The Melbourne Ensemble is a strings and winds chamber group formed in 2015 by seven colleagues at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The group includes orchestral musicians of a high calibre, who are in demand as performers both across Australia and abroad. Amongst the members are recipients of many awards and bursaries, including a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, Ian Potter Foundation grants, a Macklin Bursary and a finalist in Symphony Australia’s Young Performer of the Year Awards. The Melbourne Ensemble hopes to give Victorian audiences an opportunity to hear less frequently performed chamber works written for unique combinations of string and wind instruments.

Laurence joins the ensemble for a performance of Schubert’s ever popular ‘Trout’ Quintet.

Program to include:
SCHUBERT ‘Trout’ Quintet D.667

Freya Franzen violin
Christopher Cartlidge viola
Rachael Tobin cello
Stephen Newton double bass
Laurence Matheson piano

W | http://lyrebirdmusicsociety.org.au/

Beleura regular Laurence Matheson joins 11 year-old violin superstar Christian Li, winner of the 2018 Junior Menuhin Violin Competition in Geneva, Switzerland in a program of duo favourites from the violin and piano repertoire. Laurence has had the pleasure of working with and mentoring Christian for nearly 3 years so they share a close bond on and off stage. This is your chance to catch Christian during a busy year of solo performances with the Melbourne and Sydney Symphony Orchestras and just before he departs for an extensive recital tour of Europe, where he'll be performing this same program.

VITALI (/Charlier) Chaccone
SAINT-SAENS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
CHOPIN/MILSTEIN Nocturne in C# min Op.post
LI ZILI Harvest Song of the Fisherman
DVORAK Sonatina Op.100
BAZZINI La Ronde des Lutins

Christian Li violin
Laurence Matheson piano

W | https://www.beleura.org.au/
T | (03) 5975 2027

Charles Loeffler’s heritage was German, but most of his life was spent in America’s New England, and his music was deeply influenced by a French aesthetic. The Rhapsodies are versions of songs in which Loeffler explores moods inspired by the opulence of French Symbolism, reaching towards the sensuality of Impressionism. Max Bruch, on the other hand, occupies a similar aesthetic world to Brahms. Best known for his colourful works inspired by Scottish and Hebrew melodies, Bruch’s Eight Pieces were composed for his clarinettist son.

DEAN New work – World Premiere, 2019 MSO Composer in Residence
BRUCH Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano
BRAHMS Clarinet Trio Op.114

Christopher Cartlidge viola
Rachael Tobin cello
Philip Arkinstall clarinet
Laurence Matheson piano

W | https://www.mso.com.au/whats-on/2019/romantic-and-rhapsodic/

Laurence joins the Melbourne Youth Orchestra for the ever-popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninoff, one of the pinnacles of the romantic repertoire.

TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
PÄRT Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
STRAUSS Death and Transfiguration

Melbourne Youth Orchestra
Brett Kelly conductor
Laurence Matheson piano

Laurence joins MSO Associate Concertmaster and frequent collaborator Sophie Rowell to appear once again as part of the Cygnet Recital Series. For details use the contact page.

BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata in D Op.12 No.1
BACH (/BUSONI) Partita No.2 in d BWV 1004 (Rowell I-IV, Matheson V)
STRAUSS Violin Sonata in Eb Op.18

Sophie Rowell violin
Laurence Matheson piano

The 3MBS Fine Music Melbourne 2019 Dvořák Marathon brings Australia’s finest classical musicians together for an immersive all-day experience celebrating the works of Antonín Dvořák.

Across six concerts in a single day, the 3MBS Dvořák Marathon program celebrates some of the best and lesser-known chamber music including a vast collection of solo piano works.

Highlight performances include the Stabat Mater (performed by Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra) and Symphony No.9 (performed by Corpus Medicorum). Returning performances include 3MBS friends Stefan Cassomenos, Calvin Bowman, Wilma Smith, Sutherland Trio and 2018 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition winner Christian Li.

Concert 2: 12pm

DVORAK Sonatina Op.100

Christian Li violin
Laurence Matheson piano

Other performances and artists throughout the day TBC.

W | https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/events/2019/dvorak-marathon-concert-2/

To celebrate our 10th birthday, we welcome three generations of artists to join us on stage in a unique musical event.

Ninety-six-year old pianist Judy Hall joins 10-year-old violinist Christian Li, plus a host of other musical marvels, to celebrate the joy of music making on the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall stage.

All tickets for this concert are $10, as our special birthday present to you. We look forward to welcoming you to this special event to launch our 10th Anniversary season.

SAINT-SAENS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Christian Li violin
Laurence Matheson piano

Program TBA

Judy Hall piano
Timothy Young piano
Tony Gould piano
Ronald Farren-Price piano
William Barton dijeridu/voice

W | https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/events/2019/10th-birthday-gala-concert/

Enjoy a day of classical music in beautiful historic spaces at Abbotsford Convent’s Music in the Round this September.

Presented by the Abbotsford Convent Foundation with Artistic Director Chris Howlett, this year’s program showcases some of Australia’s most celebrated classical musicians. All ticket holders can enjoy intimate performances in the Convent’s stunning venues, and mingle with some of the musicians at an exclusive grazing-style luncheon by the award-winning Bursaria Fine Foods.

In 2018, Music in the Round will embrace home-grown talent of an international calibre, with an array of exceptional Australian musicians who have enjoyed international success. From the youngest-ever winner of the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in Geneva (2018), 10 year-old Christian Li, to internationally-renowned Australian pianists Kristian Chong and Stephen McIntyre, and internationally-trained ensemble Latitude 37 and Daniel de Borah, these musicians are sure to wow and delight.

BACH Violin Sonata BWV 1017 (I)
SAINT-SAENS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Op.28
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto Op.64 (II-III)

Christian Li violin
Laurence Matheson piano

W | https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/events/2018/musicintheround

Laurence joins some of Australia's finest wind players to perform a program of wind music from around the world.

HAYDN String Quartet in G Major Op.77 (arr. D. Walter)
BARBER Summer Music
THUILLE Sextet for Piano and Winds Op. 6

Jessie Gu flute
Thomas Hutchinson oboe
Philip Arkinstall clarinet
Jack Schiller bassoon
Ian Wildsmith horn
Laurence Matheson piano

Tickets $40/$20 at the door

SHOSTAKOVICH Concerto No.1 for Piano and Trumpet Op.35
Other works to be announced

Laurence Matheson piano
Sam Beagley trumpet
ANAM Orchestra

Matheson and Kelly join forces once again to present an all-Schubert program live from the 3MBS Studios at the Abbotsford Convent

SCHUBERT Grand Rondeau in A major D.951
SCHUBERT Fantasie in f minor D.940

Listen at 3MBS 103.5 FM Melbourne, or streamed online at https://3mbs.org.au/

Laurence and Stewart present four masterpieces of the piano duo repertoire in the picturesque surroundings of the Cope Williams winery. The program begins Hummel's relatively unknown Grand Sonata, before two of Schubert's many wonderful pieces for the form and ending with the ever popular Mother Goose Suite by Ravel.

HUMMEL Grand Sonata Op.92
SCHUBERT Fantasie in f minor D.940
SCHUBERT Rondo in A major D.951
RAVEL Ma Mere l'Oye

Stewart Kelly, Laurence Matheson piano

W | http://copewilliams.com.au/recitals-at-romsey/

ROTA Trio for Flute, Violin and Piano
TAKTAKISHVILI Sonata for Flute and Piano in C
CUI Five Pieces for Flute, Violin an Piano Op.56

Rebecca Johnson flute
Yi Wang violin
Laurence Matheson piano

W | http://lyrebirdmusicsociety.org.au/

Our choreographic workshops have been a breeding ground for the brightest talents since the company’s earliest days. Australian legend Graeme Murphy, our resident choreographers Stephen Baynes and Tim Harbour, and new stars Alice Topp and Richard House all got their start creating world-premiere works on our dancers. 

This March, bodytorque: atelier gives you the chance to see creativity unfolding in a workshop setting as Ella Havelka, Jill Ogai, Tim Coleman, Richard House, Francois Lavignac, Mason Lovegrove and Jake Mangakahia present ballets made on their colleagues.

SCHUMANN Piano Quintet Op.44 (II,III)
Yi Wang violin
Tomomi Brennan violin
Jason Bunn viola
Melissa Chominsky cello
Laurence Matheson piano

Other works performed by musicians of Orchestra Victoria

8pm Thursday 1 March
8pm Friday 2 March - Free post-show Q&A Friday 2 March
3pm Saturday 3 March
8pm Saturday 3 March
Tickets: SOLD OUT

W | https://australianballet.com.au/the-ballets/bodytorque-atelier

Laurence joins one of Australia's finest pianists and ABC Classic FM host Kristian Chong in a delightful afternoon recital featuring two of the best loved works from the piano duo repertoire. The program begins with a light Mozart Sonata before moving on to one of the pillars of the romantic repertoire, Brahms' Sonata for Two Pianos. Many modern listeners will be more familiar with this piece as the Quintet for piano and strings but we will hear this in its original scoring for two pianos.

MOZART Sonata for Piano Four Hands in D major K.381
BRAHMS Sonata for Two Pianos Op.34b

SOLD OUT

Bookings and Enquiries:
P | 5975 2027
E | info@beleura.org.au

Across six concerts in a single day, the Bach Marathon presents J S Bach’s incredible output of masterworks, a cross section of works by his sons, and arrangements by other prominent composers who drew on Bach’s works for inspiration.

Concert 2: 12pm

Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonata No.4 BWV 1017 in C minor for violin and piano
Grace Wu, violin
Laurence Matheson, piano

Prelude in E-flat minor and Fugue in D-sharp minor, BWV 853

Franz Liszt
Variations on a Theme of Bach’s Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, S. 180

Johann Sebastian Bach
French Suite No. 5 in G, BWV 816
Concerto for Two Violins, Strings and Continuo in D minor, BWV 1043

Ian Munro, piano
Tristan Lee, piano
Elyanne Laussade, piano
Robin Wilson, violin
Christian Li, violin

W | https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/events/2018/bach-marathon-concert-2/