Bach Akademie Australia Performs A Musical Offering

Bach Akademie Australia, is one of Australia’s newest and most exciting classical music ensembles. Led by led by its director and international violin virtuoso Madeleine Easton, the ensemble performs JS Bach’s rare and fascinating masterpiece, A Musical Offering (Das Musikalische Opfer) in a special 60 minute concert.

Alongside Madeleine Easton are four of Australia’s finest instrumentalists: cellist Daniel Yeadon, keyboard master Neal Peres da Costa, historical flautist Mikaela Oberg and violinist Rafael Font-Viera.

Musicologists and audiences alike have long been fascinated by Bach’s Musical Offering, and Easton takes up the story of one of his last and greatest instrumental works: “Its 16 movements are based on a theme given to Bach by Frederick the Great during a visit to the Prussian court in Potsdam. Frederick was a musician and composer of some skill as well as an avid collector of talent. He had been badgering his chief keyboard player, Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, to lure his father to Potsdam for a visit for several years – until finally the “old Bach”, as he was by then known, could no longer politely resist. Bach was then 62 years old, only three years from his death. Subsequently, the long trip from Leipzig would be his last journey.”

Launched in 2017, Bach Akademie Australia is Australia’s only dedicated Bach ensemble. The brainchild of Australian violinist Madeleine Easton, its raison d’etre is to bring the music of J.S. Bach to life for Australian audiences focusing on mastery of performance, authenticity and originality of interpretation. This year, the Bach Akademie Australia has consolidated its reputation as one of Australia’s very best period
instrument ensembles with sold out and critically acclaimed performances in Sydney and Canberra.

Ms Easton is a protégé of international Bach doyen Sir John Eliot Gardener and has recently returned from long-time residency in the UK under his wing. Sir John is patron and an enthusiastic supporter of the Akademie – which is also committed to forging close links
with academic institutions around Australia to establish learning opportunities for young musicians. With direct access to the world’s leading Bach exponents, Bach Akademie Australia aims to give Australian audiences ‘the very best of Bach’!

Easton, like her famous mentor, is inspired by Bach’s music which she says is the apotheosis of the spiritual and the intellectual.  “It is also moving, passionate and universally accessible. Too often audiences are patronised by ‘high art’. Bach Akademie Australia is firmly committed to sharing this timeless, joyful music with everyone… and with a freshness we know will be impossible to resist!”

The performers: Daniel Yeadon – cello, Neal Peres da Costa – harpsichord, Mikaela Oberg – flute, Madeleine Easton, Rafael Font-Viera – violins

Tickets: A reserve – $60, B reserve – $50, C reserve – $40
Bookings and information www.baa20182.floktu.com  or  www.bachakademieaustralia.com.au