Vivaldi Four Seasons Festival Cairns 2007

Carnegie Hall comes to Cairns!

Paradise Concerts is international classical chamber music at its very best. Now in our 5th Season, we are presenting repertoire that audiences love, and world-class soloists that rouse the audience to cheering standing ovations time after time. Paradise Concerts is renowned for the intimate musical atmosphere  at our recitals. We are re-creating the soirees of bygone times, and presenting them with flair and passion. The greatest works of classical composers for this genre are programmed, including  music by the musical greats-Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Vivaldi, Schubert, Dvorak, and Mendelssohn. In addition, Paradise Concerts' recitals  champion musical innovation and challenge, by composers  such as  Bartok,  Kodaly,  Grappelli,  Schostakovich, Gershwin, Copeland, Ravel,  Britten,  and Franck. The concert recitals are illuminated by stories and background into the lives of each composer and their composition. This gives the audience a colourful backdrop with which to listen and savour each piece.  The music literally comes alive, truly chamber music at its most exciting.

A Paradise Concert is unique and memorable. We are passionate about the musical journey of each concert's programme and cordially invite you to indulge in a concert experience. 

Carnegie Hall is right here!

UPCOMING CONCERTS 2010

By Popular demand...the Return of The Four Divas, in concert, in Innisfail Saturday, February 13th 2010.

ARE YOU READY?

Rivalry, passion, romance, lust, mystery, drama, intrigue.....

Prepare for a musical explosion!

(and all this before the curtain even rises)

THE FOUR DIVAS are here, and Opera will never be the same again!

Paradise Concerts is thrilled to take concert audiences to the Opera, in true International style. THE FOUR DIVAS features 2 of the classiest (and beautiful) international singers ever to hit the High Cs, English/Canadian  Soprano Joy Power Cleary and Greek Mezzo Soprano Katerini Manolatos, and introduces world-renowned London International prize winning stunning pianist Ambre Hammond to Johnstone Shire Hall's starry concert stage. This is a triumphant concert for Ambre, as she was originally born in Cairns in 1977, taught by her mother from age 3, and now in the midst of a glittering solo career,  having recently performed a world premiere Concerto for Jazz Trumpet, Piano and Orchestra in the Sydney Opera House  with jazz trumpeter James Morrison, Ambre jubilantly returns to perform with Paradise Concerts!  Add the sparkle of violinist Kirtley Leigh Paine, and champagne is in order to toast this DIVine musical combination of sheer Diva-esque proportion!

In a concert filled with exuberance, joy, flair and flamboyance,  THE FOUR DIVAS will perform  a debut spectacular in the magnificent grandeur of the newly-refurbished Johnstone Shire Hall in Innisfail. Music lovers are in for a special treat, as the concert provides a chance to hear the new Steinway 9 foot Concert Grand piano in all its glory. Opera lovers will be truly satisfied, as many famous and well-loved arias in a selection of vocal solos and duets will be performed, by such composers as Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Delibes and Rossini,  including the Habanera from Carmen, and the Flower Duet from Lakme.  As an added treat, International piano sensation Ambre will also perform some piano acrobatics in a selection of bravura  keyboard favourites.  Violinist Kirtley Leigh Paine completes this stellar diva  quartet and provides the "orchestra" at the Opera, (even if she refuses to be banished to the more traditional  "Pit"- ) as well as indulging in her own virtuoso gymnastic violin showpieces.

Acts I  and II at the FOUR DIVAS show are bursting with music to stir all the  emotions,  and a very special Grand Finale will set hearts ablaze with the sheer talent and energy - not to mention passion and intrigue - created by  these 

FOUR DIVAS!

A CONCERT SPECTACULAR NOT TO BE MISSED

This concert was a sell-out sensation in Cairns in September, 2009 

so purchase tickets early to avoid disapointment.

Ambre Hammond, Piano

Born in Cairns, Australia in 1977. Ambre began piano studies with her mother at the age of 3 and gave her first concert in Sydney at age 5. In 1990, at age 12, Ambre achieved a World Record, which she still holds, when she received the Associate and Licentiate Diplomas of music in the same year. At 16 she received the First Prize in her first International Music Competition held in Argentina, South America. The following year Ambre was invited to return to Argentina to perform the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.3 as her debut performance with the Cordoba Symphony Orchestra. This performance was recorded live and released as a CD, which has been acclaimed by the Rachmaninoff Society of USA as one of the finest recordings ever made of this piece.

At 16, Ambre recorded and released a CD of music by Franz Liszt titled 'Devotion' which was funded by Australian artist Arthur Boyd who was astounded with Ambre's natural ability and also invited her to be first Artist-In Residence at his Shoalhaven Property 'Bundanon', on the South Coast of Australia. Ambre's CD's are available on cdbaby.com Ambre has performed both solo and with Orchestra throughout Switzerland, England, Italy, Spain, Poland, North and South America, New Zealand and China to consistent acclaim from both critics and public alike.

Recently she has continued to perform not only the great classics but showed a flair for jazz and blues by combining talents with James Morrison in a series of concerts displaying a fusion of musical styles. A recent performance was with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra in New Zealand at which she delighted audiences playing the magical Rachmaninoff 2nd piano concerto as well as teaming up with James Morrison for some blues and other jazz standards.

Renowned Hollywood film writer and composer Lalo Schifrin was recently commissioned to write a unique Double Concerto for Jazz Trumpet, Classical Piano and Symphony Orchestra especially for Ambre and James Morrison. Now completed, Ambre recently returned from Los Angeles where she played the piece to Lalo who has dedicated the Concerto to her.The World Premiere was held in Sydney 2007 at the Opera House to great acclaim. Ambre and James will perform the work throughout Europe and the US.

It is important to Ambre to give back to the community through her ability as much as possible and she has been named Ambassador of the SMILE Foundation, a newly formed Sydney based Medical Research and Philanthropy Company and is also closely involved with the Brain Foundation of Australia. Ambre has newly been appointed Youth Ambassador for the National Trust and will undertake a Tour for the Trust in early 2009.Ambre's latest CD release 'Reverie' (2009) is a compilation of some of the most beautiful compositions for solo piano from Bach to Rachmaninoff, Granados to Scriabin.

Ambre is blessed with not only artistic brilliance and technical prowess of the highest order, but has a physical beauty and presence that leaves her listeners in awe of such a young, energetic and gifted talent. Ambre has the communicative skills to be able to share her passion for the music she plays and delight audiences everywhere from age 1 to 100.                                                             

          Joy Power Cleary, Soprano             

 International singer Joy is a lyric soprano who trained in Calgary, Canada under Judith Lebane since 1990. She has taken part in master classes given by Catherine Robbin, mezzo-soprano; Linda Maguire, mezzo-soprano; and Susan Haig, Associate Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Professionally, Joy has sung with the Calgary Opera Chorus in Lucia di Lammermoor, 1994, La Traviata, 1995, and La Boheme, 2002. 

She has also performed with the opera training company, Debut Opera, singing lead roles with them, such as “Musetta” from La Boheme, “Adele” from Die Fledermaus, and “Casilda” from The Gondoliers, amongst others.

In 1996, Joy gave a recital of Baroque music including Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” with mezzo-soprano, Pamela Jonasson. 

Joy was born in Canada and grew up there and in the UK. Since moving to Cairns in 2003 she has been singing professionally as a soloist, at weddings and special events and in recital with Paradise Concerts. She last performed with Paradise Concerts in December 2008 in the Baroque Christmas Concert.

This time with Paradise Concerts, she has enjoyed discovering the romance of the Opera repertoire with its delightful marriage of drama and passion. The expressive poetry of the lyrics is equally as relevant as the sparkling music in seducing the listener and performer alike

Katerini Manolatos, Mezzo-soprano

 Mezzo-soprano Katerini Manolatos  was born and raised in Brisbane from a young age enjoyed performing. She studied at the Queensland Young Conservatorium in her teenage years and later went on to study at a tertiary level at the prestigious Queensland Conservatorium of Music, earning her Bachelor of Music in Voice in 2000. She then completed her Associate in Music Australia in 2001 and her Masters Degree  in Music Therapy in 2005. During these years and those that followed she has enjoyed performing and teaching voice.

Her Greek heritage is very important to her, as is her love of Greek music. She produced a CD of Greek songs while in her early 20’s and was privileged to travel to Greece to help promote the 2000 Olympic games. She has returned to Greece many times to perform in concerts alongside local musicians.

Moving from Brisbane to Cairns three years ago has proved to be an exciting career move for Katerini. She has launched Hummingbird Music Therapy and Singing which encompasses her skills and drive for nurturing young voices and her Master’s qualification in music therapy. Most recently she has joined forces with Gail Rogers (Speech and Language Pathologist specialising in the area of voice) to develop the Vocal Boot Camp series, which educates professional voice users in vocal technique and protection.

Katerini is excited about performing in the Classical Chamber Music world again here in Cairns, and the operatic genre in particular, and looks forward to her future with Paradise Concerts.

Kirtley Leigh Paine, Artistic Director and Violin

  “…enthralling … fine playing, the music echoed with delight “                  
                                                           Brisbane Sunday Mail, October, 2005        
“Kirtley wowed the crowds at her Civic Theatre Recital”The Cairns Post, March, 2004
           “Virtuoso Violin with Panache”        Nelson, N.Z. News, September, 2006
  “Kirtley’s violin flirted with the piano of Pascal RogeArts Nexus Magazine, October, 2007
“Her concerto premiere was a match made in Heaven”  NZ Mail, September, 2006


American/Australian violinist Leigh has a career that has taken her across the globe, performing as soloist, in chamber concerts, recitals, and orchestras worldwide. Her performances have been celebrated in over 20 countries. Her home is now Australia , where she has lived since relocating from London 5 years ago. A student of the legendary virtuoso Josef Gingold, she holds a B Mus (honours) degree from Indiana University . The US honoured her with the prestigious American Federation of Music Prize in New York . As a chamber musician and recitalist, Leigh has appeared in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and festivals including Aspen, Point-Counterpoint and Chautauqua (USA), St. Endellion and Classics Live (UK), Klassik Aften, Bergen Festspille, and Oslo (Norway), Amsterdam, Vienna, Pollensa (Spain), and Hong Kong. Leigh was a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and was on the faculty of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In Europe she held positions as leader in Amsterdam , and in Norway where, as principal second violin of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, she also led her own chamber music series, performed as soloist and recorded for Norwegian radio. Residing in London for 14 years, Leigh’s Duo gave its debut recital at the international Classics Live Festival. Leigh was in the UK ’s finest chamber and symphony orchestras, including principal second violin of the London Chamber Symphony, Assistant Leader of the Midlands Philharmonic, and member of the Academy of London , Oxford and European Union Chamber Orchestras.  She was also a chamber musician at the Endellion Festival under conductor Richard Hickox. European engagements included performing for Queen Sophia of Spain as Leader of the Pollensa Chamber Orchestra, and for King Olaf of Norway with the Bergen Philharmonic, as well as tours with Pavarotti and the Oporto Orchestra, Portugal , and with Soprano Kiri te Kanawa in France .  Leigh was one of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s artists in 2005, giving masterclasses and chamber music performances, recording for the ABC, and leading the chamber orchestra. She gave her Australian recital début in 2004, and in 2005 founded, as Artistic Director, Paradise Concerts international chamber music series in Cairns , Queensland . In ’05 Leigh visited Papua New Guinea , giving a command performance for the Prime Minister at Parliament House.  She is an appointed touring artist for Queensland Arts Council .For the last 3 years she has performed in recital with the internationally acclaimed pianist Pascal Rogé, and appeared as guest leader and soloist with the Barrier Reef Orchestra under conductor John Hopkins OBE. She also performed as soloist with Opera Queensland in 2006, and toured New Zealand , giving recitals, and the world premiere of a Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by composer, Ross Carey. In 2007 she was soloist at “Opera in the Outback” and leader of the Barrier Reef Orchestra .Leigh appeared as soloist/director in the debut of the Paradise Chamber Orchestra for Festival Cairns in The Eight Seasons, an innovative programme of her creation, juxtaposing Piazzolla and Vivaldi 4 Seasons. She is founder of the Paradise Chamber Orchestra, Cairns ’ first professional orchestra. Leigh continues to vigorously champion classical music in our region.  In November, 2007, she was presented a RADF award by Mayor Kevin Byrne in recognition of cultural excellence in the city of Cairns . The Paradise Concerts’ Gala Opening recital of 2008 featured Leigh and international pianist Melvyn Tan in performance together. Leigh was most recently appointed leader of the Cairns Community Orchestra For 2009, engagements included 2 concerto performances in Melbourne in March, and directorship of the Cairns Concert Orchestra. In 2010 she will release a Paradise Concerts CD.

TICKETS

Saturday, February 13th 2010

7pm for 7:30 Concert 

VENUE  

The newly refurbished and magnificent

Johnstone Shire Hall 

Innisfail

Tickets Available from Cassowary Coast Regional Council

TELEPHONE

    4030 2222 

                                               The Eight Seasons- Trio Tangos by Piazzolla 2007                             Melvyn Tan, Leigh and Mark Paine 2008 Gala Spectacular

Transport yourself to the magic of Classical Music...

...Here in Paradise

Pascal Roge, Ami Hakuno, Kirtley Leigh Paine From Paris to Paradise 2006

Passion in Paradise, 2007

Proudly supported  by our two new venue partners for 2009   

                                             Cairns                                  Port Douglas

Pearls of the Baroque 2007