Musica Viva Australia

Van Diemen's Band & Bernard Cuiller

Announcement

Tickets are also available as part of a subscription from Musica Viva Australia.

Conservatorium Theatre, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University


20 Feb 2027, 7pm
$74 - $138

A transaction fee of $7.90 applies.

Discounts Available

Concession, Child, Youth, Groups

more info

2 hours

(including interval, subject to change without notice)

Virtuosity and curiosity at the frontiers of the Baroque.

Twenty years after first making music together, two kindred spirits reunite to open Musica Viva Australia’s 2027 Season. Celebrated French harpsichordist Bertrand Cuiller makes his Australian debut, joining Julia Fredersdorff and Van Diemen's Band, her acclaimed ensemble of Baroque adventurers.

This program traces a vibrant web of musical exchange, shaped by the flow of composers and scores between Europe's cultural capitals. At its heart is Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, fizzing with brilliant keyboard writing. Its three movements become pillars around which music from the courts and theatres of 17th-century England swirls: the sparkle of Purcell, the ceremony of Handel, the shadowy wit of Locke. Rare gems from Picforth, Brade and Schop, and a new work from Jane Sheldon, inspired by Byrd, transport us to the furthest corners of a rich and unexpected musical world.

Special thanks to Musica Viva Australia Ensemble Patrons Ian Dickson AM and Reg Holloway for their generous support of this tour.

Program

LOCKE Consort of Four Parts, No. 1: Fantazie
JS BACH Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052
PICFORTH In Nomine a 5, MB 57
BRADE Uppsala Düben Collection: I. Coral
PURCELL Curtain Tune from Timon of Athens
HANDEL Water Music HWV 350 (selections)
Donald NICOLSON (after Schop & Dowland) Lachrimae
LOCKE Music from The Tempest (selections)
Jane SHELDON New work*

*World premiere performances. Commissioned for Musica Viva Australia.


"Intimate, dazzling and full of wonder"

- BBC Classical Music Magazine

"Performances of the highest calibre and an infectiously enthusiastic stage presence"

- Sydney Morning Herald

"Cuiller is a master of the ebb and flow of harpsichord sound."

- The Observer

Important Information

Accessibility at Queensland Conservatorium – South Bank

Our South Bank venues are fully accessible for mobility, vision, deaf or hard-of-hearing patrons. For wheelchair access and assistance, contact Queensland Conservatorium Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on (07) 3735 6241 or via email at concerts@griffith.edu.au

Presented by Musica Viva Australia

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