Huntington Estate and Musica Viva are pleased to announce details of this year’s Festival. We are determined to delight audience once again with a dazzling array of musicians and beautifully balanced repertoire; fine food and wine; friendship; sunny days and starry nights.

This year’s Festival celebrates the universal language of music, bringing together the finest performers from across Australia and around the world to share in a joyous week of communicative music-making. It’s a time to set aside for unhurried appreciation of exhilarating performers and the composers who daily inspire them.

From the UK we welcome the Doric String Quartet, praised by the Financial Times (UK) for their ‘subtle lyricism and perfect matching of colour and phrasing’. Best known here through their gobsmackingly good recordings, their inventive exuberance is just as compelling in live performance, as Carl Vine discovered attending their concert in London last year. Chamber music fans worldwide can’t get enough of these four extraordinary young men and we’re delighted to host their major Australian debut.

Thanks to the uniquely intimate character of the Huntington Barrel Room, this year’s Festival offers an almost unprecedented opportunity to experience the magic of pianist Freddy Kempf, up-close and personal. Usually found in the great concert halls of Europe and the USA, performances by this London-born musical wizard will be a highlight of the year. As BBC Music Magazine put it, ‘Wonderful delicate playing and a fine sense of style’.

Amongst these globe-trotting artists, we are thrilled to have managed to coordinate the schedules so that renowned tenor Andrew Goodwin can make a most welcome return to Mudgee, alongside his regular recital partner and fellow graduate of the St Petersburg Conservatory, Daniel de Borah (selected in 2005 for the Young Concert Artists Trust, UK). Surely this is the kind of established musical partnership composers such as Schumann and Beethoven imagined when they wrote their beautiful songs?

‘Magnificent…flawless control…crystal clear tone…’ CityNews on Andrew Goodwin

‘I was immediately impressed by his pianism, his musicianship and his ability to draw the listener into his musical world.’ Stephen Hough on Daniel de Borah

As always, Huntington counts itself lucky to be able to draw on a constellation of fine Australian string players, who combine great artistry and vivid personality. From West Australia come violinist Paul Wright and violist Sally Boud, in combination with old friends including violinist Sophie Rowell and cellist Molly Kadarauch. It wouldn’t be Huntington without the talents of at least three of the Goldner Quartet: Dimity Hall, Irina Morozova and Julian Smiles (Dene is, alas, fulfilling SSO duties overseas).

The 2012 Festival saw the talents of the young Australian National Academy of Music chamber orchestra; 2013 presents the man responsible for steering that particular musical ship, Academy Director and leading clarinettist Paul Dean. ‘The excellent Paul Dean’ (Sunday Times UK) is in many ways the ideal Huntington artist: a virtuoso and fiercely dedicated soloist and chamber player, but a warm and engaging person offstage, too.

Ian Munro is always a popular figure at the Festival, and we will make good use of his talents as both pianist and composer! ‘Munro is a flawless interpreter, his playing full of imaginative colour and supple elegance’ The Australian. An exciting feature this year is the world premiere of his new Piano Trio, commissioned by longstanding Huntington attendees John and Jo Strutt, to mark their 60th wedding anniversary coming up in 2014.

As always, expect to hear the best and brightest young talent from around the world, and we look forward to sharing the excitement of the latest ‘find’ and other performers with you on the website as soon as they are confirmed.