The Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s String Quartet Jazz Ensemble will perform modern hits and classics. Photo: Supplied.
Need an excuse to get out into the countryside and enjoy the fresh spring air?
The Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has all the excuses you need with its upcoming afternoon of music at Yass’s Highclere Farm called Music in the Meadows.
The event, which will take place on 25 October, is a collaboration between the CSO, the Yass Valley Council and Highclere Farm, a historic homestead which has recently opened as an events venue.
The location for the event on the Grand East Terrace of Highclere Farm will see guests invited to bring a picnic blanket, grab a drink and some nibbles from the on-site bar run by Contentious Character Urban Winery and nestle in for a line-up of modern music with a new spin, performed by the CSO String Quartet, Jazz Ensemble, along with special guest vocalist Kirrah Amosa.
Kirrah Amosa will perform with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra for the second time at Music in the Meadows. Photo: Supplied.
Andy Baird, the director of artistic planning and development for the CSO, said there would be something for everyone, with a range of reimagined classics and hits from artists such as Taylor Swift, Adele, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Nat King Cole.
It’s not the first time the orchestra has partnered with Kirrah Amosa, having first teamed up at Queanbeyan’s Music By The River concert earlier this year.
“That program celebrated disco, and the connection between Kirrah and our musicians was immediate. Since then, we’ve been eager to work together again,” Andy said.
Having been raised in Canberra, Kirrah comes with an impressive resume of her own, having toured in Australia with the original cast of Hamilton Australia as well as big names such as Adam Lambert, Rita Ora and Jess Glynne.
Highclere Farm will be the grand backdrop for Music in the Meadows. Photo: Edward Wakatama and Lee Pinder.
The 1895 Victorian Italianate mansion, once known as Blackburn, was carefully chosen by the CSO for its unique position in the countryside and what Andy described as the sense of place it will bring to the afternoon.
Having only opened as an events venue in March this year, the crumbling building was brought back to life by owners Edward Wakatama and Lee Pinder via a multi-year, multi-million dollar renovation project.
It won’t be the first time the CSO has performed at Highclere Farm, but it will be the first time the general public are invited to experience the combination of the orchestra in such a grand setting.
“We first discovered Highclere Farm earlier this year when Yass City Council engaged us to perform for a Seniors Week event,” said Andy.
“That concert was held outdoors, under the shade of native Australian trees, with the newly restored homestead as the backdrop. Lee and Edward have created a warm, welcoming environment that feels both intimate and expansive.”
Andy said that when the orchestra wrapped its Senior’s Week event with a rousing rendition of Waltzing Matilda, it was clear the combination of the music, the nature and the grand historic house was something special and it was looking forward to returning to Highclere in October.
Music in the Meadows is a ticketed event which can be booked via the Canberra Symphony Orchestra website.
