MEDIA/REVIEWS
A selection of recent reviews, articles and other media.
Click links to read full article.
Classical:NEXT - Feature Article - Limelight Magazine, 30/4/2019
AUSTRALIA’S CLASSICAL:NEXT TOP MUSICIANS
Three acts will present Australian music and musicians to the world as part of the Showcase Festival at the conference in Rotterdam.
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow: Australian & European tour, April-August 2018
Review - Canberra Critics Circle
“To the genres ‘art-song’ and ‘art-cinema’ we can now add ‘art-theatre’”
“Music composed and played by the Zephyr Quartet far more than accompanies the text. The moods created in sound are essential to our reactions and understanding of the story, offering us a sense of the universality of these ordinary lives which, I found, added an extra depth to my reading of the story. The music literally brought the text and action alive, in keeping with Daise Morrow’s ‘aspirations’”
Review - On The Town
“Zephyr Quartet…. collaborated to underpin the narrative with a rich and brooding score”
“The music score is impressive”
Review - Fest: Your Free Festival Guide
“This show's extra something comes from the Zephyr Quartet, which provides the perfect string accompaniment to Sarsaparillan life“
“After all of this your heart will be full and your eyes misty. It's an utterly gorgeous show”
Review - The Scotsman
“Zephyr Quartet… provide a perfectly judged soundscape for the action”
“The story unfolds with humour, sadness and some breath-taking moments of tenderness”
Aspsirations - Album release - April 2018
Feature Article - Limelight Magazine
On conjuring the smell of a weatherboard sink in music
Feature Article - Adelaide Review
Aspirations of Zephyr Quartet
Interview & Performance
on The Music Show, Radio National
Music in Anticlockwise / Fairweather @ OzAisa Festival - Review - 17/10/2017
" The dazzling mix of sound and imagery in this magical concert continued, with added images such as ticking clocks, floating musical notation and keyboards"
"The much in-demand Zephyr Quartet are outstanding" REALTIME
Between Light Podcast: Interview & performance by ABC Classic FM New Waves - 23/11/2016
Arrivals - Review - Dec16/Jan17
"Zephyr’s program note for Arrivals opens with the statement, “Australia is very much a nation of ‘boat people’, past and present,” and the concert is intended to celebrate the contribution migrants have made as well as draw our attention to the difficulties experienced both by Indigenous peoples and those attempting to travel here. Once again Zephyr has taken musical performance in new directions, creating a musical exposition on the politics of colonisation and migration and the crucial issue of asylum. Zephyr has shown how a concert can be developed around a significant and complex political theme, selecting music that relates to that theme and demonstrating how central it is to the conduct of debates on matters of national and international significance." REALTIME
Arrivals - Review - 15/11/16
"The intimacy created in this beautiful space made it worth while to come out on a Sunday. The clear explanations in the program contextualising the writing of new music pieces help bring their audience along with them as they work on re-inventing the genre of string quartet music for a contemporary generation. Zephyr Quartet do this brilliantly and the excellent musicianship, nuanced phrasing and universally great performances, ably led by first violin Belinda Gehlert and directed by cellist Hilary Kleinig in the engagement with the audience show the careful thinking and deliberate planning of the program which optimised this lively night of contemporary classical music making." ARTS HUB
Between Light - Review - 1/7/2016
"the performance is a wonderful marriage of light and sound......the audience is pulled into states of anticipation, ecstasy and even fear...........Guests should expect to be thrown through a gamut of emotion by this “conversation between light and sound”. Whether it is fingers of light reaching out between our excellent musicians, hypnotising other-worldly shapes creeping off the wall, or the tip of a violinist’s bow kissing the recreation of a cloud filled sky, Between Light is all-consuming." ADELAIDE REVIEW
Between Light - Review - 1/7/2016
"Between Light is an extraordinary hour: the Zephyr Quartet are excellent musicians, the five new compositions are beautiful, and the inventive lighting of the various areas places the audience within the experience and not merely as observers of it......this musical experience transports you to another time, another dimension." INDAILY
The Beginning of Nature with Australian Dance Theatre – Review - 15/03/2016
“Brendan Woithe’s sonorous score was given full value by the Zephyr Quartet playing on stage.”ADELAIDE REVIEW
Exquisite Corpse – Review - 14/03/2016
“a delightfully intriguing suite for string quartet” SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Exquisite Corpse – Review - Feb/March 2016
“Exquisite Corpse should be made into a movie.” REALTIME
Exquisite Corpse – Review - 09/03/2016
"Exquisite Corpse is an elaborate audiovisual work from Adelaide’s Zephyr Quartet that fairly twitches with life…..it’s quirky and strangely beautiful." THE AUSTRALIAN
Exquisite Corpse – Review - 08/03/2016
"...the genius of Zephyr’s risky undertaking is in their ability to unify this collaboration. There is a distinct lack of non sequitur. The progressions seem completely logical, and the piece achieves the mastery of creation without constraint. Despite composers being given only fragments from the previous writer to work from, there are recurring themes, both musically and artistically that serve to knit the piece not only into a comprehendible work, but one that strikes the perfect balance between tight control and total artistic freedom. The long moments of cohesion and passion are dazzling; Zephyr Quartet’s phrasing and interpretation of the innate beauty contained within many of the themes makes this a deeply moving artistic triumph.” LIMELIGHT
Exquisite Corpse – Review - 08/03/2016
“It’s a rare privilege to share in the world premiere of an exciting and innovative new work.” INDAILY
Exquisite Corpse – Review - 07/03/2016
“The wistful grace of Zephyr Quartet’s playing belies the very great depths of darkness some of these pieces of music reach, amplified often by the animations. Yet, it is darkness imbued with a wonderfully delicately cerebral, considered and romantic expression, gently and carefully expressed in each passage of cello and violin they were written for. Hence the contrast with the brightest, quickest works is all the more apparent, magnifying, alike to a microscope, the very many layers within the work as a whole.” THE BAREFOOT REVIEW
Contemporary Art Music in Adelaide – Feature - 01/03/2016
"Arguably Australia’s most lateral thinking and inventive ensemble...", Chris Reid profiles us among other contemporary art music makers in South Australia - characterised by passion, determination and inventiveness. MUSIC AUSTRALIA
Jóhann Jóhannson with Zephyr Quartet
at Perth International Arts Festival – Review – 01/03/2016
“Jóhann Jóhannson weaves a hypnotic spell….Accompanied by the brilliant Adelaide-based Zephyr Quartet…” THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 16/10/2015
“[Zephyr Quartet’s] music adds empathy and rich texture, beautifully helping to put White’s poetry in motion.” LIMELIGHT
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 16/10/2015
“…wrapping all this creativity together is the sensitive playing of the specially written score by the Zephyr Quartet, without which the whole could have become fragmented.” AUSSIE THEATRE
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 16/10/2015
“Interspersed throughout the audience are the four musicians from the Zephyr Quartet. The lively and evocative music they composed and play effectively drives the narrative, is entertaining, and creates a unique sense of place.” ARTSHUB
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 15/10/2015
“Central to the success of this beautifully crafted production is the music performed and jointly composed by Hilary Kleinig, Jason Thomas, Emily Tulloch and Belinda Gehlert of the Zephyr Quartet. From the playful pizzicato opening to the mellifluous Michael Nyman-esque loops of melody, they add a tenderness and warmth to the proceedings that serves Chris Drummond’s alchemic purpose. The acerbic Patrick White might not approve, but Daise Morrow would.” THE AUSTRALIAN
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 14/10/2015
“The quartet has created an original score which perfectly complements and never dominates the action. The music is evocative and beautiful making Zephyr Quartet one of the stand-out aspects of this production.” GLAM ADELAIDE
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 14/10/2015
‘There is the Zephyr Quartet: Hilary Kleinig, Belinda Gehlert, Jason Thomas, and Emily Tulloch. They are seated at four points among the audience, sometimes plucking strings in sweet tuneful eloquence and at others, rolling forth the atmosphere of this timeless Australian yesterday. It is intimate, perfectly balanced, and of mellow tonal beauty, with shades of swirling Philip Glass; the music embraces and caresses the audience. It is the final touch to the complete experience, to a particularly brilliant evocation of Patrick White Australiana.” THE BAREFOOT REVIEW
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 14/10/2015
“The Zephyr Quartet’s scoring of the piece is tasteful and unintrusive, but also nuanced and sophisticated.” STAGE WHISPERS
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow - Review - 14/10/2015
“The Zephyr Quartet plays throughout the evening and it is incredible how a string quartet can assist the setting for a dump, a funeral, a home or a truck; their involvement is instrumental, particularly in the most intimate moments.” INDAILY
The Aspirations of Daise Morrow – Blog Article – 18/09/2015 & onwards
Article by Hilary Kleinig on Zephyr Quartet’s involvement in Daise called ‘A conversation between words, music and space’.
RESONATE MAGAZINE / AUSTRALIAN MUSIC CENTRE
Música Anonymous - Review - 22/06/2015
“fresh and unique… They are a true a musical collective, praising modernity and individuality…delightful and enlightening”
GLAM ADELAIDE
Música Anonymous - Review - 17/06/2015
“This was an intriguing recital of unfamiliar repertoire which ventured far from the normal pathsof the usual concert repertoire. It was music which is clearly much loved by the performers who delivered it convincingly and in an array of styles appropriate to the wide range of traditional music which was covered." SOUNDS LIKE SYDNEY
A Rain from the Shadows - CD Review- 01/04/2015
“worth adding to any collection… Prepare to give A Rain from the Shadows your full attention.” THE MUSIC TRUST
Blow the Bloody Doors Off - Review - 12/03/2015
“performed splendidly” GLAM ADELAIDE
Music for Strings and iThings - Review - Feburary/March 2015
“Zephyr’s relentless quest for musical and compositional originality and their work with diverse collaborators continues to position them at the forefront of innovation.” REALTIME
Music for Strings and iThings - Review - 16/11/2014
“It was an outstanding evening visually and aurally, using state-of-the-art media, skilful artistic invention, and expert musicianship.”
THE ADVERTISER
Cult Classics - Review - 18/02/2015
“… passion, camaraderie and impeccable musicianship…refreshingly unique.” THE CLOTHESLINE
Cult Classics - Review - 17/02/2015
“an enlightening experience… The success of the performance lay with the ingenuity of the arrangements and the fine playing of the Zephyr Quartet… great fun.” THE ADVERTISER
Cult Classics - Review - 15/02/2015
“The performance is watertight… Zephyr Quartet extracts the emotional marrow of the songs, and creates something anew.”
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