Arrive in Cairns on suggested Qantas flights and make your own way to the hotel.

Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private transfer to the hotel, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 16:00, join Andy and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing at the hotel, followed by an early dinner.

Then, attend the opening night concert, titled Cairns Crescendo, at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Mozart – Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Sam Wu – New commission
Piazzolla – Libertango, arranged by Jeff Scott for wind quintet
Czerny – Mozart’s Arias for 6 hands
Dvořák – Serenade for wind instruments in D Minor, Op.44

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Australian Festival of Chamber Music
Since its inception in 1990, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music has been the largest festival dedicated to chamber music in the southern hemisphere. The Festival was founded by Professor Ray Golding, former Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University, and Theodore Kuchar, who continued as the Festival’s first artistic director. From 2007-2017, renowned Australian pianist Piers Lane AO acted as Artistic Director and widened the repertoire of the Festival to appeal to a broader audience, followed by pianist Kathryn Stott from 2017-2021. From 2022, the program has been meticulously crafted by Artistic Director Jack Liebeck and, this year, the Festival makes its Cairns debut, marking a new chapter in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s history.

This morning, attend the first of two Concert Conversations at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre. Delight in a panel discussion hosted by Artistic Director Jack Liebeck with the Sitkovetsky Trio, a critically acclaimed piano trio formed by students at the Yehudi Menuhin School in 2007, followed by a performance of the works discussed.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Lena Sierova – Bucha for Piano Trio
Monti – Csárdás
Bach – Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit
Debussy – Clair de Lune

After the performance, walk back to the hotel for some time at leisure before returning to the Cairns Performing Arts Centre in the late afternoon for the first concert in the Sunset Series, titled Twilights Embrace.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Margaret Sutherland – Nocturne for Violin and Piano
Lennox Berkley – Songs of the Half-Light
Arvo Pärt – Spiegel im Spiegel
Bloch – Three Nocturnes for Piano Trio
Chopin – Nocturnes

Then, enjoy dinner before the Governor’s Gala concert featuring The Marriage of Figaro for ensemble and narrator, arranged by 18th-century oboist and composer Johann Wendt.

(BD)

After breakfast, walk to Bulmba-ja Arts Centre for an intimate performance by the Sitkovetsky Trio, as part of the exclusive Artistic Director’s Circle.

Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before walking to St Monica’s Cathedral for the second performance of the day.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Mozart – Divertimento No. 11
Brahms – String Sextet No. 1 in B Major, Op. 18

In the late afternoon, attend a pre-performance talk by Andy at the hotel. Then, walk to the Cairns Performing Arts Centre for the evening concert, titled Horrible Histories: Composer Edition.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Purcell – Suite No. 2 in G Minor
Lully – Chaconne des Harlequins
Nathan – Queen of Evening
Nathan – Thou Art Another’s
Chausson – Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 21

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This morning, attend the second of the Concert Conversations series at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Vivaldi – Lute Concerto in D Major, arranged for guitar
Jorge Morel – Danza Brasilera
Stéphane Grappelli – Minor Swing
Kahn – Serenade in F Minor, Op. 73, for oboe, horn and piano

After the concert, join Andy and fellow tour members for a farewell lunch at an acclaimed restaurant on the waterfront.

Enjoy some free time in the afternoon before returning to the Cairns Performing Arts Centre for Baroque Sunset, the title of the third concert in the Sunset Series.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Fasch – Concerto for Lute in D Minor
Purcell – Music for a While
Purcell – ‘Tis Nature’s Voice
Purcell – Now That the Sun Hath Veil’d His Light (Z. 193)
Purcell – If Music Be the Food of Love
Vivaldi – Trio in G Minor for Violin, Lute and Basso continuo, RV 85
Bach – Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55

After dinner, attend the last performance of the tour, titled Cairns at 150, A Musical Celebration.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Beethoven – Sextet for Horns and String Quartet in E-flat Major
Mahler – Piano Quartet in A Minor
Fauré – Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13
Joaquin Turina – Sevillana (Fantasía) Op. 29

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Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including any additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour, a room category upgrade, a private airport transfer and travel insurance (strongly recommended).

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