Australia is known to have a great community of Baroque musicians. We are lucky enough to have a vibrant and rich community of musicians who have specialised in this diverse and brilliant genre, and we’re delighted to welcome a team of superstar musicians from this community – Sara Macliver and the Genesis Baroque team – to ANAM for a special residency in 2025.
Sara Macliver is no stranger to Australian audiences. With a career spanning over two decades, she has earned a reputation as one of the nation's most beloved and versatile sopranos. Her mastery of Baroque music, in particular, has garnered her widespread acclaim, establishing her as one of the leading exponents of this genre. Whether performing with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, or on international stages, Macliver’s interpretations are always marked by their depth, clarity, and emotional resonance.
Over the years, Macliver’s collaborations have taken her to some of the most prestigious festivals and concert halls across the country. Her performances have been a highlight at the Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney Festivals, and she is a regular fixture with all the major Australian symphony orchestras. Her recordings for ABC Classics, which include over 35 CDs, have earned her numerous awards and a devoted following.
In this ANAM residency, Macliver joins forces with Genesis Baroque, a company known for its vibrant and historically informed performances of Baroque music. Under the direction of artistic leaders who are themselves seasoned performers, Genesis Baroque – who includes many ANAM alum – has built a reputation for breathing new life into the Baroque repertoire. Their performances are characterised by their attention to period detail, dynamic interpretations, and a fresh, innovative approach to music-making.
The involvement of musicians from ANAM, Australia's premiere institution for the training of classical musicians, adds another layer of excitement to this collaboration. As the preeminent orchestral training Academy, training at ANAM must encompass a wide variety of styles, performance opportunities and ways of playing.
For this project, musicians will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into the world of period instrument playing – a world that is of course deeply influential on our current way of playing instruments, but is not at the core of contemporary instrumental performance practice. This residency will allow string musicians to experience the difference of sound in gut strings and historical bows; brass players will encounter the world of natural horns and trumpets, instruments that shine with a brilliance very different to their contemporary cousins, but that require a very different approach in playing technique; and the wind, keyboard and percussion musicians will encounter their historical instrumental ancestors and the varying methods needed to make them sing.
“ANAM’s extraordinary young musicians display such verve and curiosity, and I’m truly excited to be bringing Genesis Baroque’s specialists to ANAM to delve into the incredibly colourful, raw, and expressive sound world of period instrument performance. This diverse program of 18th Century Viennese repertoire is such fertile ground for exploring music through the vibrant, deeply human lens of historically informed performance practice.” - Jennifer Kirsner, Artistic Director of Genesis Baroque.
Singing forms the core of a lot of the repertoire from this period, and so the opportunity for ANAM musicians to experience the mastery of someone like Sara adds to the depth of knowledge imparted in this exchange.
“I have no doubt this collaboration will be an exciting and memorable journey as we take a deep dive into the deeply expressive and dramatic world of 18th century Viennese music.” – Sara Macliver
There is no doubt that this celebration of the music of the distant past will be a joy-filled and insightful experience at ANAM in 2025.
GENESIS BAROQUE WITH SARA MACLIVER
Saturday 10 May 7pm
Venue Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent
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SARA MACLIVER WITH ANAM PIANOS
Wednesday 14 May 3pm
Venue Good Shepherd Chapel, Abbotsford
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Sara Macliver’s Artistic Residency at ANAM is generously supported by Meredith Baldwin