NZ String Quartet Marks 25th Anniversary with Chamber Music

NZ String Quartet Marks 25th Anniversary with Chamber Music New Zealand Tour

“...well-honed teamwork [and] dazzling delivery” – William Dart, NZ Herald

“... fluid and energetic ... uncommon eloquence” – The New York Times

New Zealand’s foremost chamber ensemble – the New Zealand String Quartet – celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012 with a 13-concert nationwide Chamber Music New Zealand tour.

The New Zealand tour begins in Palmerston North on Sunday 22 April before heading to Napier, New Plymouth, Dunedin, Invercargill, Christchurch, Wellington, Nelson, Hamilton, Auckland, Whangarei, Upper Hutt and Waikanae.

The tour continues the New Zealand String Quartet’s birthday project ‘BEETHOVEN!’ to perform the complete Beethoven cycle during 2012. For BEETHOVEN! Revolution the quartet focuses on Beethoven’s ‘middle’ period during which he expressed heroic and revolutionary sentiments.

These substantial and profound works include the three quartets of Opus 59, commissioned by Russian Ambassador to Vienna Count Razumovsky. Completed in 1806, these works are symphonic in scope.

“We are delighted to be celebrating the New Zealand String Quartet’s 25th anniversary with this tour,” says Chamber Music New Zealand chief executive Euan Murdoch.

“Chamber Music New Zealand was instrumental in the creation of the New Zealand String Quartet back in 1987 and we thoroughly enjoy the long-lasting relationship we have built with the members over the years.

“The current ensemble has grown from strength to strength with acclaimed international tours, imaginative programming and dynamic and exciting performances.”

The tour with Chamber Music New Zealand follows hot on the heels of a week-long season performing as part of the New Zealand at Kings Place Festival in London.

The current New Zealand String Quartet has had the same line-up for 18 years and comprises founding member Gillian Ansell on viola, while violinist Douglas Beilman has been a member since 1989 and Helene Pohl (violin) and Rolf Gjelsten (cello) joined in 1994.

The New Zealand String Quartet performs BEETHOVEN! Revolution in 10 centres nationwide as part of Chamber Music New Zealand’s 2012 ‘Kaleidoscopes’ season from 22 April to 9 May, with three additional concerts in Whangarei, Upper Hutt and Waikanae in May and June. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.chambermusic.co.nz.

BEETHOVEN! is a partnership project between Chamber Music New Zealand and the New Zealand String Quartet in association with the New Zealand International Arts Festival.

Chamber Music New Zealand acknowledges major funding from Creative New Zealand.

Chamber Music New Zealand 2012 ‘Kaleidoscopes’ Season: New Zealand String Quartet – ‘Beethoven! Revolution’

Programme One

Beethoven | String Quartet Opus 59 No 1

Beethoven | String Quartet Opus 59 No 2

Programme Two

Beethoven | String Quartet Opus 74

Beethoven | String Quartet Opus 95

Beethoven | String Quartet Opus 59 No 3

PALMERSTON NORTH: Speirs Centre | Sunday 22 April 5.00pm| Book at TicketDirect 0800 4TICKETS (484 253) www.ticketdirect.conz | Programme Two

NAPIER: Municipal Theatre | Monday 23 April 8.00pm | Book at Ticketek 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz | Programme One

NEW PLYMOUTH: Theatre Royal, TSB Showplace |Tuesday 24 April 7.30pm| Book at Ticketmaster 0800 111 999 www.ticketmaster.conz | Programme Two

DUNEDIN: Otago Girls’ High School | Thursday 26 April 7.30pm | Book at TicketDirect 0800 4TICKETS (484 253) www.ticketdirect.conz | Programme One

INVERCARGILL: Civic Theatre | Saturday 28 April 7.30pm | Book at TicketDirect 0800 4TICKETS (484 253) www.ticketdirect.conz | Programme Two

CHRISTCHURCH: Middleton Grange School Performing Arts Centre | Monday 30 April 7.30pm | Book at Ticketek 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz | Programme Two

WELLINGTON: Wellington Town Hall |Thursday 3 May 7.30pm | Book at Ticketek 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz | Programme One

NELSON: Nelson School of Music | Friday 4 May 7.30pm | Book at TicketDirect 0800 4TICKETS (484 253) www.ticketdirect.conz | Programme One

HAMILTON: Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, University of Waikato | Tuesday 8 May 8.00pm | Book at Ticketek 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz | Programme One

AUCKLAND: Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE | Wednesday 9 May 8.00pm | Book at 0800 BUY TICKETS (289 842) www.buytickets.co.nz | Programme Two

WHANGAREI: The Old Library | Thursday 10 May 6.00pm | Programme One

UPPER HUTT: Expressions | Monday 11 June 7.30pm | Programme Two

WAIKANAE: Memorial Hall | Sunday 17 June 2.30pm | Programme Two

ENDS

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