Trio Élan

Trio Élan consists of a dynamic partnership between three of New Zealand's well-known and highly experienced musicians in a programme for the unusual combination of violin, saxophone and piano. Donald Armstrong (violin), Sarah Watkins (piano) and Simon Brew (saxophone) combine their considerable skills to present a variety of colourful music from France, New Zealand, Argentina and the United States.

Donald Armstrong is widely respected as the Associate Concertmaster of the NZSO and an enthusiastic chamber music performer, Sarah Watkins, formerly pianist with NZ Trio, is highly regarded as a fine collaborative pianist, and Simon Brew, a member of Saxcess and Tango Virtuosi, is now Music Director of the Wellington Sinfonietta.

The programme opens with an energetic Trio by American composer, saxophonist and bassoonist Russ Peterson. Peter Liley’s Deux Images is a miniature introducing us to the work of this young NZ composer. That will be followed by the major work of the day – Debussy’s astonishingly beautiful Violin Sonata.

Debussy and Ravel’s use of the magical sound of the saxophone has influenced later composers such as Algerian-born Marc Eychenne whose evocative and beguiling Cantilène and Dance we will hear next. Popular New Zealand composer Gareth Farr contributes a lyrical Meditation and a toe-tapping Tango. And from Astor Piazzolla - Argentina’s greatest master of Tango – we can experience the yearning nostalgia of Otoño Porteño (Autumn in Buenos Aires).

This concert is presented in association with Chamber Music New Zealand. The CMNZ Regional Series is supported by the Deane Endowment Trust Artist Development Fund.

Door sales will be available for this concert, or tickets can be purchased from Waikanae New World, Moby Dicken's Books in Paraparaumu Beach or from the Society's website.

Programme:
Russ Peterson - Trio for Alto Saxophone, Violin & Piano
Peter Liley - Deux Images for Trio
Claude Debussy - Violin Sonata in G minor
Marc Eychenne - Cantilène and Dance
Gareth Farr - Meditation (saxophone and piano)
Astor Piazzolla - Otoño Porteño
Gareth Farr - Tango- Un Verano de Passion