Dimitri Ashkenazy And Bridget Bolliger Perform With Woollahra Philharmonic

The Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra returns this spring with Grandeur, a thrilling concert of Mozart, Brahms and Danzia, featuring the exciting talents of two instrumental virtuosi.

Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Lee Bracegirdle directs the WPO in Mozart’s bustling Overture to The Marriage of Figaro,
Brahms’ stirring Symphony No 3 and a spectacular double concerto, Danzi’s Sinfonia Concertante, featuring the internationally renowned clarinettist, Dimitri Ashkenazy and acclaimed Australian flautist, Bridget Bolliger.

The Saturday early evening and Sunday afternoon concerts take place in the beautiful atmosphere and magical acoustic of historic St Columba’s Church Woollahra.

Lee Bracegirdle studied conducting at Salzburg’s Mozarteum and later in Sydney with Sir Charles Mackerras, Carlo Felice Cillario, Vernon Handley, and Eduardo Mata. He made his conducting debut with the Orchestra of the Mozarteum and presently guest conducts in Australia and Latin America. Since 1996 he has been Musical Director of the Australian Chamber Ballet. He tours internationally is a French horn virtuoso. He has won many awards for his performing, conducting and compositions.

American-born Dimitri Ashkenazy is a graduate of Conservatory of Lucerne who has performed widely, both as soloist and chamber musician as well as featuring on multiple CD recordings. He has appeared at the Royal Festival Hall in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Hollywood Bowl with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony and SBS Youth Orchestras, at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and in Japan with the Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony and Mito Chamber Orchestras. An active chamber musician, he has performed with the Kodály, Endellion, Heath, Brodsky and Faust Quartets and with partners such as Barbara Bonney, Helmut Deutsch, Bernd Glemser, David Golub, Edita Gruberova, Ariane Haering, Antonio Meneses, Cristina Ortiz, Maria João Pires, and of course his brother Vovka, his father Vladimir Ashkenazy, and his partner, violist Ada Meinich.

Australian-Swiss flautist Bridget Bolliger was born in Sydney, where she distinguished herself early, studying under Jenny Andrews,
Jane Rutter and Vernon Hill, performing Ibert’s Flute Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the age of 15. She graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium High School and was awarded the ASCM with Merit by New South Wales Conservatorium of Music. She continued her studies at the Basel Music Academy winning many scholarships, competitions and attending elite masterclasses including with Jean-Pierre Rampal and Claudio Abbado. After graduating with the prestigious Soloistʼs Diploma, Ms Bolliger was appointed Principal Flute with the St Gallen Symphony Orchestra and has since appeared as Guest Principal Flute with the Basel Symphony Orchestra, Zürich Opera Orchestra, Zürich Chamber Orchestra and the Sinfonica de São Paulo. Since returning to Australia she has played with the SSO, MSO, Qld Orchestra, ACO and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. Bridget is founder of the New Sydney Wind Quintet and founder and Artistic Director of the annual Sydney Chamber Music Festival.

The performers: Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra, Lee Bracegirlde, Conductor | Bridget Bolliger, flute | Dimitri Ashkenazy, clarinet
The programme: Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro | Brahms: Symphony No.3 | Danzia: Sinfonia Concertante

Tickets $35/$25/$20 | Children under 12 free

Bookings or at the door