Sonya Lifschitz and Christine Johnston

Sonya Lifschitz is a pianist working across many contexts, with repertoire spanning from 15th century Faenza Codex to works written for her today. She is known for her fiercely imaginative, daring collaborations across theatre, dance, screen-based and visual arts, spoken word, and performance art. Described as ‘a life force of extraordinary density and capacity’, Sonya’s artistry combines bold adventurousness with ‘miraculous keyboard technique and musicianship’ (Woodstock Times) to create work that positions classical and contemporary art music at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary performance practices. She is active as a soloist, creative collaborator, artistic director, educator, radio personality and arts advocate.

Sonya has performed on major international stages to critical acclaim including the Barbican Centre (London), De Doelen (Rotterdam), Bargemusic (New York), Detroit Institute of Art (USA), Venice Biennale (Italy), and in many of Australia’s major international arts festival, including Adelaide (AF), Sydney (SF), Melbourne (MIAF), Brisbane (BF), Canberra (CIMF) and Darwin (DF) Festivals; and other prestigious festivals including Extended Play, Metropolis, MONAFOMA, Four Winds and Ten Days on the Island.

Sonya regularly works with pioneering new music ensembles, including Ensemble Offspring, Topology, Clocked Out, and members from Bang on a Can All-Stars (USA) and Eighth Blackbird (USA). She has premiered works by Kate Neal, Robert Davidson, Damian Barbeler, Andrew Schultz, Jessica Wells, Felicity Wilcox, Anthony Lyons, Larry Sitsky, Bree Van Reyk, Max Lyandvert and Steve Adam. Other significant collaborators include Christine Johnston (performance art), Sydney Dance Company, Martin del Amo (dance), Angelica Mesiti (video art), Sal Cooper (video/animation), Bob Scott (sound design), and pianists Stephen Emmerson and Lisa Moore.

Sonya has been featured on ABC and SBS TV and on national radio, including ABC Classic’s Legends, Duet, Festival of Female Composers, New Waves and ABC Radio National’s Music Show. As a Fulbright Scholar Sonya studied with the legendary American pianist Leon Fleisher and currently heads Music Performance and Creative Practice streams at the School of Arts and Media at the University of NSW.

Christine Johnston combines vocal performance and music with her visual arts background in creating diverse stand out work. Known for her particular bent on humour, dramatic visual style, musical-saw and bird calls, she has created a diverse range of works touring nationally and internationally. Along with self-devised performances, including Madame Lark, she is also co-creator of the multi-award winning, internationally renowned comedic trio The Kransky Sisters. Her recent international commission from Imaginate and Windmill TC Baba Yaga (w Scottish artist Shona Reppe/ director Rosemary Myers) toured UK, Ireland, China, Norway and Australia and won the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland/ Ruby Award/ Helpmann Awards nomination. Some of Christine's other self-devised and collaborated performance works include Decent Spinster (Matilda Commendation Award 2001); Peak Hour Apparitions (Brisbane Festival); All Tomorrow’s Parties (w Lisa O'Neill); FLUFF: A Story of Lost Toys (QPAC commission 2002 touring Australia including Sydney Opera House, Perth, New York, USA, Canada, UK, Hong Kong); Warm & Fuzzy (QPAC commission/ Sydney Opera House); Pianissimo (QPAC commission w Lisa O’Neill/ Sydney Opera House); and RRAMP - the Collector, the Archivist & the Electrocrat (w Lisa O’Neill, Peter Nelson, animation Ahmarnya Price, Brisbane Powerhouse commission/ Australian Mobile States tour receiving two Green Room Award nominations 2013). She received high acclaim for her Opera Queensland roles in Candide and Ruddigore (Matilda Award nomination). Christine collaborates with pianist Sonya Lifschitz, most recently touring Crumb’s Lyre.

• Grand piano tuned on the day of the performance and piano stool
• Headset microphone for Christine with monitor

Sonya

Sonya is available for piano workshops and masterclasses. In addition to training with world's leading pedagogues, Sonya is a trained Toubman Approach teacher, an approach based on the groundbreaking analysis of the invisible motions that function underneath a virtuoso technique. Toubman Approach has helped countless pianists overcome technical limitations as well as cure playing-related injuries.

Madame Lark

Join Madame Lark and her musical-saw as she takes flight vocally, offering her very own interpretation of the bird-calls and shapes around us. Along with her particular interest in hair-styles and objects, she will whip up her alphabet of sound developed from her own childhood synesthesia. For children and families, this 30 minute performance by multi-talented Australian comedian/performance artist, Christine Johnston, best known as one third of The Kransky Sisters, will delight all ages with her harmonious symphony of ridiculousness. Sit back, or join in, and enjoy the cacophonous journey of warbling.

Amplification (including a radio headset, microphone for the saw and sound technician) and a local assistant to operate sound and recorded music are required.

February

April 11-25

June 1 - July 15

September 15 - December 5