Famed musicologist and mental health advocate Stephen Johnson is set to lead a standout British contingent for the 2023 Australian Festival of Chamber Music that includes both Co-Artistic Directors of the London Piano Festival!
This year, 39 world-class musicians and artists will fly into the North Queensland capital for the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) from 28 July to 6 August, including 13 internationals.
The British contingent is the who’s who of the chamber music world, led of course by AFCM Artistic Director himself, Jack Liebeck. They include Timothy Ridout, a BBC New Generation Artist and one of the most sought-after violists of his generation; Matthew Hunt, one of Europe’s leading clarinettists; Katy Woolley who was appointed principal horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra at age 22; viola player Sally Beamish, who will attend as Composer-in-Residence; in-demand Welsh cellist Thomas Carroll, pianist Charles Owen who is Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School and is Co-Artistic Director of London Piano Festival, and Russian-born UK pianist Katya Apekisheva who is the Artistic Director of the London Piano Festival.
Of the 11, it’s the first time to the AFCM for Timothy Ridout, Matthew Hunt, Katy Woolley, Thomas Carroll, and Katherine Butler, and the first time to Australia for Stephen Johnson, Sally Beamish and Peter Thompson.
The AFCM promises to be a joyous 10-day celebration in the glorious winter sun of North Queensland in Townsville- Gurambilbarra. What’s more, guests can expect a deeper dive into the science and exploration of music this year through the AFCM Illuminates series of lectures and events.
Artistic Director, the internationally acclaimed violinist Jack Liebeck and fellow Brit said, “after talking to audiences last year, it made me realise that our audience doesn’t just want to experience music in a passive way, they want to understand it on a deeper level. With that in mind we will welcome brilliant British musicologist, composer, and presenter Stephen Johnson to Townsville this year.”
Stephen will discuss his famed book “How Shostakovich Changed My Mind”, the primary focus of which is Dmitri Shostakovich’s music and how it relates to his own struggles with trauma and mental illness, as well as his life as a composer, author and broadcaster. In addition, Stephen’s Angel’s Arc is being performed in an Australian premiere, with fellow British composer Sally Beamish playing viola. See the four events Stephen Johnson is involved in here.
“Building on the AFCM Illuminates lectures introduced in 2022, Stephen will guide us through the music of Messiaen, the life of a composer in discussion with our composer-in-residence Sally Beamish, and the power of the critics in the life of a piece of music,” Jack continued.
The 2023 AFCM features a stunning program of 34 concerts and special events, including five world premieres. See the full program here.
Australian Festival of Chamber Music – 28 July to 6 August 2023 in Townsville-Gurambilbarra, North Queensland. Concert tickets, Festival passes and holiday packages on sale now.
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