Townsville's winter chamber music festival

Chase the sun to Townsville for spectacular winter chamber music festival Winter is well and truly upon us, but sunny skies and breathtaking backdrops will welcome the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) to tropical Townsville in under one month when the festival opens again for its 24th

For nine days, Townsville will be transformed into a vibrant cultural hub showcasing an impressive lineup of national and international artists performing over 100 works ranging from audience favourites to fresh, interactive programming; all staged in the balmy winter temperatures of Far North Queensland.

Piers Lane AO, returning for his eighth consecutive year as Artistic Director, is particularly excited to see the dramatic wartime experiences of Polish composer Andrzej Panufnik brought to life through the spoken words of Tama Matheson (Australia) and the musical talent of the Camerata of St.
John’s (Australia), Martin Roscoe (UK) and Tasmin Little (UK).

“Panufnik led an extraordinary life and I am thrilled to see his works animated by some exceptionally talented performers, especially during this centenary year of his birth.

This year’s programme includes some unique festival events, such as the Concert Crawl and the online hunt for the greatest Forgotten String Quartet. I’m looking forward to sharing this wonderful programme of events with festival guests very soon,” said Piers Lane.

Commencing just as the sun dips below the horizon, the Ray Golding Sunset Series includes four evenings of brilliant chamber music including Belgian Chocolates, where Dene Olding, Irina Morozova, Julian Smiles, Piers Lane, Tasmin Little, Diana Doherty and Tamara-Anna Cislowska

celebrate music by famed Belgian composers. Another concert in the series, Bach by Candlelight 1, treats the audience to a number of Bach’s compositions, including the ‘Coffee Cantata’ as well as Composer in Residence Elena Kats-Chernin’s Re-inventions performed by candlelight in the Townsville Civic Theatre.

The lavish Chefs in the North dinner signals the beginning of the festival and hosts Maggie Beer and Damien Beaumont will guide diners through a fabulous evening of fine food, accompanied by the delectable sounds of chamber music.

Interest in this year’s festival programme has been exceptionally strong from the outset, with a number of events already sold out, including the Concert Crawl and Palm Island concert. Chefs in the North and concert tickets are still on sale so don’t miss the chance to experience one of the most sought after events in North Queensland this year. Some of the best value ticket packages include the ‘Festival Starter Pack’, the perfect introduction a festival experience, and the ‘Festival Four’ where you can mix and match Sunset and Evening concerts.

AFCM principal partners include The Australian Government, Tourism and Events Queensland, Townsville City Council, Arts Queensland and Australian Council for the Arts. The multi-award winning Australian Festival of Chamber Music is recognised as a major event on the Tourism and Events Queensland calendar.

For more information, festival highlights and Townsville destination advice, visit www.afcm.com.au

Australian Festival of Chamber Music | 1st – 9th August 2014 | Townsville, North Queensland

www.afcm.com.au #afcm14