2020 Concert Series
Burning Desire
Town Hall Concert Series
Presented by Van Diemen’s Band in partnership with Musica Viva Tasmania
Friday 27 November – Sunday 29 November 2020
Hobart Town Hall Ballroom
Five magnificent concerts curated by Van Diemen’s Band’s Artistic Director Julia Fredersdorff throw a spotlight on Hobart’s finest resident musicians in the magical setting and stunning acoustics of the Town Hall Ballroom. Live classical music returns to the city in these one-hour, socially-distanced events.
Concert 1 : Shan Deng – Piano
6pm Friday 27 November
Tasmania’s musical treasure Shan Deng, former Best Australian Pianist prize-winner at the Sydney International Piano Competition and internationally-renowned soloist, performs works by Piazzolla, Bach, Mozart and Chopin on the famed Musica Viva Tasmania Steinway grand in a ravishing Town Hall Series opening concert recital.
Download the digital programme for Concert 1 HERE.
Concert 2 : Grace Thorpe (Violin) + Jennifer Marten-Smith (Piano)
2pm Saturday 28 November
Australian String Association Award winner and one of Tassie’s most promising young talents, 19-year-old Grace Thorpe plays Bach, Brahms and Tchaikovsky in a program of sublime violin artistry.
Download the digital programme for Concert 2 HERE.
Concert 3 : Van Diemen’s Fiddles + Meyers & McNamara
6pm Saturday 28 November
After their sell-out debut in September, the Fiddles join forces with Meyers & McNamara accordionist Dave McNamara in an eclectic program featuring folk and traditional tunes, Klezmer, Balkan and Turkish music, as well as classical and original compositions.
Download the digital programme for Concert 3 HERE.
Concert 4 : Sequenza
2pm Sunday 29 November
Well-known period music ensemble Sequenza (lutenist David Malone, viola da gambist Brett Rutherford and percussionist Matt Goddard), together with guest soloist Quin Thomson (soprano) presents a fascinating program of French music from the court of Louis XIV in Versailles including the Leçons Ténèbres By Francois Couperin and character pieces by Marin Marais.
Download the digital programme for Concert 4 HERE.
Concert 5 : Jonathan Békés (cello) + Karen Smithies (piano)
6pm Sunday 29 November
Two of Tasmania’s leading musicians, Jonathan Békés and Karen Smithies collaborate in an exploration of timeless classics from the canon of chamber works for cello and piano, including works by Piazzolla, Beethoven, and Tasmania’s own Maria Grenfell.
Download the digital programme for Concert 5 HERE.
Tickets: $28 | $35*
*Please note, tickets available via pre-booking only. Book online or email us at: admin@vandiemensband.com.au
See the full Burning Desire festival programme here!
Van Diemen’s Fiddles in Launceston
Combining the exceptional talents of three Tasmanian violinists; VDB artistic director Julia Fredersdorff on baroque violin, Klezmer and folk fiddler Rachel Myers, and Classical/folk/experimental violinist Emily Sheppard, join forces to form Van Diemen’s Fiddles. This trio extends the boundaries of violin playing in this highly original combination juxtaposing a wide variety of styles and genres. Journey from past to present in a specially curated program featuring a wide range of music by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen, through Vivaldi to traditional Scottish, Danish and Balkan tunes, Turkish classical music as well as more recent compositions from Australia and Iceland.
Van Diemen’s Fiddles
6pm Friday 20 November
Princess Theatre
55/57 Brisbane St
Launceston
Bookings open soon at theatrenorth.com.au
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more info.
VDB Christmas Event
As with many other arts organisations, we have been waiting out and constantly reassessing our situation with regards to public gatherings and at last we can announce that Van Diemen’s Band Christmas is reinstated this year! Due to the unpredictable nature of interstate travel at the moment, we have reinvented our program, inviting an all-Tasmanian team in a nostalgic program revisiting some of our favourite Carols and arrangements from throughout the last years including Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, The Song of the Birds, and our very own arrangement of Scarborough Fair which brought the house down last year. VDB is thrilled to collaborate for the very first time with Crescendo Choirs in Launceston and we welcome the return of the Tasmanian Youth Chorale for our Hobart and Triabunna concerts. This is a come-back Christmas performance not to be missed!
6pm, Fri 18 December
The Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Launceston
T: $10 | $30 | $40 | $90 (family of 4)
3pm, Sat 19 December
St David’s Cathedral, Hobart
T: $10 | $30 | $40 | $90 (family of 4)
3pm, Sun 20 December
Spring Bay Mill, Triabunna
T: $10 | $25 | $35 | $80 (family of 4)