When I started this concert series in 2009, I had no idea that it would still be going in 2013. Over the last four years, so much has changed – and yet my original idea has stayed the same. I wanted to create a time to share the music I love with others in the type of place that I would like to visit. I wanted a place where nothing was more important than the sounds of Bach, or Bartok, or Bloch or Wesley-Smith, or anyone else that had written things I could play. I wanted people to be with me, in the moment. I wanted an unstuffy place where people could laugh or cry, or sigh with the beauty of the music that was so special to me. And it has happened for the last four years. Little things have changed – the wine has gotten better. There are blackout curtains hung to make things even darker. For the first time, you can buy tickets on line. But the essence of Bach in the Dark has stayed true.
To all the audience members who have come - I thank you. To the audience members who come back time and time again – I thank you (more!), and promise that you will never be bored. (If you are, I will stop!) To people who haven’t yet come to experience the crypt and Bach in the Dark – I welcome you in advance.
I hope to see many of you down in the crypt. 2013 will be an exciting year – I will be joined by some fabulous musicians and artists! As I am typing this I am smiling, thinking of the many challenges ahead – all of which I am looking forward to tremendously. Here’s to another year of being ‘in the moment’!
Ben Sibson for all his technical wizardry; David Pereira for offering to write me something for the first concert unasked; Barb van Pernis for all her help over all these years and Andrew Simon and Grant Breen at Simon Whitlam wines for their continued support.
Please go to the ‘performances’ page for all of the dates and times for the 2013 concert season. Each concert is at St James for two nights, and in Katoomba at nolan on lovel for one night. For the first time, you can buy tickets for the St James events online – simply follow the link (the small “t” sign) at the right-hand side of the grey box.
In February, I am joined by my former teacher, David Pereira, to kick-off the series. It seems that not only do I love the sound of two cellos, but so many people in the audience do too. David and I love playing together – and we are both looking forward to this enormously. We will be playing works by J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Boccherini (who for years I thought was also a type of white cheese), Bartók and a piece written especially for the series by David himself.
Do keep checking on the website for news – not only have I convinced the actor Paul Armstrong, the accordion virtuoso Anthony Schulz and the guitarists Raff and Janet Agostino to play this year – but I have also convinced the wonderful visual artist Judith White to appear in a special event where she will paint to Bach (the fifth cello suite) as I play. We’re still working on the perfect time and venue for that – stay tuned!
