C & C Rigg Bequest Classic Music 2026 - in Special and Sacred Spaces

Our 2026 series continues from May, with two more recitals in St John's Anglican Church, Camberwell, a very special venue situated close to Camberwell Junction, with marvellous acoustics and atmosphere. We are delighted also to return, after many years, to the historic and intimate German Lutheran Church (Deutsche Evangelische Dreifaltigkeithskirche), in East Melbourne, for three more delighful Rigg Bequest recitals. Do join us for wonderful music in Special and Sacred Places in 2026!

Concert 1 - Through Forest and Flame: Lieder and Love
Sunday May 3, 2026 at 6.30pm

Experience a nineteenth-century world of musical fantasy in the historic ambience of the German Lutheran Church, Parliament Place, East Melbourne.

Tenor Michael Petruccelli, mezzo-soprano Sally-Anne Russel, and pianist Darryl Coote perform two stunning song cycles; Schumann's Liederkreis (for tenor and piano), composed in 1840, set to nine poems by Heinrich Heine, and Wagner's Wesendock Lieder (mezzo-soprano and piano), an historical cycle created during Wagner's exile in Zurich, at the time of his affair with Mathilde Wesendonck. These monuments of 19th century Lieder will be complemented by the world premiere of New Zealand composer Andrew Perkins' duet for mezzo-soprano and tenor Pax Vobiscum (composed specially for Sally-Anne Russell), as well as Darryl Coote's performance of Schumann's Arabesque for piano Op 18, composed in Vienna in 1838.

Programme
Michael Petruccelli - tenor, Sally-Anne Russell - mezzo soprano & Darryl Coote - piano

• Schumann - Liederkreis Op. 24 for tenor & piano
• Wagner - Wesendonck Lieder for mezzo-soprano & piano
• Andrew Perkins - Pax Vobiscum, duet for tenor & mezzo-soprano (world premiere)
• Schumann - Arabesque Op 18 for piano solo

Join other audience members for interval refreshments hosted by the Friends of the Team of Pianists. This takes place directly after the recital first half, from approximately 7.20pm to 7.45pm. Download the the concert e-poster here.

Venue:
German Lutheran Church
(Deutsche Evangelische Dreifaltigkeitskirche)
22 Parliament Place
East Melbourne, VIC, 3002

Book here!

Enjoy three of Australia's most experienced Lieder interpreters in this intimate setting.

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Concert 2 - Across Time and Tradition: Music for Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano
Thursday May 21, 2026 at 7.00pm

Step into the warm acoustics of St John’s Anglican Church, Camberwell for a musical journey that spans centuries, styles and cultures.

Robert Schubert - clarinet, Matthew Angus - basson, and Robert Chamberlain - piano combine Classical clarity, Romantic lyricism and contemporary re‑imaginings, in a program travelling from the intimate poetry of Schumann’s Abegg Variations and Glinka’s enthralling Trio Pathétique, to the elegant conversational forms of Lefèvre and Kreutzer, where clarinet and bassoon speak with wit, balance and grace. European traditions are refracted through the voice of Australian‑Chinese composer Julian Yu (b. 1957), whose reworking of Glinka’s Romance and vivid Uygur Dance bring folk melody and cross‑cultural perspective into the present.

Programme
Robert Schubert - clarinet, Matthew Angus - bassoon, Robert Chamberlain - piano

• Julian Yu - Uygur Dance for bassoon and piano (1976)
• Jean‑Xavier Lefèvre - Sonata in B‑flat major, Op. 12 No. 3 for clarinet and bassoon
• Conrad Kreutzer - Trio in E flat Op 43 KWV 5150 for clarinet, bassoon and piano
INTERVAL
• M. Glinka arr. by Julian Yu - The Nightingale, Variations by Glinka on a Romance by Alabieff for clarinet and piano (Var 4 by Julian Yu)
• Robert Schumann - Abegg Variations Op. 1 for piano solo
• M. Glinka - Trio Pathétique for clarinet, bassoon and piano

Join other audience members, the performers and committee members of the Friends of the Team of Pianists for post-concert refreshments in the Rutherford Room, from around 8.45pm to 9.30pm.

Venue:
St John's Anglican Church
552 Burke Road
Camberwell, VIC, 3124

Book here!

Join us for this program celebrating the enduring power of wind instruments to sing, converse and dance across time, tradition and place.!

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Concert 3 - Carnvial of Oboe and Piano
Thursday June 25, 2026 at 7.00pm

Anne Gilby - oboe and Darryl Coote - piano present works ranging from the elegance of Mozart’s concert aria 'Ah se in ciel, benigne stelle' to the shimmering colours of Ravel’s Sonatine, arranged for these two instruments, plus the smoky intimacy of Piazzolla’s Oblivion and the wit of Malcolm Arnold’s Sonatina for oboe and piano.

After interval, brilliant solo pianist Kevin Suherman performs works by Schumann and Liszt: Liszt's rapturous arrangement of Schumann's 'Widmung' (Dedication) and the kaleidoscopic scenes of Schumann’s Carnaval Op. 9.

Programme
Anne Gilby - oboe, Darryl Coote - piano

• Mozart - Concert Aria Ah Se in Ciel, Benigne Stelle for oboe and piano
• Ravel (arr. David Walter) - Sonatine for oboe and piano
• Piazzolla - Oblivion arr. for oboe and piano
• Arnold - Sonatina for oboe & piano, Op 28

INTERVAL

Kevin Suherman - piano solo

• R. Schumann/F. Liszt - Widmung (Dedication)
• R. Schumann - Carnaval Op. 9

Join other audience members, the performers and committee members of the Friends of the Team of Pianists for post-concert refreshments in the Rutherford Room, from around 8.45pm to 9.30pm.

Venue:
St John's Anglican Church
552 Burke Road
Camberwell, VIC, 3124

Book here!

Don't miss this evening of colour, lyricism, and theatrical flair!

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Concert 4 - Orix Duo: Beethoven for Piano and Cello, Part 1
Sunday August 9 at 6.30pm

Join prize-winning cello and piano duo Ye Jin Choi and Kevin Suherman - Orix Duo, for the first in their three-concert presentation of works by Beethoven for piano and cello, set in the historic ambience of the German Lutheran Church.

This recital, an early bicentennial of Beethoven's death in 2027, features 12 Variations on 'Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen', Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 4 in C major, and Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 2 in G minor.

Programme - Orix Duo: Ye Jin Choi (cello), Kevin Suherman (piano)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

• 12 Variations on ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’ from Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte’, Op. 66
• Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 4 in C major, Op. 102 No. 1
• Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5 No. 2

Join other audience members for interval refreshments hosted by the Friends of the Team of Pianists. This takes place directly after the recital first half, from approximately 7.20pm to 7.45pm.

Venue:
German Lutheran Church
(Deutsche Evangelische Dreifaltigkeitskirche)
22 Parliament Place
East Melbourne, VIC, 3002

Book now!

Don't miss this evening of special music performed by outstanding young artists, in this unique and historic space!

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Concert 5 - Orix Duo: Beethoven for Piano and Cello, Part 2
Sunday September 13 at 6.30pm

Join prize-winning cello and piano duo Ye Jin Choi and Kevin Suherman - Orix Duo, for the second in their three-concert presentation of works by Beethoven for piano and cello, set in the historic ambience of the German Lutheran Church.

This recital, an early bicentennial of Beethoven's death in 2027, features Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 1 in F major, 7 Variations on 'Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen' from Mozart's 'Die Zauberflöte' and Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 5 in D major.

Programme - Orix Duo: Ye Jin Choi (cello), Kevin Suherman (piano)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

• Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 1 in F major, Op. 5 No. 1
• Seven Variations on 'Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen' from Mozart's 'Die Zauberflöte' WoO 46
• Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 5 in D major, Op. 102 No. 2

Venue:
German Lutheran Church
(Deutsche Evangelische Dreifaltigkeitskirche)
22 Parliament Place
East Melbourne, VIC, 3002

Book now!

Don't miss this evening of special music performed by outstanding young artists, in this unique and historic space!

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"...chamber music as it was intended..."