Music in the Regions’ inaugural program activates new creative spaces across NSW

Music in the Regions has released its inaugural program of inspiring events bringing musicians and audiences together at a variety of NSW settings from the Gunning Courthouse and Temora railway to the National Theatre in Braidwood and the Southern Cross Cinema in Young.

Music in the Regions is a new independent touring organisation established to connect classical musicians with regional audiences hungry for rich cultural experiences. Its first program, announced today, spans hundreds of kilometres and features a delightfully wide range of venues across the state.

In a model that will be repeated in future programs across NSW, the musicians involved in 2022 will return to these same communities every year for the next three years. This will help strengthen relationships with audiences, extend opportunities for local artists and open the door for other musicians by establishing new touring routes throughout the state.

 This first series of performances will be led by Acacia Quartet, one of Australia’s most dynamic, versatile musical ensembles. The quartet will also take part in workshops and professional development sessions to stimulate regional creativity and leave a legacy that endures for years to come.

Currently ensemble in residence at the Orange Regional Conservatorium, Acacia Quartet will present a program that combines work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Alexander Borodin along with the sought-after young Australian composer Alice Chance.

Founded in 2010, and spread out across regional NSW, Acacia Quartet (Lisa Stewart and Myee Clohessy, violin; Stefan Duwe, viola; Anna Martin-Scrase, cello) has won respect from audiences and critics alike for its versatile and inventive programs. Their engagements in Australia include the Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall and Melbourne Recital Hall, as well as extensive touring through regional NSW and Victoria.

Their first performance takes place on 2nd March in Goulburn as part of the launch of the Hume Conservatorium Creative Precinct. Subsequent performances will take place across the state over the following week.

Also performing in Braidwood will be a special guest from the Southern Tablelands: Rachel Johnston, former cellist for the Australian String Quartet.

Music in the Regions will announce the details of its second program, which spreads into different parts of NSW, in coming weeks.

NSW Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin notes “The NSW Government is supporting more classical music performances to hit the road through the Music in the Regions initiative, and I am confident that regional audiences in Braidwood, Cowra, Goulburn, Gunning, Temora and Young will be delighted by classical music performances led by the Acacia Quartet as part of the inaugural program.”

Music in the Regions Executive Director Janine Collins advises “this is the beginning of our long-term partnerships with regional communities in NSW. We’re using music to build connections that endure well into the future, which is why we’re looking forward to coming back to these same areas every year for the next three years.

“This is all about offering regional audiences new opportunities to engage with music close to home, activating new creative spaces, raising the profile of regional artists and making it easier for other musicians to travel more widely by reducing the risk of touring. For this first program, it’s been wonderful working with community volunteers, learning about the passion that already exists for classical music, so I’m excited about supporting what so many people are doing so well as we work to reveal further details of performances across the state.”

Acacia Quartet viola player Stefan Duwe adds “Regional NSW is our home. We love playing in large concert halls in the city but there’s something particularly special about performing for smaller audiences in the regions. We just love it. These performances are a chance to meet people we might not otherwise meet and to engage with audiences who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to hear music of this kind.”

The inaugural tour throughout regional NSW will encompass:

• 2nd March 2022 - Hume Conservatorium, Goulburn (opening of the Hume Conservatorium Creative Precinct)

• 4th March 2022 - Old Courthouse, Gunning

• 5th March 2022 - Hume Conservatorium, Goulburn (open day)

• 6th March 2022 - National Theatre, Braidwood

• 8th March 2022 - Young Regional Conservatorium (string development day)

• 9th March 2022 -  Southern Cross Cinema, Young (launch of the Off the Beaten Path Cultural Trail)

• 10th March 2022 - Platform Y, Railway Precinct, Temora

• 11th March 2022 - Cowra Civic Centre, Cowra.

Images: The Acacia Quartet