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Nov 13 2018
3

Youth Music Festival

By | Create & Inspire, News | No Comments

Countdown to Youth Music Festival!

There is a palpable sense of excitement building in schools along the Sapphire Coast as they enter the final stages of preparation for the inaugural Four Winds Youth Music Festival.

As we are writing this enews, 100 young people from Bermagui and Tathra are rehearsing on the Sound Shell Stage and helping the Four Winds team test the logistics of moving over 1000 children around the site ready for various huge performances!

Everyone is welcome to come and share in this Friday’s Schools Showcase Performance and this Sunday’s Festival Concert.

We have some important VIPS coming along this Friday to hear our young people perform: NSW Minister for the Arts, the Honourable Don Harwin MLC will be attending as will NSW Minister for Infrastructure and local member for Bega, Andrew Constance. Bega Valley Shire Councilor, Mayor Kristy McBain is also attending to show her support for the importance of music making among young people.

So what’s happening?

Schools Showcase Performance Concert
Friday 16 November, 12noon – 2pm
Four Winds Sound Shell
Entry by voluntary donation of $10 on the door, 16yrs and under free.

Friday is a celebration of young people’s music making.

Come and hear over 800 young people sing with Western Sydney Youth Orchestra and The Australian Voices. We’ve a festival commission written by Lisa Young called ‘From Bermi and Back’, and are featuring ‘Mother Mountain’ written by Deborah Cheetham and local Yuin children at Four Winds in 2017; it has been orchestrated especially for this performance.

Then….massed percussion! The sound of hundreds of children in rhythm…
School showcases continue throughout the concert with more singing and percussion before the Western Symphony Youth Orchestra bring the event to a rousing conclusion.

Youth Music Festival Concert

Sunday 18 November, 11am – 2pm
Four Winds Sound Shell and Windsong Pavilion
Tickets $30 (in advance or on the door), 16yrs and under free.

Sunday’s Youth Music Festival Concert is a showcase of exceptional talent. Young people from across the region are coming together to perform as soloists, in small groups formed for this Festival and as part of our guest orchestra and choir.

Our Artistic Director James Crabb has been personally coaching all the local young musicians to prepare them for their performances, which include everything from singer-songwriters to classical chamber music. James is even going to perform with some of the young musicians, so this is an amazing opportunity for everyone to enjoy new collaborations – and for us to see that in action!

So, come along on Sunday to hear exceptionally talented local young people performing in the Windsong Pavilion, before having a bite to eat from one of our vendors, after which you’ll make your way down to the Sound Shell to hear Western Sydney Youth Orchestra perform. You will also experience the world premiere of our Festival Commission ‘On the Track’ by Lisa Young performed in it’s entirely by The Australian Voices and Bega Valley Youth Choir.

There’s no doubt that you will know someone taking part in the Youth Festival – please come along and be amazed by their talent.

Friday Features:
Bermagui, Narooma, Tanja, Tathra, Tilba primary schools – pretty much the entire schools are taking part!

Along with…The Australian Voices and Western Sydney Youth Orchestra.

Sunday Features:
The following local musicians who will be performing in the Windsong Pavilion and in the Sound Shell. The music is a mix of styles, everything from original songs to Mozart, from A-ha to Haydn!
The Arco String Quintet: Jarrah Catlin (1st violin), Isabella Lightly (2nd violin), Miller Northam (2nd violin), Luca Ziino (viola), Nyah Cockle (cello).
Hunter Bailey-Watts (piano)
Bega Valley Youth Choir
Imogen Bichard (double bass)
Ana Browne (vocals)
Candelo Primary School
Mora Fiedler (piano/vocals)
Juliet Fitzmaurice (vocals and guitar)
Zosha Fitzmaurice (vocals)
Emma Hunt (violin)
Jasper Lay (guitar)
Ruby Newell (taiko)
Amelie Ziino (voice and violin)

The Youth Music Festival has been long in preparation! Our amazing artist-in-schools Geoffrey Badger and Greg Sheehan will conduct on the day to bring the results of their work in local schools to a fabulous climax. Deborah Cheetham and the Short Black Opera team have been rehearsing and teaching Mother Mountain so that everyone can join in with this song inspired by our place. James Crabb has been coaching young performers and will perform alongside them. Lisa Young and Gordon Hamilton have been composing and arranging music just for this event – and the Four Winds team have been bringing it all together!

Everyone will be there on the day to perform with and support our young people in this celebration of music making: Please come and Join us!

Image credits: Marg Hansen, Chris Sheedy, Kristina Kingston, Craig Wall, The Australian Voices, Geoffrey Badger, Lara Crew

Nov 11 2018
3

Youth Music Festival

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Geoffrey Badger and Greg Sheehan teach children at Bermagui Public School singing in preparation for the Youth Music Festival’s Friday showcase




Four Winds Youth Music Festival | 16 – 18 November | Sound Shell

Friday 16 November is a celebration and showcase of the music-making which has been happening in five local schools – Bermagui, Narooma, Tilba, Tanja and Tathra – all as a result of your donations.
Tickets $10 Children 16yrs and under and Access Pass holders free | 12noon – 2pm

Sunday 18 November we are presenting the Youth Music Festival Concert.
Tickets $30 Children 16yrs and under and Access Pass holders free | 11am – 2.30pm

Nov 05 2018
3

2019 Easter Festival

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Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival | Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 April 2019 | Nature’s Concert Hall

Acclaimed Viennese Conductor and Pianist, Stefan Vladar, is coming to Australia to perform. His only Australian performances will be at the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival.

We are delighted that Stefan Vladar, who is one of the world’s leading interpreters of classical repertoire (music written in Europe between 1750 and 1820), has agreed to join us for the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival.

His first performance on Easter Friday evening will be a solo recital of music by the great classical composers, Schubert, Haydn and Beethoven in the wonderful acoustics of the Windsong Pavilion.

Stefan Vladar - Photo by Gregor Titze

On Easter Saturday, Stefan will collaborate with the Australian String Quartet to play music by Brahms in the Sound Shell. That will be your only chance to hear Stefan performing chamber music in the Sound Shell.

The pièce de résistance however, is the festival finale on Sunday afternoon also in the Sound Shell. Stefan will perform two major orchestral works by Beethoven: The dramatic Coriolan Overture and the glorious Third Piano Concerto, with the added bonus that he will be conducting the Four Winds Festival Orchestra from the piano. This performance alone offers you the chance to discover something amazing; a fabulous pianist playing stunning and engaging music with some of the greatest established and emerging Australian musicians who together will form the Festival Orchestra. Beethoven in the Bush – where-else could you experience such a phenomenon other than at Four Winds?

Artistic Director James Crabb is delighted that Stefan accepted his invitation to perform at the Festival. James reflects that ‘All the works Stefan will perform are key compositions by these composers – the pinnacle of their brilliance. To hear them interpreted by Stefan is simply something not to be missed’.

Since 2008, Stefan has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. It speaks volumes that in the 2015/16 season, the Vienna Concert House celebrated Stefan’s 50th birthday with a series of 13 concerts where he displayed his diverse artistic scope as a soloist, conductor, accompanist and chamber musician. In 2019 he will also be conducting and performing throughout Europe and Asia.

Whilst Stefan will be performing some core classical repertoire at the Festival, James Crabb has also conjured up some magic with amazing collaborations between artists from different cultures and traditions: Riley Lee on Shakuhachi with Enigma String Quartet, Compass Saxophone Quartet with Bobby Sing (Tabla) Indian vocalist and sitar master Sarangan Sriranganathan, vocal ensemble Coco’s Lunch – the list goes on. If you want to discover alchemy this Easter, you will find it at Four Winds.

Information about our program and all the artists performing can be found on our website.
Book your tickets now and join us for unmissable performances; the early bird period with discounts for the 2019 Easter Festival is still available – until 31 December 2018.

Image credits: Raine Brown Photography, Gregor Titze

Oct 26 2018
3

2019 Easter Festival

By | Easter Festival, News | No Comments

Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival | Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 April 2019 | Nature’s Concert Hall

Build your own Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival Experience…

We invite you to join us on a journey to discover different musical cultures and traditions as well as great classical works. You can participate or just sit back and experience inspiring music, performed by amazing artists in exceptional surroundings.

Just one example – a not to be missed, and unique performance, when internationally acclaimed Viennese pianist and conductor Stefan Vladar performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3 with our Festival Orchestra in the Sound Shell on Easter Sunday.

We are also welcoming: international guests Dame Emma Kirkby (soprano) and Jakob Lindberg (lute); celebrated Australian Composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin; Bobby Singh (tabla) and Sarangan Sriranganathan (sitar/vocalist); the Australian String Quartet; Riley Lee (shakuhachi); Compass Saxophone Quartet; Coco’s Lunch and Enigma Quartet. The Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) will be joining us, as will our friends Arcadia Winds who are alumni of ANAM.

During the Early Bird offer you are able to build your own Four Winds 2019 Easter
Festival experience by purchasing tickets for each specific event you would like to attend. A 15% discount applies to the Sound Shell Saturday and Sunday programs as well as Windsong Concerts during the Early Bird period, which extends to Monday 31 December 2018.

You can explore the more detailed Festival Program Booklet and read about the Festival Artists here: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE DETAILED FESTIVAL PROGRAM BOOKLET PDF

Image credits: Raine Brown Photography, Marco Borggreve, Howard Williams, Jacqui Way, Chris Sheedy, David Francis

Oct 24 2018
3

Create and Inspire

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Short Black Opera and the Dhungala Choral Connection Songbook

Thursday 8 November | 4.30 – 6.30pm | Windsong Pavilion

Professional Development Workshop for Music Teachers, Choir Leaders and Singing Enthusiasts…

A singing workshop for teachers, choir leaders and singing enthusiasts with Short Black Opera’s Deborah Cheetham, Toni Lalich and Jessica Hitchcock who will take you through the songs and languages of the Dhungala Choral Connection Songbook. Written by Short Black Opera, the collection of songs has been performed by their Dhungala Children’s Choir across the nation and offers insight and engagement into culture, Indigenous connections and languages. You will be guided through the interpretation, pronunciation and music of each song enabling their use in your own classroom and/or choir.

Cost: $60 Includes the Dhungala Choral Connection Songbook, Vol. 1 along with a CD (Live concert and Pronunciation guide)

Oct 17 2018
3

Youth Music Festival

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Become a Four Winds Volunteer

Would you like to help bring music education to the youth of our region?

Increase your enjoyment of the inaugural Four Winds Youth Music Festival by joining in. All of our Four Winds events rely on the wonderful assistance of our Four Winds volunteers.

We have many volunteer roles we need to fill for the Youth Music Festival including; car parking assistants, artist and student care, ushers, site preparation and box office.

If you would like to help out as a volunteer on all or any of the days of the Four Winds Youth Music Festival – Friday 16 to Sunday 18 November 2018 – please goto www.fourwinds.com.au/volunteer

Photo by Ben Marden

Photo by Ben Marden

Photos by Ben Marden

Photo by Ben Marden

Photos by Ben Marden

Oct 16 2018
3

Youth Music Festival

By | Create & Inspire, News | No Comments

Dear All,

In November there is going to be a mass gathering of musically-inspired young people from across our region and beyond at the new Four Winds Youth Music Festival.

You can experience the fabulous spectacle of our region’s talented youngsters performing and sharing music together. We are going to assemble a ‘company’ of over 1000 pupils from our local primary schools plus guests. It’s really wonderful to think that those schools and the majority of the children will be meeting and collaborating with each other for the very first time.

They will be joined by Western Sydney Youth Orchestra, The Australian Voices from Brisbane and members of Short Black Opera, as well as local internationally acclaimed musicians Geoffrey Badger and Greg Sheehan who are currently working as Four Winds Artists-in-Schools to prepare for this amazing event.

I’m really excited that we have commissioned three songs for the occasion from Lisa Young (of Coco’s Lunch) and that we will once again enjoy ‘Mother Mountain’ which local Indigenous children wrote in partnership with Short Black Opera in 2017 – but this time it will be performed with orchestral accompaniment.

This Festival is happening because Four Winds is part of a community committed to providing life changing musical experiences for young people on the Far South Coast. Music is a truly powerful force and impacts so positively on us all, particularly on our young people. Last week I was at South Coast Music Camp in Bega and experienced a wealth of talent. It is truly exciting that there is now another chance for those enthusiastic young musicians to come together to perform in large ensembles on the South Coast.

There are daytime public performances at the Four Winds Youth Music Festival on Friday 16 November from 12.00 – 1.30pm and Sunday 18 November from 11.00am – 2.00pm.

Friday is a celebration and showcase of the music-making which has been happening in five local schools – Bermagui, Narooma, Tilba, Tanja and Tathra. There will be massed percussion pieces and the world premiere of a new commission performed by a massed choir. Western Symphony Youth Orchestra will be accompanying some of the pieces including a performance of ‘Mother Mountain’ – it’s going to be an absolutely amazing event!

On Sunday, during the special Festival Concert we will hear local talent who are dedicated to their craft performing a diverse mix of music in their own right as soloists and in various small ensembles created for this festival in the Windsong Pavilion. This will be followed by large-scale performances with Western Sydney Youth Orchestra and The Australian Voices in the Sound Shell. It’s brilliant to see how excited the kids are already and the creative impact it has on their lives as well as the invaluable experience of collaborating and sharing in the sheer joy of music-making.

The Inaugural Four Winds Youth Music Festival is your chance to come and hear as well as support the next generation of dedicated and talented musicians in fabulous surroundings. I can’t think of a better way to spend the weekend – come and join us! You can find out more and book your tickets here…

Very best wishes

James Crabb
Artistic Director

Oct 10 2018
3

2019 Easter Festival

By | Easter Festival, News | No Comments

Dear All,

I’m delighted to announce you with an opportunity to purchase Early Bird tickets for the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival. I’d urge you to book quickly before some of our wonderful concerts sell out.

To go straight to the booking page CLICK HERE or read on to learn more about the Festival and the Early Bird ticket offer which offers a 15% discount on Saturday and Sunday’s Sound Shell and the Windsong Concerts.

I’ve created a Festival which will take you on a journey to discover different musical cultures and traditions as well as great classical works. There are opportunities for you to take part, to observe or just sit back and discover inspiring music, performed by amazing artists in exceptional surroundings.

The Festival will give you the chance to discover more about our guest artists and to hear them collaborating in performances which are totally unique to Four Winds. For instance, our international guest pianist and conductor Stefan Vladar will be performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3 on Easter Sunday with our Festival Orchestra – an absolutely not to miss experience, particularly in the beautiful surroundings of the Sound Shell.

We are also welcoming: international guests Dame Emma Kirkby (soprano) and Jakob Lindberg (lute); celebrated Australian Composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin; the Australian String Quartet; Riley Lee (shakuhachi); Compass Saxophone Quartet; Coco’s Lunch and Enigma Quartet. We are delighted that musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) will be joining us, as will our friends Arcadia Winds who are alumni of ANAM. Bobby Singh (tabla) and Sarangan Sriranganathan (sitar) will bring the sound of India to the Festival.

During the Early Bird offer you are able to build your own Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival experience by purchasing tickets for each specific event you would like to attend. A 15% discount applies to the Sound Shell Saturday and Sunday programs as well as Windsong Concerts during the Early Bird period which extends to Monday 31 December 2018

How to book your Early Bird Tickets

On-line

Click on the link below which will take you to the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival page on the Four Winds website, then click on the “BOOK HERE” button.
Simply select the number of tickets you require for each event. Remember to select the concession option for the Sound Shell events if this applies to you.

Don’t forget to book your car parking pass for the days you are attending the Sound Shell events OR remember to reserve your place on our free shuttle bus which runs to the Festival site from Bermagui.

When you come to the ‘pay now’ screen, all relevant discounts will automatically be applied during the Early Bird offer. Simply choose your method of payment and book your tickets, which will be emailed to you.

In person

If you’d like to book over the phone please call us on 02 6493 3414 or if you’d prefer to book in person, please visits us at the Four Winds Office:
Bermagui Community Centre, Bunga Street Bermagui. The Office is open Tuesday to Thursday between 9.30am and 12.00pm.

We look forward to bringing you more information and stories over the coming months about the 2019 Easter Festival Program and the incredible line up of festival artists who will be joining us here on the beautiful Far South Coast.

I look forward to welcoming you.

Very best wishes,

Oct 02 2018
3

2019 Easter Festival

By | Easter Festival, News | No Comments

Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival | Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 April 2019 | Nature’s Concert Hall

Dear All,

I am delighted that tickets for the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival are now available.

I promised you that the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival would be as exciting as ever, and that we would bring you a program of wonderful music performed by exceptional artists.

We have a stunning line-up planned, including international guests Stefan Vladar (piano), Dame Emma Kirkby (soprano) and Jakob Lindberg (lute). Stefan will be performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3 on Easter Sunday – an absolutely not to miss experience, particularly in the beautiful surroundings of the Sound Shell.

We will welcome: celebrated Australian Composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin to perform and introduce her own vibrant music; the Australian String Quartet; Riley Lee (shakahachi), who is a great friend of Four Winds; as well as some new faces to the Festival – Compass Saxophone Quartet, Coco’s Lunch and Enigma String Quartet.

Musically the Festival will take you on a journey to discover different musical cultures and traditions to great classical works. There are opportunities for you to take part, to observe or just to sit back and discover amazing music, performed by great artists in exceptional surroundings.

We have two opportunities for you to book your tickets before they go on general sale:

1. The Festival All In One Pass – available from today, Tuesday 2 October 2018.

2. The Early Bird Offer – available from Tuesday 9 October to Monday 31 December 2018.

The Festival All In One Pass will give you access to the entire Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival program including: Sound Shell Saturday, Sound Shell Gala Sunday, all Windsong Pavilion Concerts, House Concerts and After Dark events. It will also allow you to observe Masterclasses, take part in workshops, and even join our early morning Yoga Session with live music – if that’s your thing! This is a fabulously convenient way of booking tickets for everything at the Festival, all in one go.

If you don’t want to attend absolutely everything at the Festival, you might be better waiting for Early Bird tickets to go on sale next week. The Early Bird option allows you to build your own Festival experience and you will benefit from the 15% discount that applies to the Sound Shell events and Windsong Concerts.

The Festival All in One Pass is available from today and costs $975.

This is the most convenient way to ensure you can attend all events at the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival. There are only 35 passes available so don’t delay. The Festival All In One pass has been created to ensure that those people who want to attend everything can book before events sell out, thus avoiding disappointment.

As a Festival All In One Pass holder you will receive:

  • A ticket to the entire program of events at the Four Winds 2019 Easter Festival.
  • A special invitation to the VIP Reception to meet festival artists at the close of the Sound Shell Gala event on Sunday 21 April.
  • A special Festival All In One Pass lanyard.
  • Complimentary car parking at the Four Winds site.
  • Complimentary Festival Program Booklet.

Who should buy the Festival All In One Pass?
Anyone who wants to make sure they can attend all the 2019 Easter Festival events and wants the convenience of booking all their tickets with one click!

The Festival All In One Pass
The Festival All In One Pass is a non-discounted ticket package. If you’d like to benefit from discounts, please wait for the Early Bird tickets to be released. As with all Festival Tickets the All in One Pass is non-refundable. The Festival All In One Pass must be purchased in its entirety. If you’d rather attend individual elements of the Festival, please wait for the Early Bird general tickets to be released, to build your own Festival experience.

How long will the Festival All In One Pass be available for?
The Festival All In One Pass will end once the first 2019 Easter Festival event is sold out and we can no longer guarantee access to all events. There are 35 passes available, as this is the maximum capacity of the House Concerts.

House Concerts
The Festival All In One Pass holders will be allocated the morning performances of both House Concerts to ensure it is possible for you to attend all other events.

I look forward to seeing you again at the 2019 Easter Festival and discovering incredible artists and great music with you. We look forward to bringing you more information and stories over the coming months about the 2019 Easter Festival Program and the line-up of festival artists for you to discover here on the beautiful Far South Coast.

Very best wishes,

Sep 25 2018
3

Youth Music Festival

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Four Winds 2018 Youth Music Festival | Friday 16 – Sunday 18 November | Sound Shell

A celebration of young people’s music-making! An exhilarating, new annual three-day Youth Music festival focusing on young people coming together to share in the joy of music and music-making. Led by Four Winds Artistic Director, James Crabb, this festival will be the culmination of the year-round, energetic, inspirational, creative programs Four Winds offers young people in the region.

Bringing together children from local pre- and primary schools, local/national youth ensembles, young professional musicians and inspirational music leaders to perform together in large ensembles, play for one-another, receive coaching/tutoring and experience amazing live music all within the inspirational venues of Four Winds.

Schools Showcase Performance | Friday 16 November | 12 – 1.30pm | Sound Shell

Featuring: Massed local Schools, Short Black Opera, Western Sydney Youth Orchestra, The Australian Voices and guest artists
$10 donation at the gate or online. 16yrs and under and Access Pass holders free

Youth Music Festival Concert | Sunday 18 November | 11am – 2pm | Sound Shell/Windsong Pavilion

Featuring: Talented young local performers, Western Sydney Youth Orchestra, The Australian Voices, and Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) artists
Tickets $30. Children 16yrs and under and Access Pass holders free

Image credits: Ben Marden