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A group of ardent baroque music lovers launched Festival Baroque 2009 with a recital at the Janet Holmes à Court Gallery in August, followed by two public concerts in Government House Ballroom and the Perth Town Hall.
The launch was kindly hosted by Dr Janet Holmes à Court. Guests enjoyed a wonderful sample of baroque music performed by soprano Sara Macliver accompanied by Stewart Smith on harpsichord and Jenny Coleman playing trumpet. The concerts were performed by Sara Macliver and Fiona Campbell (mezzo-soprano) and the Festival
Baroque Ensemble led by violinist Paul Wright. The program included the Western Australian premiere of Handel’s Gloria discovered in the Royal Academy of Music library in 2001. Critical acclaim ensued, with The West Australian newspaper headlining its review with “Baroque Sensation Takes Gold!”.

Festival Baroque is bringing Australia’s first ever baroque music festival to Perth. This will be a celebration of music composed between 1600 and 1750 by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Scarlatti, Purcell, Rameau and others.

Next year is the 250th anniversary of the death of George Frederic Handel and the inaugural festival will highlight the work of this great German-born English citizen. Festival Baroque will also include a scholarly symposium, with presentations on baroque music and staging by internationally respected scholars.

The Festival Baroque committee has come up with a new system of acknowledging the key role of its supporters. It has developed a framework for ‘Baroque Benefactors’ who will receive priority tickets for concerts, and invitations to special concerts and events; they will meet the artists at special functions, and be acknowledged in the community for supporting this excellent project.

Festival Baroque is supported by the School of Music and the Leah Jane Cohen Bequest. For more information, please contact Claire McGowan on 6488 2054; email at [email protected] ; or online at https://www.music.uwa.edu.au/about/festivalbaroque

Media references

Claire McGowan
Telephone (+61 8) 6488 2054