Events Calendar

There is something about this combination of instruments that has inspired composers to their wittiest and most extravagant moods. From the extraordinary ‘Fantastics’ to the unashamed romance of Marc Eychenne, from Shostakovich at his most tuneful to the Frenchman

The Antipodes String Trio was founded by two of New Zealand's leading young string players, Amalia Hall and Nicholas Hancox. Formed through connections between the Curtis Institute of Music, University of Michigan and the New Zealand music scene, they aim to promote the under-utilised repertoire of the string trio, which many great composers throughout music history have contributed to.

Following their successful March 2011 tour, the Antipodes String Trio is excited and privileged to once again perform in New Zealand, this time bringing a new cellist  and colleague from the Curtis Institute, Sarah Rommel. Their programmes feature the masterworks of the string trio repertoire, from Larry Pruden to Mozart; and they will joining up with pianist Tom McGrath in selected centres for Brahms’ epic Piano Quartet in C minor.

Amalia Hall is widely recognised as one of the foremost young violinists to emerge from New Zealand. Following studies at Auckland University, she is currently undertaking post-graduate study at the Curtis Institute of Music with renowned violinists Pamela Frank and Joseph Silverstein.

Violist Nicholas Hancox, now based in Germany as Principal Viola of the Lübeck Philharmonic Orchestra, completed his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theatre in Munich with Hariolf Schlichtig. Originally from Wellington, he is a B.Mus (Hons) graduate from  Victoria University and completed his Master of Music at the University of Michigan in 2009.

Cellist Sarah Rommel, also from the Curtis Institute, featured on American public radio NPR’s “From the Top” series and has performed widley as a soloist and chamber musician, winning the silver medal in the 2007 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as a member of the Newman Quartet. She studies with Ralph Kirschbaum.

Tom McGrath, Teaching Fellow in Piano Accompaniment at Otago University, is a graduate of the Richard Strauss Konservatorium in Munich and winner of the Special Prize for piano accompaniment at the 2000 Gasteig Culture Centre Competition in Munich – a prize the jury especially created for him. He has performed and recorded widely in Europe, Japan and New Zealand since his return here in 2003.

Tickets: Adults $25, SuperGold $20, Student/child $5 will be available from the Cromwell & Alexandra iSites. Door sales will also be available.

Presented by Cromwell Community Arts in association with Chamber Music NZ and not Arts on Tour.

Location

Cromwell Memorial Hall

Melmore Terrace, Cromwell adjacent to the Melmore Terrace/Monaghan Street intersection