Orava Quartet

The Orava Quartet has been hailed by Limelight magazine as “the most exciting young quartet on the block” and predicted by The Australian to become “one of Australia’s proudest cultural exports.” Earning a reputation for thrilling performances, brothers Daniel and Karol Kowalik (violin and cello), violinist David Dalseno and violist Thomas Chawner together bring their unique sound and breathtaking intensity to the classics and less-known jewels of the string quartet repertoire.

Orava Quartet has toured to North America, Asia, the UAE and New Zealand, undertaking an early residency with the Takács Quartet in the USA and winning top prizes at the 2013 Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition. Since returning to Australia, the Oravas continue in their ninth year as Quartet-in-Residence with Camerata – Queensland’s chamber orchestra, and perform at venues and festivals around Australia, with a return tour to Canada in 2023. Following their widely acclaimed debut recording for UMA/Deutsche Grammophon for its first Australian recording in 2018, the Quartet’s second album, Orawa, is scheduled for June release. www.oravaquartet.com

Stefan Cassomenos

Melbourne pianist and composer Stefan Cassomenos is one of Australia’s most vibrant and versatile musicians. He has been performing internationally since the age of 10, and is now established as one of Australia’s leading pianists. As the recipient of multiple prizes including the Second Grand Prize in the prestigious International Telekom Beethoven Competition Bonn 2013, Cassomenos has performed throughout Europe and Asia, and now performs regularly in Australia, Germany and the UK.

He has performed concertos with several major Australian symphony orchestras, as well as orchestras overseas. Cassomenos is a founding member of chamber ensemble PLEXUS, which since launching in 2014 has commissioned and premiered over 110 new works. Cassomenos’ own compositions are regularly commissioned and performed throughout Australia. Cassomenos is joint Artistic Director of Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, with violinist Monica Curro. Cassomenos is generously supported by Kawai Australia. www.cassomenos.com

Program:

William Byrd – Ave Verum Corpus

Tomas Luis De Victoria – O magnum mysterium

Schulhoff – Five Pieces for string quartet (1924)

Schumann – Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op.44