Queensland Music Festival presents
COOPER & HAMMOND: CLASSICS, GYPSY AND JAZZ
Flying Tour
7pm Friday 31 July 2015
FREE CONCERT
Whatever the punch line might be, there’s nothing funny about the combined talent of the virtuosic passengers – violinist, Ian Cooper, and pianist, Ambre Hammond – two of the finest classical musicians Australia has to offer. Between the two of them, they have performed across the entire globe to audiences in their thousands and now Queensland Music Festival is bringing them to you.
Violinist, Ian Cooper and pianist, Ambre Hammond will fly across North Queensland and Cape York, painting a musical landscape that encompasses not only classical but a vivacious blend of gypsy and jazz. The itinerary is as eclectic as their collective styles, fulfilling QMF’s pledge to provide regional and remote communities with access to world-class talent.
Starting in Mount Isa, these incredible artists will visit Aurukun, Hope Vale, Atherton, Innisfail, Charters Towers, Gladstone, and for the very first time, Palm Island.
Featuring
- Ambre Hammond, piano
- Ian Cooper, violin
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Known as “The People’s Pianist” and one of
Australia’s most passionate and hard-working musicians, Ambre Hammond
earned her diplomas in music at the age of 12 becoming the youngest
person in the world to do so and has since performed both solo and with
Orchestras throughout Australia, England, Italy, Spain, Poland,
Switzerland, Belarus, East Timor, Thailand, North and South America, New
Zealand, French Polynesia and China. Ambre has collaborated with
legendary Hollywood film writer and composer Lalo Schifrin, travelled to
New York to record the music of outstanding American composer Patrick
Zimmerli at the legendary Studio’s of Rudy Van Gelder, working with
Producer Don Sickler and Van Gelder himself, and collaborated with
Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, renowned Indian slide guitarist who won a Grammy
Award for his album with Ry Cooder.
Following her passion to bring classical music to the people, Ambre
founded ‘GIRL PIANO TRUCK’ which presents concerts in remote communities
worldwide in places such as schools, orphanages and mental asylums.
Ambre launched the project in 2013 and travelled to remote parts of
India, Thailand, East Timor and Belarus. The project will soon be made
into a documentary for International release with filming throughout
outback Australia, The Philippines and Africa.
Cooper’s performance of his Ned Kelly inspired composition Tin Symphony was premiered live at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Born into a family of classical musicians Ian began playing the violin at the age of four. He was his mother’s first pupil. His live television début was at age 5 where he performed The Three Grenadiers by Schumann on Channel 7 Australia, and he began competing in Eisteddfods soon after. Ian began his world travels at age six and wowed audiences as a child star in the U.S.A. and Canada, and in following years in Britain, Europe and Japan on their NHK TV network. At age 12 he performed with the Vienna Boys Choir in their home town.
Ian was awarded a scholarship to the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music at age eight and continued his training there for the next ten years. During this time Ian also studied the drums and played in numerous high-school bands, who he did yet more European tours with.
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Ian Cooper is Australia’s most exciting virtuoso violinist. He is a
regular attraction at concert venues and festivals throughout Australia,
Europe, Japan and New Zealand, and his dynamic and humorous show draws
on many musical styles from The Classics, Jazz, Gypsy, Latin, Irish, the
Blues and even a touch of Cowboy music.Cooper’s performance of his Ned Kelly inspired composition Tin Symphony was premiered live at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Born into a family of classical musicians Ian began playing the violin at the age of four. He was his mother’s first pupil. His live television début was at age 5 where he performed The Three Grenadiers by Schumann on Channel 7 Australia, and he began competing in Eisteddfods soon after. Ian began his world travels at age six and wowed audiences as a child star in the U.S.A. and Canada, and in following years in Britain, Europe and Japan on their NHK TV network. At age 12 he performed with the Vienna Boys Choir in their home town.
Ian was awarded a scholarship to the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music at age eight and continued his training there for the next ten years. During this time Ian also studied the drums and played in numerous high-school bands, who he did yet more European tours with.
This project has received financial assistance from the Queensland Government through: Arts Queensland’s Playing Queensland Fund; and the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Tablelands Regional Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Charters Towers Regional Council and Gladstone Regional Council to support local arts and culture.