss this chance to be at Four Winds to share this great concert with all your family and friends, and I look forward to seeing you there! If you don’t know the Coriolan Overture…here is the great Leonard Bernstein conducting a performance…CLICK HERE.

I’m looking forward to welcoming you!

Best wishes

James Crabb
Artistic Director

Early bird tickets are available until Monday 31 December 2018.

Sound Shell Sunday | Beethoven in the Bush
Easter Sunday 21 April 2019, 12noon – 4.00pm
Four Winds Sound Shell, Barragga Bay, Far South Coast, NSW

Featuring: Stefan Vladar (piano),Coco’s Lunch, Enigma Quartet, Riley Lee (shakuhachi) and Festival Orchestra.

Tickets: Adult $100, Concession $70
16yrs and under and Access Pass holders are free.

Image credits: Raine Brown Photography, Ben Marden

The 15% Early Bird ticket offer is available until Monday 31 December 2018. The offer applies to Sound Shell Saturday and Sunday events and Windsong Concerts 1, 2, and 3

Four Winds events are made possible by our dedicated and generous volunteers