ABOUT BEN HANLON’S OCTOBER RESIDENCEY

LAST FOUR MONDAYS IN OCTOBER 2023, 8PM

TICKETS $22

WEEK ONE. 8pm MONDAY 9TH OCTOBER
RECITAL

WITH GUESTS
LOUISA BREEN, piano
STEPHEN NEWTON, double bass

PROGRAM

F. PROTO Carmen Fantasy
1. Prelude
2. Aragonaise
3. Nocturne - Micaela’s Aria
4. Toreador March
5. Bohemian Dance

Stephen NEWTON In Medias Res

JS BACH Cello Suite 5 Prelude

JS BACH Cello Suite 5 Sarabande

JS BACH Cello Suite 5 Gigue

BOTTESINI Gran Duetto for two double basses

Andres MARTIN Sonata for solo Double Bass, Mvt 1

Francois RABBATH Breiz

A. MIŠEK Sonata Number 2 for Double Bass
1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Furioso
4. Allegro von moto

WEEK TWO. 8PM MONDAY 16TH OCTOBER
SHERLOCK HANLON DUO

WITH GUEST
JAMES SHERLOCK, guitar

Week two features the established Sherlock Hanlon Duo. Launching in 2017 with their debut album duo, featuring intricate arrangements of jazz standards, pop repertoire and classical repertoire in a jazz style, the pair followed up with their next album Stravinsky, called a "major accomplishment" by Eric Myers in the Australian. The album showcased arrangements of Stravinsky's ballets Rite of Spring and Petrushka as well as arrangements of Gershwin and Debussy.

This concert will be the premiere of the repertoire for their third album, Lieder, featuring songs by Schubert, Handel, Elgar and others, alongside pieces from their first two albums.

PROGRAM

Igor STRAVINSKY Petrushka Suite
Franz SCHUBERT Wintereisse Suite
George GERSHWIN It ain't nescessarily so
Franz SCHUBERT Standchen
Frédéric CHOPIN Nocturne in F
Franz SCHUBERT Erlkonig
G. F. HANDEL I know my redeemer liveth
Edward ELGAR Where the Corals Lie
Claude DEBUSSY The Girl with the flaxen hair
THE POLICE Wrapped around your finger

ABOUT JAMES SHERLOCK

James began playing classical guitar at age 7. He attended the Queensland Conservatorium of Music studying classical guitar, and graduated in 1992; he is now based in Melbourne, Australia. James was the winner of the Ike Isaacs International Jazz Guitar Award. As a bandleader James has released six albums, and appeared on many recordings for other artists.

James has an ongoing duo project with vocalist Kristin Berardi, the duo have toured extensively throughout Australia as well as Indonesia, South America, Japan, North America and Europe, which culminated in a performance on the Stravinski stage at the Montreux festival opening for George Benson and Al Jarreau. James also accompanied Kristin when she was awarded the 2007 Freedman Fellowship at the Sydney Opera House, and their second CD "If You Were There" won the Bell award for best jazz vocal release in 2010.

He works with a variety of Australia's finest musicians as well as many visiting artists including New Orleans trumpeter Leroy Jones, New York jazz vocalists Sheila Jordan, Chris McNulty and Cyrille Aimee and master drummers Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and Jon Riley. James has also performed/recorded with such diverse artists as British guitar virtuoso Martin Taylor, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra, Katie Noonan, Megan Washington, Joe Camilleri & New York film composer Howard Shore. The James Sherlock Trio was featured in the ABC TV Jazz Series "The Pulse".

WEEK THREE. 8PM MONDAY 23RD OCTOBER
BALL, HANLON, SCHULZ

WITH GUESTS
EUGENE BALL, trumpet
ANTHONY SCHULZ, accordion

Ball, Hanlon, Schulz is a chamber-jazz trio featuring acclaimed Melbourne trumpeter Eugene Ball, bassist Ben Hanlon and piano accordionist Anthony Schulz. The combination of trumpet, accordion and bass is perhaps a little unusual, except that it does contain the typical melodic, harmonic, and bass voices. It is the traditional roles of these voices that Ball Hanlon Schulz question and reimagine. Piano accordionist Schulz cajoles and compels the piano accordion into romantic yet sweet banter. “The instrument charms us with its multitude of voices,” explains Ball, “It speaks many truths and fictions. Sometimes it forms an ocean-like foundation for a piece, other times, it eloquently explores the harmonies with certainty and precision.” The various appearances by Ball’s trumpet take numerous formations. As Schulz explains, Ball creates “declarations, murmurings, whispers, wonderings, exaltations and question marks.” What drew Schulz to Ball’s playing, in particular, is his unmistakable tone, and his curious and unpredictable style - a willingness to explore the path less followed. “His masterful trumpet takes us to places we didn’t expect to go,” says Schulz. The group released its first album. 'The Land of If' in 2021 on Earshift music (https://www.earshift.com/ball-hanlon-schulz-land-of-if) but this concert will see them writing new repertoire for the first time since the successful launch of this album and an acclaimed performance at the 2022 Wangaratta Jazz Festival. The concert will feature brand new compositions by all three members.

ABOUT BALL, HANLON, SCHULZ

Eugene Ball has received national and international recognition, performing with some of the biggest names in music. A lover of musical diversity, he is as comfortable in the New Orleans jazz tradition (the Hoodangers) as he is with contemporary improvisation (Andrea Keller, the Australian Art Orchestra), popular music (Paul Kelly, Dan Sultan) and composition. Eugene has composed for the MSO, ACO2 and a variety of contemporary chamber ensembles.

'Ball's dazzling playing fitted between the mercurial and the wrenching…' John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald.

Double bassist Ben Hanlon is a rare breed of musician, whose virtuosity and musicality enable him to move fluidly between his permanent position with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and a multitude of high-profile jazz ensembles. He has performed at most of the major festivals in Australia, and was recently featured as guest principal bassist on the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s 2016-17 tour of China. Ben has recorded jazz releases with James Sherlock, Hetty Kate, Hue Blanes, Bopstretch, Fem Belling, Nathan Slater, and appears on recordings with Missy Higgins, Julia Stone and the Bamboos. To round out this gamut of musical activity, Ben performs regularly as a chamber soloist, including recent performances with the Brodski quartet and Katie Noonan at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

An individual voice in Australian improvised music, Anthony Schulz has developed and expanded a sound world that shatters all preconceptions of the piano accordion. At one point thrashing his accordion in the dissonant expressionism of Berg’s Wozzeck and to the next improvising freely with ECM icon Barre Phillips. He then re-appears in a contemporary jazz performance with the noted jazz vibraphonist Dave Samuels or renowned guitarist Doug DeVries. In 2007, Anthony was awarded an ARIA for his work with Zulya and the Children of the Underground (Best World Music Album - Three Nights).

‘Anthony Schulz stands out on accordion, with his sophisticated use of harmony and countermelody.’ Rootsworldly and musically.

WEEK FOUR. 8PM MONDAY 30TH OCTOBER
BEN HANLON & YINUO MU

WITH GUEST
YINUO MU, harp

A duo concert for Double Bass and Harp featuring MSO principal Harp Yinuo Mu. This program has as its centrepiece Marin Marais's stunning La Folie D'espagna and also features a number of works that show the beauty and versatility of this unique but beautiful pairing.

PROGRAM

Maurice RAVEL Pavane
Gabriel FAURÉ Après un Rêve
Sicilienne
Max BRUCH Kol Nidrei
Gaetano DONIZETTI Un Furtiva Lagrima
Alberto GINASTERA Variaciones Concertantes Op. 23
Astor PIAZZOLLA Arrangement for solo Harp
Marin MARAIS La Folie D'Espagna
Joe CHINDAMO New Composition

ABOUT YINUO MU

Principal Harpist of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Yinuo Mu is the winner of numerous music awards and solo competitions including Grand Prize at the American String Teachers Association National Solo Competition and American Harp Society's Ann Adams Award, and has appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony Orchestra and Florida Grand Opera as well as many leading state symphony and opera orchestras in Australia.

Recent performance highlights include performing at the BBC Proms and at music festivals at Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Germany and Copenhagen as part of the MSO’s 2014 European Tour, Melbourne Ring Cycle with Opera Australia in 2013 and the Malthouse Theatre's award-winning production of The Bloody Chamber.

Yinuo holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory of Music (USA), a Master of Music Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music (USA), and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Boston University School of Fine Arts. Yinuo is very passionate about sharing her musical knowledge through teaching and is currently on harp faculty at University of Melbourne.

ABOUT BEN HANLON

As a leading orchestral double bassist Ben became a permanent member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2011. He has performed regularly as a guest of many other professional orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Ben has regularly performed as Principal and in Principal positions with the Melbourne, New Zealand and Tasmania Symphony Orchestras including as acting principal of MSO in 2020-22 and guest principal on the TSO’s 2016/17 tour of China. Ben has appeared as a recital and a concerto soloist with various orchestras, has been a featured artist on many film and television soundtracks, several chamber music albums and with chamber music ensembles including the Melbourne Ensemble, Plexus, and at various festivals including the Melbourne Arts, Port Fairy and Peninsula music festivals.

As a renowned jazz musician Ben performs regularly at Australia’s premier venues with many of the world’s finest jazz musicians including James Morrison, Joe and Olivia Chindamo, Paul Grabowsky, Michelle Nicole, Carl Mackey, Matt Jodrell, Julien Wilson, Phil Noy, Mark and Nichaud Fitzgibbon, Paul Williamson(s), Sam Keevers, Sam Bates, Lance Ferguson’s Menagerie and Danny Fischer. He has performed at numerous Melbourne International Jazz festivals, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and Melbourne Music Week events. Ben has released two celebrated albums ‘Duo’ and ‘Stravinsky’ with James Sherlock and ‘Under Paris Skies’ with Hetty Kate. As one third of the Hue Blanes Trio alongside Danny Farrugia he performed in Hue Blanes’ 2017 MIJF performance for the ‘PBS Young Elder of Jazz Award’ as well on as their debut album release ‘Straight Chaser’ with Pound records. Ben has been also a member of revered Melbourne bebop institution Bopstretch since 2018. Ben features on Fem Belling’s Age Victoria Music Awards nominated album ‘Now/then’, Nathan Slater’s debut, and several releases by the celebrated Luke Howard.

In the contemporary and free improvisation field Ben has a unique and innovative trio with Anthony Schulz and Eugene Ball including a 2021 album, has performed with Ronny Ferella’s Wayfarers, Johnannes Leubbers Dectet and the ACME ensemble at the 2017 Melbourne International Arts Festival among many others. In the contemporary popular sphere Ben is featured on Missy Higgins’ 2018 single ‘Arrows’, has recorded with Julia Stone, The Bamboos, The Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl and Ross Irwin, performed with Meow Meow and ASO for the Adelaide cabaret festival 2022 and performed with the Katie Noonan and the Brodski quartet at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

As a student, Ben Hanlon was a member of the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra and attended the Australian String Seminar on scholarship. Ben was awarded a Victorian Premiers award for his VCE music studies, was invited to be a “Top Cats” performer and was a finalist in the 2005 James Morrison ‘Generations in Jazz’ scholarship. He completed the Applied Performance Program at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) from 2005-2007 with Steven Reeves and Alex Henery. His undergraduate studies took him to the prestigious Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles where he completed a Bachelor of Music from 2007-2011 with David Moore, Paul Ellison, Leigh Mesh and Peter Lloyd. While studying abroad, Ben attended a range of exclusive music festivals including the Sarasota Music Festival in Florida, USA, the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, and gained orchestral experience with Miami’s New World Symphony among many others.