Schubertiade

Presented by: Chamber Music New Zealand

Michael Houstoun and the New Zealand String Quartet
Schubertiade
New Zealand String Quartet
Helene Pohl, violin
Douglas Beilman, violin
Gillian Ansell, viola
Rolf Gjelsten, cello

 “I have been playing with the New Zealand String Quartet since it was established – a pure pleasure.” -Michael Houstoun
“We have been fortunate in that we have been able to work with Michael Houstoun many times over the past two decades. One of the wonderful qualities in Michael’s playing is his sense of the architecture of a piece – its breadth and span – and this quality will be essential in Schubert’s music. We’re very pleased to be working on the Trout with him as it’s a work often presented just once, and this time we can develop an interpretation knowing it will be performed many times.”- Douglas Beilman

Schubert lived for his friends, enjoying not only their vibrant intellectual conversation and appreciation for the arts, but also their personal support of his career. Meetings to discuss literary works soon included musical events, or Schubertiades; informal social events which grew from Schubert’s love of poetry and song, and his skilled combination of the two. Schubertiades were very popular events, whether or not the composer was present, and they remain so to this day, with regular Schubertiade festivals and series being presented all over the world.

Michael Houstoun has made a unique contribution to New Zealand music as a concert pianist and chamber musician of the highest calibre over the past thirty-five years. He performs tirelessly all over the country in recitals, with orchestras and in festivals to critical acclaim and the great delight of audiences.

The New Zealand String Quartet are this country’s premier chamber ensemble. As well as performing their innovative programmes around New Zealand and teaching at the New Zealand School of Music, they have also forged a major career in the busy international chamber music field. Recent highlights include a nine concert tour of Europe including first visits to Poland and the Czech Republic and a debut concert in the prestigious Library of Congress series in Washington DC.

Programme
Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill
Schubert: Notturno in E flat D897
Schubert: String Quartet No 15 in G D887
Schubert: Piano Quintet in A D667 ’The Trout’

Join us in celebrating Chamber Music New Zealand’s 60th anniversary with an evening of music by Schubert. CMNZ's subscriber survey in 2008 voted five Schubert works into the top 20 most popular chamber music pieces. Two of these all-time favourites feature in this programme; 'The Trout' Quintet and the Notturno.