A spring showcase

The brand new Ngeringa Cultural Centre in Mount Barker will feature a very full afternoon of music, showcasing six of Adelaide’s premier chamber groups. “Ngeringa is an intimate venue with amazing acoustics,” says Cheryl Pickering, chair of Chamber Music Adelaide. “The stage is backed by a glass wall that looks to Mount Barker Summit. There are stunning views, and gorgeous landscaped grounds with sculptures. For the foodies, there’s a full kitchen in addition to a wood fired pizza oven.” Those culinary facilities will be put to good use at the Gala, as the price of admission for the event will provide both aural and gustatory pleasures. “We are really looking forward to the selection of wood fired pizzas, made on site for lunch, and some lovely sweetness for afternoon tea,” says Pickering. Of the seven ensembles on the Chamber Music Adelaide roster, only Adelaide Baroque is omitted from the line up because of a double booking. “It’s a real shame,” says Pickering, “but we hope to make this an annual event and have all seven next time.” Still, the four-and-a-half hour event should be full and varied enough to satiate even the most voracious devotees. Ensemble Galante, The Firm, Kegelstatt Ensemble, Recitals Australia, Soundstream and Various People (the name of an ensemble, not just a group of various people) will take to the stage with a diverse collection of pieces, from the Baroque to the contemporary. Alongside Telemann, Mozart and Brahms works will be new works performed by Soundstream and The Firm. Pickering is also the Artistic Director of Various People, who describe the purpose of their music as being to encourage audiences to “think a little differently about who we are and how we approach some of the big issues of our times”. So what will that encompass at the Gala? “The main work is a cycle of six songs by the guitarist and composer Dusan Bogdanovic, set to texts by Native Americans,” says Pickering. “The songs explore the connection between us and the land on which we live, the enormity of the time frame of the earth compared to the time-frame of a single life span, and the unknowable nature of death. Sounds a bit serious,” she concedes, “but the songs are actually very beautiful and strangely uplifting!” According to Pickering, the Ngeringa Cultural Centre will complement the work. “It feels very apt that we will be performing these songs against the backdrop of Mt Barker Summit, an ancient landscape that had deep significance for the Peramangk people and is a beautiful and powerful reminder of the enduring landscape in which we live.” Chamber Music Adelaide Ngeringa Cultural Centre Sunday, October 18 chambermusicadelaide.com.au