Selby & Friends’ Proud Folk Explores Cultural Roots From Around The World

Chamber ensemble Selby & Friends explores Proud Folk, a program of piano trios mirroring the cultural and folkloric roots of composers with diverse origins from around the globe.

Selby & Friends will showcase the unique musical language of Elena Kats-Chernin’s Ukrainian homeland, Dvořák’s Bohemia and the colours of Ravel’s Basque heritage that stamp his compositions with the vernacular of Impressionist France.

Joining Artistic Director and pianist Kathryn Selby AM for Proud Folk are two impeccable musicians, Australian virtuoso violinist Natalie Chee and cellist Julian Smiles, long-time friends of Selby who appear regularly with Selby & Friends but now for the very first time together.

Sydney-born violinist Natalie Chee returns home for this tour  from Germany where she is Concertmaster of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has built a stellar international career as concertmaster of Camerata Salzburg and guest concertmaster with many of the world’s great orchestras. Julian Smiles is one of Australia’s leading cellists and a member of the award-winning Goldner String Quartet and the Australia Ensemble @UNSW. Australian chamber music pianist Kathryn Selby AM is the recipient of numerous international performance awards as well as a driving entrepreneurial force on the chamber music scene. She has created in Selby & Friends, the unique performance concept of chamber music concerts in intimate, casual settings featuring a rotating cast of acclaimed guest musicians from both home and abroad. A hallmark of the series is the communication by the artists from the stage about their personal experiences as musicians.

The programme: Elena Kats-Chernin The Spirit and the Maiden (2004) / Antonín Dvořák Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 21 / Maurice Ravel Piano Trio in A minor

The performers: Natalie Chee – Violin | Julian Smiles – Cello | Kathryn Selby – Piano

Tickets or call  1300 511 099