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Southern Cross Soloists (SxS) were established in 1995 and since that time have built a reputation as one of Australia’s leading chamber music ensembles. The ensemble maintains an extensive schedule of performing, teaching and recording. Annually, they present a subscription series in Brisbane, tour nationally with guest artists, appear at numerous festivals around Australia and present the world class Bangalow Music Festival. Since their inception they have also toured internationally, including visits to the United States, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea and China.
The ensemble has a strong commitment to furthering music education in Australia, particularly in regional Queensland, and they present an annual music camp in Rockhampton as well as visiting one or two regional centres to inspire music students over an intense weekend of masterclasses and performances. Southern Cross Soloists are also dedicated to supporting Australian works and composer, and released an all-Australian CD in 2004 titled Australia. Since its formation, the ensemble has commissioned more than 45 new works with financial assistance from the Australia Council for the Arts. Composers who have been commissioned by the ensemble include Richard Mills, Brett Dean, Gerard Brophy, James Ledger, William Barton and Paul Stanhope.
Southern Cross Soloists are currently company-in-residence with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
Southern Cross Soloists features six of Australia's most accomplished musicians:
Director and clarinettist Paul Dean is much in demand as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. He regularly appears at national Festivals and with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Grainger Quartet and the Endeavour Trio.
Tania Frazer, formerly Principal Oboe with the Israel Symphony Orchestra, enjoys a busy career as a soloist and teacher and regularly appears as the principal oboist with the Brandenburg Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Leesa Dean is on the staff at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and the University of Queensland. Together with Tania and Paul, Leesa performs for the Musica Viva in Schools program throughout Queensland.
Lyric soprano Margaret Schindler, a Senior Lecturer at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, is a nationally recognised teacher who is also in great demand as a recitalist, particularly for her performances of baroque and contemporary repertoire.
Horn player Peter Luff is also a Senior Lecturer at the Queensland Conservatorium, as well as Associate Principal Horn with The Queensland Orchestra (now Queensland Symphony Orchestra). He is highly regarded as a player and teacher throughout Australia while also developing a successful career as a conductor.
Kevin Power pursues a busy freelance career as a pianist, performing regularly as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. He was formerly on the staff of the Queensland Conservatorium and is the Chorus Master and Musical Director of The Queensland Choir.
Annual Program
The Soloists maintain a busy schedule of performing, teaching, conducting and recording. Their Brisbane subscription series includes two series of three concerts (the Showcase Series and the Music and Words series) as well as an Annual Fundraising Dinner. The three Showcase Series concerts are presented at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, while the three Music and Words concerts are presented in the State Library of Queensland.
Apart from yearly tours to selected Australian capital cities, Southern Cross Soloists has also appeared at numerous festivals around Australia, including the International Chamber Music Festival, Camden Haven Music Festival (Port Macquarie), Brisbane Festival and Port Fairy Festival.
The ensemble also undertakes international tours approximately every two years. Successful tours so far include the United States, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea and China.
Bangalow Music Festival
The Bangalow Music Festival is an enchanting weekend of music in the intimate, friendly setting of Bangalow, a historic township in the scenic, sub-tropical landscape of northern New South Wales, just ten minutes from Byron Bay.
Established by Southern Cross Soloists in 2002, this world-class annual Festival showcases a vibrant cross-section of musical styles, with performances held in the historical A&I Hall in the centre of the heritage township.
The programs are a rich collaboration between the ensemble and other professional chamber ensembles, emerging young artists, Australian composers and world-class soloists.
Legendary Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe attended the Festival in 2004, describing it as, "the most exciting festival, outside a capital city, that I have ever attended".
If you would like to be a part of this exciting event, join our mailing list so we can send you a brochure as soon as they become available.
Education Program
Not only are all members of Southern Cross Soloists performers of international standard, but they also teach at the highest level. A demonstrated dedication to music education takes the ensemble to different parts of regional Queensland, giving individual and group lessons, workshops and concerts. Each year they visit one or two regional centres to inspire music students over an intense weekend of masterclasses and performances. Their partnership with Major Player Enterprises in Rockhampton has ensured the continued growth and expansion of these programs, which have now benefited thousands of students in regional Queensland.
The biennial SunWater and Stanwell Winter Music School was launched in Rockhampton in July 2006. High-school music students from across Queensland spend a week under the direction of the Soloists, filling their time with classes, workshops, rehearsals, lessons and concerts.
Australian Music
Southern Cross Soloists has a strong commitment to commissioning and performing Australian music. Since its formation, the ensemble has commissioned more than 30 new works with financial assistance from the Australia Council for the Arts. Composers who have been commissioned by the ensemble include:
Richard Mills
Brett Dean
Gerard Brophy
James Ledger
William Barton
Andrew Schultz
Robert Davidson
Paul Stanhope
Stuart Greenbaum
Sean Wrigney
Gordon Kerry
Southern Cross Soloists released an all-Australian CD in late 2004 including music by Gordon Kerry, Paul Stanhope, Richard Mills, Steven Stanfield and Vincent Plush.
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