Friday lunchtime at St Stephen’s

Three works by Rachmaninov are on the programme when pianist Raisa Dobrinsky and cellist Gregory Elmaloglu present a Friday lunchtime concert at St Stephen’s Uniting Church on Macquarie Street.

Opening the concert is the Vocalise opus 34 No 14. Originally written as a wordless vocal exercise with piano accompaniment, it is an exquisite concert piece in its own right. There are several transcriptions, the one for cello is perhaps amongst the most popular.

The Elegie opus 3 No1 is the first of five pieces from that opus, also known as Cinq Morceau pour piano. Composed in 1892 when he was just 19 it was his first published piano work.

The Sonata in G minor opus 19 premiered in Moscow in 1902 with the composer himself at the piano with the cellist Anatoliy Brandukov. Rachmaninov’s writing treats the two instruments equally .

Raisa Dobrinsky was an outstanding graduate of the Mussorgsky College of Music as well as the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, from which she graduated with honours in solo recital, chamber music, accompaniment and teaching. Immigrating to Australia in 1977, Raisa has been teaching part-time at the Conservatoriums of Sydney and Wollongong, allowing time to pursue her career as a concert performer. She has performed regularly with leading Australian music groups and given many solo recitals and radio broadcasts.

Gregory Elmaloglou is a graduate of Lyons Conservatorium, France, where he was born. As a member of the Austral String Quartet since 1959, he undertook two international tours, playing in 15 countries.  Later he founded the Trio Australis, and in partnership with Raisa Dobrinksy, has given many concerts and broadcasts. Gergory has made solo appearances at the ABC Prom concerts and Gold Concerts, and has been soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for whom he was the Associate Principal Cellist from 1972 – 1992.  He has made numerous television broadcast appearances for the ABC.