Two Grands, Eight Hands!

Tuesday December 8, 2026 - commencing at 6.30pm
Two Grands, Eight Hands! - the Team's End-of-Year Ballroom Celebration

Celebrate the end of 2026 in the elegance of the Rippon Lea ballroom, at this gala multi-piano event. All four Team partners - Robert Chamberlain, Darryl Coote, Rohan Murray and Kevin Suherman - will perform an exciting program of piano music for four, six and eight hands at two Schimmel grand pianos!

You'll also hear the world premiere of Gravity and Flight: Two Movements for Eight Hands at Two Pianos by Australian composer Linda Kouvaras. This new work has been commissioned by the Team of Pianists especially for this occasion, with suppport from the Team's C & C Rigg Bequest 2026 project.

Enjoy canapé refreshments (included in ticket price), pre-recital bar drinks on the pool terrace (at cost) and meet committee members of the Friends of the Team of Pianists, in this festive occasion in a special heritage venue.

With generous sponsorship from Friends of the Team of Pianists (FOTOPS), current financial members of the Friends may purchase specially discounted tickets, while anyone else purchasing a full-price ticket will automatically receive 6 months’ complimentary membership of the Friends, until July 2027.

Recital Programme:

• Mendelssohn - Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream Op 21 for 2 pianos, 8 hands
• Brahms - Sonata in F minor for 2 pianos, movements 1 & 3: Allegro non troppo, Scherzo - Allegro
• Linda Kouvaras - Gravity and Flight: Two Movements for Eight Hands at Two Pianos (world premiere)
• INTERVAL
• Schumann - Andante and Variations Op. 46 for two pianos
• Piazzolla - Oblivion for 6 hands, transcribed by Lora Yatso
• Smetana - Rondo in C major for 8 hands at 2 pianos

With the support of our valued sponsor Bernie's Music Land, this recital will feature a Schimmel K213 Konzert Series Grand piano and a Schimmel K219 grand!

Schedule for the evening:

• 6.30 - 6.45pm - guests arrive
• 6.45 - 7.15pm - Canapé service on the Pool Terrace or inside the Ballroom (depending on weather), with drinks at bar prices
• 7.30 - 8.10pm - Recital first half
• 8.10 - 8.30pm - Interval (drinks available at bar prices)
• 8.30 - 9.10pm - Recital second half
• 9.10 - 9.30pm - Bar service at the conclusion of the recital
• 9.30pm (approx) - End of the evening

192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick
Off-street parking in the grounds from 6.00pm

Please note: due to catering requirements bookings must close either on Thursday December 3 at 5.00pm or earlier if sold out. No ticket sales will be possible at the venue.

Do join us to celebrate the end of 2026 in the Rippon Lea Ballroom!

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