Acacia Quartet's 5th birthday online auction!

In honour of Acacia Quartet's 5th birthday, Acacia’s own violinist, Lisa Stewart, has created a stunning mixed media portrait of Australia's esteemed composer, Elena Kats-Chernin, who is also Patron of Acacia Quartet - the portrait is called 'Layers of Elena'.
Lisa, who is also an established, published illustrator, has used strands of Elena’s original manuscripts in this unique, one-off artwork. Presented at Acacia's 'Five Chapters' concert on Thursday 28 May at 7:30pm at Australian Hall, 150 Elizabeth St, Sydney - where Elena's eponymous composition will be premiered by Acacia with guest pianist, Tamara-Anna Cislowska - bids are also accepted by phone until 27 May, and on paper on the night. Full proceeds will go towards funding the Quartet’s 2016 ‘ACACIA Presents....’ concert series in Sydney and the Southern Highlands. With exciting, innovative programs with more new Australian works being planned (to be revealed later this year), your bids will provide invaluable support for these wonderful musicians, and for the continued flourishing of Australian new music.

Portrait details:
Mixed media, size 56 x 76 cm
Portrait will be entered into the Archibald Prize (and therefor will be framed - of course portrait can be send without frame to reduce shipping costs)

Founded in 2010 by violinists Lisa Stewart and Myee Clohessy, violist Stefan Duwe and cellist Anna Martin-Scrase, Acacia Quartet has quickly won great respect for their versatile and inventive programs which couple established repertoire with the unorthodox. In 2013 Acacia was nominated for both an ARIA Award and an Art Music Award, and their performances feature regularly on ABC Classic FM, Fine Music 102.5 and Qantas In-flight Entertainment. Acacia was chosen by Elena Kats-Chernin to record her complete string quartets for the double CD, Blue Silence, which was Limelight Magazine's Editor's Choice and 'CD of the Week' on ABC Classic FM.

In addition to their special relationship with composers Elena Kats- Chernin and Lyle Chan, Acacia has collaborated with composers Eric Whitacre, Gordon Kerry, Joe Chindamo, Sally Whitwell, Moya Henderson, Jeremy Rose and Joe Twist. Four critically acclaimed CDs have been released to date.

2015 marks Acacia’s 5th anniversary, with performances at Adelaide Festival Centre, the Concourse and Sydney Town Hall (for Fine Music FM), the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, as Ensemble-in-Residence at the Bowral Autumn Music Festival, Bellingen Festival and more. They will also feature at young composer events, the Limelight Australian Composition Seminar (supported by the New Music Network) and Australian Music Days.

Alongside these engagements, the Quartet will continue its ‘ACACIA Presents…’ six-concert series in Sydney and the Southern Highlands, premiering works by Elena Kats-Chernin, Lyle Chan, Andrew Batt-Rawden and Ross Fiddes. Collaborating artists this year include pianists Tamara-Anna Cislowska and Gerard Willems, flautist Jane Rutter, sopranos Amelia Farrugia and Ayse Goknur Shanal, and The Song Company. Acacia Quartet will also record for Sally Whitwell’s new CD of her own compositions, for ABC Classics, and feature on a new disc of works by US-based Australian composer, Joe Twist.

Acacia Quartet is proud of its association with Fine Music 102.5FM as Media Partner, and Fourth Wave Wine as wine sponsor in 2015.

Presented at Acacia's 'Five Chapters' concert on Thursday 28 May at 7:30pm at Australian Hall, 150 Elizabeth St, Sydney - where Elena's eponymous composition will be premiered by Acacia with guest pianist, Tamara-Anna Cislowska - bids are also accepted by phone until 27 May, and on paper on the night.

Online bidding will stop on Thursday 28 May at 12pm and the final online auction (online and proxy bids will be carried forward) will take place after Acacia Quartet's concert.

Full proceeds will go towards funding the Quartet’s 2016 ‘ACACIA Presents....’ concert series in Sydney and the Southern Highlands. With exciting, innovative programs with more new Australian works being planned (to be revealed later this year), your bids will provide invaluable support for these wonderful musicians, and for the continued flourishing of Australian new music.