2020
New Album:
Cloud Day
A joint collaboration between Australian composer Calogero Panvino, bassoonist Matthew Kneale and Nicholas Young, exploring celebrated and new repertoire for piano and bassoon.
A joint collaboration between Australian composer Calogero Panvino, bassoonist Matthew Kneale and Nicholas Young, exploring celebrated and new repertoire for piano and bassoon.
Ensemble Francaix are honoured to be named joint winners of the inaugural Queensland International Chamber Music Competition. Over two competitive rounds of competition, the ensemble presented their first public performance of Ian Whitney's challenging Knismesis and Gargalesis, alongside masterpieces of the oboe-bassoon-piano trio repertory by Poulenc, Francaix and Previn.
BEETHOVEN Quintet for Piano & Winds
POULENC Sextet for Piano & Winds
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27 SEPTEMBER 2020, 2:30 PM
Tempo Rubato, Brunswick
BORODIN In the Steppes of Central Asia
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1 'Classical' (arr. Chris Martin)
RAVEL Pavane for a Dead Princess
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition
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I love maths. I also love outerspace.
29 March | arr. premiere
New Work (TBA)
29 March | World Premiere
I touched your glistening tears
29 March | arr. premiere
Seeing Earth
26 April | World Premiere
New Work (TBA)
26 April | World Premiere
Fantasy on 'Les Bijoux de Castafiore'
26 April | World Premiere
Ensemble Françaix is thrilled to share with listeners the joy of mixed ensemble collaboration, inspired by the wit and vibrancy of the 20th-century neoclassical French composer Jean Françaix. The Melbourne-based group was founded in 2016 by oboist Emmanuel Cassimatis (MSO, MCO), bassoonist Matthew Kneale (MSO, TSO, OV, Arcadia Winds) and pianist Nicholas Young (Finalist ABC Young Performers Awards 2011), who together form the ensemble’s core as a ’double-reeded’ piano trio. The ensemble incorporates further emerging and established Australian performers as guest artists according to the instrumental needs of each concert program, crafting unique sound palettes for each recital experience that especially celebrate the neglected virtuosity and versatility of woodwinds.
Ensemble Françaix made its international debut in 2017 at the 9th Osaka International Chamber Music Festa, and in 2019 were joint winners of the inaugural Queensland International Chamber Music Competition. Alongside classic trios by Françaix, Poulenc, and Previn, the ensemble has premiered and commissioned new works by Australian composers including Stuart Greenbaum, Paul Dean, Katia Beaugeais, and Peter de Jager, and strives to encourage the further development of Australian new music repertoire that showcases the colours and virtuosity of oboe, bassoon and piano combined.
Emmanuel Cassimatis has served as Guest Principal Oboist of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and Casual Oboist of the Tasmanian and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria. An alumnus of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and former Principal Oboist of the Australian Youth Orchestra, he has performed internationally in many of the world's most prestigious concert halls. Among his wide repertoire, Emmanuel has particular expertise in the music of J.S. Bach, having publicly performed all but two of his approximately two hundred Cantatas.
basoon
Matthew Kneale is Casual Bassoonist of the Melbourne, Adelaide, Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Wellington, Orchestra Victoria and Victorian Opera. He is a former graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and maintains an active career performing chamber and orchestral music in both Brisbane and Melbourne. Active also as bassoonist and co-founder of Arcadia Winds, Matthew has emerged as one of the prime musicians and artistic thinkers of his generation, and was named winner of the 2017 Freedman Classical Fellowship. www.matthewkneale.com.au
A graduate of Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg, Nicholas Young has enjoyed a diverse career as solo, chamber and orchestral pianist. He has been a major prizewinner of several national and international competitions, and has performed concerti with the Vienna International Orchestra and Adelaide, West Australian, Queensland and Willoughby Symphony Orchestras.
www.nicholasyoungpiano.com
If you have a question, would like to get in touch, or be included in Ensemble Françaix's mailing list, fill in the online form or send an email to: info@ensemblefrancaix.com