Art Meets Music at Zephyr's SALA Concerts

The work of three of South Australia’s most innovative artisans – string ensemble Zephyr Quartet, acclaimed furniture designer Khai Liew and Adelaide composer, Stephen Whittington – will be celebrated this August in a unique concert series coinciding with the 2010 South Australian Living Artists Festival.

Presented by Sight Specific Music, Zephyr Quartet’s ‘Hunting: Gathering’ concerts will be performed at Khai Liew Design (Norwood) on August 1 and 5 in conjunction with Collectors – an exhibition of new works by Liew and six other pre-eminent Australian artists.

Sight Specific Music is a concert series model which matches a composer and performers to an exhibition by a visual artist. As well as commissioning a new work, the musical program is inspired by the artist/s and their art – creating a unique performance experience for audiences to interact with the visual artwork during the concert.

 In compiling the ‘Hunting: Gathering’ program, Zephyr Quartet and Whittington sought inspiration from the upcoming Collectors exhibition which, in addition to Liew, features artists Kirsten Coelho, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Bruce Nuske and Prue Venables (ceramics), along with Julie Blyfield (metal) and Jessica Loughlin (glass). Each artist’s work will be integrated within an individual design by Liew – resulting in a collection of six, one-off furniture items.

The centrepiece of ‘Hunting: Gathering’ will be Zephyr Quartet’s world premiere performance of a new work by composer Stephen Whittington. The program will also include music by J.S. Bach, Kevin Volans and Erik Satie.

“My new piece for Zephyr Quartet – entitled ‘…from a thatched hut’ - works with some ideas of traditional Chinese philosophy and art, particularly those associated with scholars and literati,” says Whittington. “When I first saw Khai's furniture I was struck by the way it resembled classical Ming furniture, while still being very contemporary. The simplicity of the lines, the honesty in the use of material, a certain kind of spiritual refinement - these are qualities I hope to evoke in the music.”

3pm Sunday August 1, 2010
8pm Thursday August 5,2010
Khai Liew Design: 166 Magill Road, Norwood SA

TICKETS: $30 full / $20 concession (plus booking fee)
BOOKINGS: BASS 131 246 or www.bass.net.au

Pictured: Violinist Emily Tulloch with Khai Liew at Khai Liew Design. Photograph: Shane Reid