After stunning success at the 11th Tchaikovsky International Competition and the Naumburg Compeittion in New York, Li Wei is in constant demand as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, Asia, the UK and the US. Born in Shanghai, Li-Wei moved to Australia at the age of 13, before accepting scholarships to study with Ralph Kirshbaum at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music in London. Click here to read more.
We have been able to engage Li-Wei because he is here for performances of the Schumann Cello Concerto with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra on 7 & 8 August. Our thanks to ASO for bringing him to Adelaide and our gratitude to the Mt Barker Waldorf School for allowing us to use their beautiful hall for the last year and a half.
Don’t miss this special concert featuring works by Brahms and Mendelssohn. Only a few seats remain. Click here to book.
Above photo: Li-Wei plays a 1780 JB Guadagnini cello generously loaned by Dr and Mrs Wilson Goh.
Above: Barthélemy Garnier making the final adjustments. Photo credit: David Minns.
In May the JB Guadagnini Violin, Milan c1751, purchased by the people of South Australia in 1955, returned to Cremona, Italy for restoration. As custodians of this precious instrument we were advised by several musicians that the violin had more potential. We decided to take it to the workshop of Eric Blot, an international expert in fine Italian instruments. Based in the city made famous by Stradivari, Eric and his team see many of the world’s greatest instruments. After much discussion, restorer Barthélemy Garnier set to work and completely changed the set up (every item that is not original and needs to be replaced from time to time). The results were astounding and the violin has a much richer voice with more power particularly in the middle and lower registers. It was also pains-takingly cleaned so it now looks museum quality.
We were so delighted with the transformation that we decided the violin needed a new name to reflect its true character and beauty. At the suggestion of Kerry Heysen-Hicks, who made a contribution to the public subscription when she was in grade two, we have decided to call it The Adelaide.
Above: Paul Wright putting The Adelaide Guadagnini through its paces. Photo credit: Mandy Foot.
At the same time as The Adelaide Guadagnini was being restored we were also considering who should be the next recipient. After a national search, I’m delighted to announce that the Board has awarded the violin to Paul Wright for a term of three years.
Paul was born in Adelaide and began his violin studies with Lyndall Hendrickson. Three years later he was accepted at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey in the United Kingdom. He went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music in London and the Juilliard School in New York, the latter under Ivan Galamian. Click here to read more about Paul’s career.
Paul had the benefit of playing the violin before it was restored as he had it on loan for performances with the Australian String Quartet. He came to collect it last week and as soon as he placed the bow on the string his face lit up. After putting it through its paces in Elder Hall he said, ‘We’ve only just shaken hands but already I can sense the array of tone colours waiting to be extracted. Each performer has his/her own way of revealing these and it’s something which makes the relationship between the player and their instrument so unique’.
Now based in Perth, you will have an opportunity to hear Paul play The Adelaide in the new concert hall during our 2016 season. Details will be announced later this year.
Above: These design elements will enhance the sonic experience. Photo credit: Arup.
In the second part of our story behind the acoustic design of the new concert hall we explore the critical process of tuning and refining the space prior to the opening weekend. Much like the instruments that will fill the beautiful new space with sound, the hall will undergo an important process of testing and tuning to ensure that it is able to perform to its optimum and provide an excellent sonic experience. Click here to read more about the process which will be undertaken by Cameron Hough, Acoustical Engineer, Arup.
Above: Seating under construction in the main hall.
The floor is polished, the seats are going in, the furniture is ordered, the kitchen is kitted out and the opening weekend is now less than 8 weeks away! The site is a hive of activity as tradesmen push towards the finish line. If you missed out on tickets for the opening concert there are still four more opportunities to experience the new hall before the end of the year. Click here to book tickets for our concerts in September, October, November and December.
Heavy rain in May made for slow progress in the garden but with recent good weather it’s all beginning to come to life; there are paved paths, stone steps, retaining walls, cabling for lights and concrete pads for sculptures. Planting will be done in harmony with the seasons and like all special gardens it will evolve over the years. We trust it will provide you with endless enjoyment as you make new discoveries on every visit.
Alison Beare
General Manager, Ngeringa Arts
Big things are afoot at NGERINGA... we have
recently launched a new website to bring us in to the 21st century and on to
your handheld device, a revamped and much simpler SOLSTICE wine
club for all our NGERINGA friends, and not least, we have now released our
new vintage wines - the NGERINGA Chardonnay 2013,
the NGERINGA Rose 2014,
the NGERINGA Pinot Noir 2012
and the NGERINGA Syrah 2012.
They are terrific reflections of their vintages and we’re proud to show them.
Orders can be placed using our NEW, easy-to-use online shop at www.ngeringa.com,
emailing [email protected]
or of course, visiting us at the cellar door. The Winter Solstice has just passed – one of the points in the year which has our biodynamic blood excited. It’s the shortest day of the year. We mark it by making our first pruning cuts in the vineyard and opening our cellar to our customers as we did on the Winter Solstice itself. Thank you to those of you, new and existing SOLSTICE members, who joined us.
To the new release wines and to all of you who love what NGERINGA is, here’s cheers.
Kind Regards, Erinn & Janet
