We're heading to Flinders! Join us for three concerts at the Peninsula Summer Music Festival, an incredible musical program amid the historic churches, wineries and hot springs of Victoria’s stunning Mornington Peninsula in January 2025.

LOVE & LIFE

featuring Jacqueline Porter, soprano
Saturday 4 January, 7.00pm
Flinders Civic Hall
56 Cook Street, Flinders

photo credit: Milk Photography

Lose yourself in the Romantic emotion of three beloved European composers with soprano Jacqueline Porter and Principal Musicians of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra. Dramatic Grieg and Schubert string quartets led by Rachael Beesley frame Schumann’s song cycle ‘Frauenlieben und Leben’, exploring a woman’s love and life from first passion to last breath, ending with Schubert’s longing ‘Shepherd on the Rock’ featuring soprano Jacqueline Porter and clarinettist Nicole van Bruggen.

PROGRAM

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
String Quartet No.2 in F Major, EG 117

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Frauenliebe und Leben, Op.42 (arr. Shauna Beesley)

Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
String Quartet No.7 in D major, D.94

Franz Schubert
Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (Shepherd on the Rock), D.965 (arr. Shauna Beesley)

MUSICIANS

Jacqueline Porter, soprano
Nicole van Bruggen, clarinet
Rachael Beesley, violin
Alison Rayner, violin
Stephen King, viola
Rosanne Hunt, cello
Stuart Riley, double bass

(click on each name to learn more)

Tickets $75.


THE SUNRISE

Sunday 5 January , 2.00pm
St John's Anglican Church
50 Barker St, Flinders

photo credit: Robert Catto

A clarinet melody, rising like the sun from shimmering strings. Five of Australia’s most brilliant musicians, including violinist Rachael Beesley and clarinettist Nicole van Bruggen. Works beloved and new from an age of discovery and emotion by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven with a newly commissioned work by Australian composer Nicole Murphy. Bask in the luscious sonorities of rare historical instruments. Experience ‘The Sunrise.’

PROGRAM

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
String Quartets arranged by Vincenzo Gambaro as Clarinet Quartet No.1 in B flat major

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
String Quartet No.4 in C major, K.157 (1772)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Cavatina from String Quartet No.13 in E flat major, Op.130

Nicole Murphy (b.1983)
Wavelength for historical basset clarinet and string quartet

MUSICIANS

Nicole van Bruggen, clarinets
Rachael Beesley, violin
Alison Rayner, violin
Stephen King, viola
Rosanne Hunt, cello

(click on each name to learn more)

Tickets $65.


YOUNG MANNHEIM SYMPHONISTS

Saturday 4 January, 2.00pm
St John’s Anglican Church
50 Barker St, Flinders

photo credit: Wallis Media

Three of Australia’s brightest young musicians gather to perform showcase works for violin, viola and double bass with acclaimed pianist Donald Nicolson. Highly trained in historically informed performance through the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra’s prestigious Young Mannheim Symphonists programs, these YMS Emerging Artists lead us on a journey of delight and discovery through Europe’s Classical Age of Enlightenment.

The Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra’s Young Mannheim Symphonists Emerging Artists program supports pre- and early-professional musicians as they begin their careers in historically informed performance.

PROGRAM

Johann Baptist Wanhal (1739-1813)
Divertimento in G major for violin, viola and double bass

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Violin Concerto No.3 in G major K.216 - I. Allegro

Mikhail Glinka (1825-1828)
Viola Sonata in D minor - I. Allegro Moderato

Carl Ditters van Dittersdorf (1739-1799)
Concerto No.2 in D major, Kr.172 for Double Bass -II. Adagio III. Allegro

YMS EMERGING ARTISTS

Helena Kozdra, violin
Neil Wang, viola
Jude Hill, double bass

Donald Nicolson, piano

Tickets $40.


MEET OUR YMS 2025 EMERGING ARTISTS

Helena Kozdra.

Helena Kozdra (violin) attends the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. A student of Lucy Warren, she has completed three YMS Academies (National and VIC), has attended Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camp and performs with Melbourne Youth Orchestra and Combined Schools Orchestra.

Neil Wang.

Neil Wang (viola) attends Scotch College, where he is the Vice-Captain of Music and Captain of Strings. A student of Ben Castle, he is a graduate of two YMS Academies (National and VIC), a member of Melbourne Youth Orchestra and conductor of the Combined Schools Orchestra.

Jude Hill.

Jude Hill (double bass) is a performance major at the University of Melbourne. A student of Emma Sullivan, Jude is a graduate of three YMS Academies (National and VIC) and AYO National Music Camp, has performed with Melbourne Baroque Orchestra and the University of Melbourne Symphony, Philharmonic and Baroque Ensemble, and has sung with Exaudi Youth Choir.