The beauty of music lies in its power to unite and uplift people of all ages. It's a universal language everyone can sing! For musicians, it is the wind beneath our wings lifting us to soar high in the clouds, the drumbeat of our hearts and the branch on which we love to flock.

Highlands Music Collective's opening concert for 2025 promises to be a brilliant showcase of talent, featuring the winners of the EVA PASCOE AWARD - flautist Annabel Wouters (17) and pianist Luke Bowen (21) - alongside our esteemed Artistic Director/violinist Myee Clohessy and cellist Catherine Barnett.

The program will take you on a musical journey of birdsong's chirps, tweets and caw-caws. From Vivaldi's intricate trills to the merriment of Mozart's birdcatcher Papageno, from the serene and haunting beauty of Pablo Casals and Herman Beetfink to the dramatic flair of film composer Nino Rota.

The program's centrepiece is 'When Feathers Fall', written by Australian composer John Spence. It is a heartfelt tribute to the loss of his dear friend, Wendy Feathers and will be accompanied by Emily Dickinson's beautiful poem "Hope... is the thing with Feathers," read by Anne Donaldson.

We invite you to join us for 'Birds of a Feather' as we soar into this new year with great hope, joy and inspiration. Let our music lift your spirits, too!

Highlands Music Collective
Myee Clohessy, violin
Annabel Wouters, flute (2025 Eva Pascoe Award winner)
Catherine Barnett, cello
Luke Bowen, piano (2024 Eva Pascoe Award winner)
Anne Donaldson, poetry
Emma Dunnage, design

Program
Antonio Vivaldi - Trio Sonata in D major RV. 84 for violin, flute, cello
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - 'Papageno' (the bird-catcher) duets for violin and flute
Amy Beach - 'Pastoral and Caprice, The Water Sprites' Op. 90 for flute, cello and piano
Emily Dickinson - 'Hope... is the thing with feathers' recited by Anne Donaldson
Pablo Casals - 'Song of Birds' for solo cello
John Spence * - 'When Feathers Fall' for flute, violin, cello and piano
Herman Beeftink - 'The Raven' for flute and piano
Nino Rota - Trio for flute, violin and piano

* We proudly support Australian composer John Spence, Head of Music Theory and Composition at Wollongong Conservatorium of Music and tutor at Chevalier College

N.B. Doors will open at 5:40 pm.

You'll be welcomed with a glass of complimentary wine with nibbles before the concert starts at 6:30 pm.
Concert duration approx. 70 mins.

Highlands Music Collective is grateful for Creative Partnerships Australia's support through the Australian Cultural Fund.

We also thank our corporate sponsor, Highlands General Practice, our generous Tier Donors and Friends of HMCollective, and our kind volunteers.