Great line-up of chamber concerts for 2010
Thanks to the generosity of Greytown residents Ed and Juliet Cooke, their home has been host, for over 30 years, to an annual series of chamber music concerts. The season generally runs from April through to September or October and features a diverse range of professional artists and groups. The following is the programme for the remainder of 2010:
Sun 25 July, 4pm - Robert Ibell & Catherine McKay (at 57 Wood St, Greytown) 
The July concert in the Greytown Music Group series features cellist Robert Ibell and pianist Catherine McKay, who will play a programme that spans two centuries and three continents.
Mendelssohn - Sonata No.2 for Cello & Piano in D major, Op. 58
Gareth Farr - Shadow of the Hawk
Schumann - Fantasy Pieces for Cello & Piano Op. 73
Faure - Elegie for Cello & Piano Op. 24
Barber - Sonata
Mendelssohn's exuberant second Cello Sonata reveals the composer's fascination with the music of J. S. Bach, while the Elegie of Gabriel Fauré shows his wonderful sense of harmony. Schumann's three exquisite Fantasy Pieces were written originally for clarinet and piano, but the composer himself arranged them for cello and piano.
A funky work, Shadow of the Hawk, by Kiwi composer Gareth Farr, and American composer Samuel Barber's romantic Sonata, complete the programme.
Catherine McKay returned from working as a collaborative pianist at the Banff Centre, Canada two years ago and is an active chamber musician, solo pianist and tutor of piano, in particular chamber music in Wellington. Her studies have been based at the Royal College of Music, London and with Marc Durand at the Université de Montréal, Canada. In NZ her teachers have been Jan Beck, Terence Dennis & Diedre Irons. She performs regularly with various chamber musicians and is also a member of a tango trio that plays the music of Astor Piazzolla regularly at Caffe Italiano, Wellington.
Robert Ibell was born in Danniverke and grew up in Palmerston North. While training there as a school teacher he learned cello from Judith Hyatt in Wellington. From 1986 to 1992 he lived in London, studying cello with Tania Hunt, Derek Simpson and Christopher Bunting. He played at music schools and in masterclasses (where his teachers included Alexander Baillie, Steve Doane, Anner Bylsma and Steven Isserlis), taught, gave recitals and played in professional and amateur orchestras.
As well as being a member of the NZSO, he is an experienced chamber musician, and is a member of the Aroha Quartet, the Amazon Trio, and contemporary music group Stroma. He performs regularly for Chamber Music NZ and is a recording artist for Radio New Zealand Concert.
Seats for this concert are $20 each (or $10 for students) and may be reserved by phoning 06 304-8096 (office hours) or 304-9497 (evenings and weekend). Greytown Music Group’s concerts are supported by the Creative Communities Trust.
Sat 7 August, 4pm - Trio Boyarsky (at 57 Wood St, Greytown) 
Sun 29 August, 4pm - Richard Mapp & Emma Sayers (at 57 Wood St, Greytown) 
Sun 19 September, 4pm - Aroha Quartet (at 57 Wood St, Greytown) 
A detailed brochure with the full programme and dates is available from the beginning of each year, either by mail or email. To be added to our database and receive regular reminders and updates, phone Eric Turner on 06 379-6510 or email eric.turner@wise.net.nz
