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Paradise MEDIA INFORMATION
Concerts
Transport yourself to the magic of classical music- here in Paradise
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STARRY STARRY NIGHT LAUNCHES FIFTH SEASON OF PARADISE CONCERTS
Cairns, Tropical North Queensland, Tuesday 17 February 2009. Paradise Concerts will celebrate the launch of its fifth season on Saturday 7 March at Kewarra Beach Resort and Port Douglas’ Clink Theatre on Sunday 8 March with a glittering musical soiree entitled Starry Starry Night featuring international piano soloist, Clemens Lesky. He will be joined by British tenor Kim Kirkman, famous as the founder and lead tenor of the Ten Tenors, violinist, Kirtley Leigh Paine and horn player, Mark Paine.
MEDIA CALL: FRIDAY 6 MARCH AT 10.30AM AT KEWARRA BEACH RESORT
Members of media welcome to attend brief meet and greet with international musicians who are especially visiting Cairns and the far north to perform in Paradise Concerts’ inaugural soiree of its seven concert season. A short performance will take place to whet the appetite of music lovers throughout the region who may wish to attend the event/s held over the weekend.
Pip Miller PR Tel: 07 4032 4400 Mob: 0419 681543
According to artistic director of Paradise Concerts, Kirtley Leigh Paine, there are seven concerts in this year’s series – all of which will entail two consecutive nights – the first at Kewarra Beach Resort and a repeat concert at the Clink Theatre, Port Douglas; each with luminaries of the classical world as soloists and chamber musicians.
“Stars will provide the magical and mystical symbol of this year’s anniversary series celebrating five years of international classical music in the tropical north. The theme of our program, “Hear the Stars, a Galaxy of Stars….” Is destined to provide music lovers with a feast of entertainment that will differs from previous years with the introduction of a two night program at new venue’s Kewarra Beach Resort and Clink Theatre.
“We are thrilled to have the support of both new venues and with it, the opportunity of showcasing the joy of classical music performed by the best in the world,” said Ms Paine. This year there is a true galaxy of classical stars lined up, and many musical highlights,” said Leigh.
For the opening recital gala, Starry Starry Night, celebration is both in the air and in the music chosen to mark the Paradise Concert’s fifth anniversary series launch. The performance will be officially opened by Mayor of Cairns Regional Council, Councillor, Val Schier in Cairns and by Cairns Regional Councillor, Julia Leu in Port Douglas. The international quartet of stars will perform music from such varied composers as Vaughan Williams, Britten, Schubert, Scarlatti and Lizst, with the different combinations of piano, voice, horn, and violin explored.
One lucky concert-goer will catch a star of their own, in the form of a specially-created diamond and south-sea pearl necklace by master jeweler/craftsman Rowe Design, donated for auction at Kewarra Beach Resort to set the mood, and to sponsor Paradise Concert’s in procuring star musicians for future concerts.
Other sponsors of the 5th Anniversary year are Budget Rent a Car, Quantaslink, Create Design, Arts Nexus, and Pip Miller PR.
Mrs Paine says there will also be an unveiling of a very special gift to Paradise Concerts, so surprises are in store. Starry Starry Night, indeed!”
Tickets Saturday March 7th
Venue: Kewarra Beach Resort - 5pm drinks 6pm concert
Available from TICKETLINK
www.ticketlink.com.au 1 300 855 835
Tickets Sunday March 8th
Venue: Clink Theatre 6:30pm
Re:hab café Macrossan St, Port Douglas, Goodies cafe in Mossman and also at door
Starry Starry Night – Background Information
The music of Schubert will be a featured highlight, as tenor Kim Kirkman (pictured at left ) and pianist Clemens Lesky join forces for the first time ever on stage to bring the timeless beauty of Schubert’s song cycle, Die schöne Müllerin, to life.
The story sung is one of love yearned for from afar, as a young man sets his sight on the unattainable Miller’s daughter- set to the exquisite poems of German writer, Müller. Also amongst the musical highlights are special classical works for the dramatic combination of horn, piano and tenor by Britten and Schubert. The two concert evenings also contain magical music for violin and voice by that most quintessential British composer, Vaughan Williams.
Visiting luminary pianist Clemens Lesky (pictured at left) is a star in every sense. His meteoric career as one of Australia’s most distinguished pianists is firmly established. He has been concerto soloist with all of Australia’s symphony orchestras and is a former student of Alfred Brendel. He studied at the Juilliard School, New York, regularly appeared at Lincoln Center, and won numerous prizes and awards. Leske has performed with the Australian String Quartet, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Virtuosi and at such festivals as the Barossa International, Huntington, Spring and Adelaide. He was recently soloist with the Bangkok Symphony for the King of Thailand’s birthday concert, and with the Sydney Symphony performing the Tchaikovsky concerto, to great acclaim. Leske has released three discs of solo piano and chamber music and has recorded extensively for Australian radio stations ABC-FM, 2MBS and 5UV. In May 2005 Leske gave his London debut in the Royal Festival Hall, performing Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently Associate Lecturer in Ensemble Studies and is a member of the Keyboard Faculty at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Upcoming engagements include appearances this year with the Sydney Symphony, as well as a 2010 national tour with the successful stage show “Steinway Spectacular“.
Joining Mr. Leske on stage will be the equally brilliant British tenor, Kim Kirkman. Kim arrived in Mackay mid 2004 from London to teach voice at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Kim became musical director and member of The Ten Tenors. Having a very varied career, he has conducted many choirs, orchestras and mixed ensembles in Australia and overseas, as well as working as a script-writer, administrator, composer and teacher. Kim has sung with Opera Queensland, the Victorian State Opera and companies overseas. He currently sings with A Class Act in Brisbane and performs many concerts with Formidable, his newest opera-crossover group,” she said.
Violinist Kirtley Leigh Paine (pictured at left) and horn player Mark Paine will join these stars on stage to welcome the 2009 audiences to a concert with real classical star-power, the first of many special evenings over the year.
For details and a full schedule, www.paradiseconcerts.com or email: leighwpaine@yahoo.com tel: 07 4038 1960 mob: 0439 763 810
Ends
Issued by: Pip Miller PR Tel: 07 4032 4400 Mob: 0419 681543
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Kirtley Leigh Paine Artistic Director and Solo Violin
189-191 Upper Stanton Rd. Smithfield Heights Queensland 4878
Telephone 07 4038 1960 Mobile 0439 763810
www.paradiseconcerts.com leighwpaine@yahoo.com
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