Road Movies Concert Long Listen Festival 2025
Event description
Festival Concert 3: Classical Recital ‘Road Movies’
Concert Artists:
Courtenay Cleary – violin
Alex Raineri – piano
Featuring a collaboration with First Nations Contemporary Dancer Soraya Fewquandie, choreography by Shea Cotter, Creative Director of Soul in Motion.
Venue: Palmwoods Memorial Hall, Sunshine Coast, Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) Country
Time: Doors 2:00 PM | Concert 2:30–3:30 PM
Concert Program (60 minutes):
John Adams - Road Movies (mvt 1: Relaxed Groove)
Arthur Benjamin - Sonatina for Violin & Piano
Margaret Sutherland - Nocturne
Max Richter - Mercy (with contemporary dance)
Johannes Brahms – Sonata for Violin & Piano No.1 in G major
About the Concert: Embark on a captivating musical journey with two of Australia’s most compelling classical artists, violinist Courtenay Cleary and pianist Alex Raineri, in an hour of music that crosses borders, centuries, and explores migration routes.
Road Movies moves from the pulsing, hypnotic drive of John Adams to the sweeping romantic warmth of Brahms. The voices of Australian composers Arthur Benjamin and Margaret Sutherland bring a distinctive lyrical colour, while Max Richter’s Mercy becomes a moving centrepiece, performed in a powerful collaboration with First Nations contemporary dancer, Soraya Fewquandie. Choreographed by Shea Cotter, Creative Director of Soul in Motion, this moment at the heart of the concert invites stillness, compassion, and reflection on the human cost of war.
A richly textured concert program for lovers of lyricism, movement, and storytelling through the power of classical music.
About the Artists
Courtenay Cleary – Violin
Courtenay Cleary is a Queensland-born violinist and Juilliard graduate who has performed at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Wigmore Hall, and with leading Australian orchestras. A two-time Freedman Fellowship finalist and recipient of the Dame Joan Sutherland Award, she is recognised as one of Queensland’s 40 Under 40 for her contributions to performance and education. Courtenay recently completed her PhD in contemporary violin performance and teaches at Griffith University’s Young Conservatorium. Read more
Alex Raineri – Piano
Alex Raineri is a Brisbane-based pianist, composer, and artistic director celebrated for his adventurous programming and international touring across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australasia. He is the Artistic Director of Brisbane Music Festival and Creative Director of Fourth Wall Arts, with a reputation as one of Australia’s most versatile and dynamic pianists. Alex is also an Artist Ambassador for Kawai Australia. Read more
Soraya Fewquandie – Dance
Soraya Fewquandie is a Gubbi Gubbi/Ugarapul dancer whose contemporary practice is grounded in culture, storytelling, and movement. Trained across diverse styles, she has performed at major community events including BooinGari Festival and Dawn Awakening, and collaborated with Indigenous leaders and artists such as Lyndon Davis, Djakaurra Munyarryun, and Andrea Kirwin. She is currently developing her practice at the Aboriginal Centre of Performing Arts, using dance to share cultural awareness and healing. Read more
This project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, Queensland Arts Showcase Program, and the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council supporting local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
This project is supported by the generosity of individual donors who supported our BOOST donor campaign matched by the Australian Government through the Australian Cultural Fund. Our fundraising partners are Sunshine Coast Arts Foundation and the Australian Cultural Fund.
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