This year’s Tait Winter Prom, showcasing fantastic young Australian classical performing artists, is set to be the biggest yet.
The concert, presented by the Tait Memorial Trust and supported by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, will take place on 09 December at St John’s Smith Square. It is the largest London event yet put on by the Trust and features a host of amazingly talented Aussie awardees including celebrated pianist, Jayson Gillham and acclaimed soprano, Elena Xanthoudakis.
Kelly Lovelady is set to conduct The Tait Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble of more than twenty young Australian musicians, to accompany the soloists. Kimberley Busteed, Miss Australia 2007, will be MC for the evening.
Jayson Gillham playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat and Mozart’s beautiful concert aria, Ch’io miscordi di te?, with Xanthoudakis are sure to be highlights.
An enthralling programme of ballet will begin the second half of the evening.
The MacMillan Estate has given permission for a special performance of the Pie Jesu solo from Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet Requiem. Australian ballerina and new Tait Patron, Leanne Benjamin OBE, will coach the role to Sophie Moffatt, a student at The Royal Ballet School, accompanied by Marlena Devoe, soprano and Chad Vindin, piano.
Royal Ballet dancer and Tait Awardee 2012, Calvin Richardson, will perform his own choreographic interpretation of The Dying Swan which he recently danced at The Royal Opera House.
Vaughan-William’s, The Lark Ascending played by Xenia Deviatkina-Loh and a virtual duel for two cellos, Sollima’s Violoncelles Vibrez! played by Australian Cello Awards winner, Yelian He and Adam Szabo.
Inaugural Tait Scholar, Kevin Penkin, has composed a new work, commissioned especially for the 2014 concert.
Changing Feet is a new flute concerto also to be performed on the evening, played by Nicola Crowe and based on the experience of the transition from Australia to London.
Gerard Schneider, National Opera Studio and Lauren Fagan, Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist, will end the concert with the final scene from Giacomo Puccini’s, La Boheme.
The Tait Memorial Trust was founded in 1992 to support young Australian performing artists in the UK.
For full details and tickets to the Tait Winter Prom (Tuesday, 09 December 2014) visit the St John’s Smith Square website.
TOP IMAGE: Jayson Gillham, pianist. (Andy Holdsworth Photography)