Winter Gala: Songs My Mother Taught Me

The song recital is in decline, waning, perhaps dead. So at least many have claimed or suggested. However, Sara Macliver, soprano and Ian Munro, pianist, have made it their mission to cherish and nurture this artform by presenting well known and not-so-well-known art song about women at Songs My Mother Taught Me.

“It is not that long ago that everyone knew what art song was” Macliver says, “and everyone performed it, however that has changed in 2019. Now people ask me ‘so, what is art song?’”.

Australia Ensemble pianist Ian Munro explains “song recital is a genre that has suffered a bit in the last few decades.” Continuing, he says he doesn’t often get the chance to play solo vocal repertoire. Even though he and Macliver have been working together for 20 years, they have “never had a chance to do a whole recital together.”

Songs My Mother Taught Me, after Dvořák’s work of the same name from his Gypsy Songs cycle, explores various views of womanhood through art song and features the music of composers Hélène Tham and Amy Beach.

This dynamic duo has been performing together for 20 years and have developed a friendship which they will draw on when interpreting these timeless works. There is a huge amount of art song repertoire to explore, and the mission of nurturing these works before the next generation picks up the mantle is a challenging one. Macliver and Munro are taking this rare opportunity to present a full song recital to champion women – their stories and their music.

What: Winter Gala – Songs My Mother Taught Me

When: 21 June @ 8pm

Where: Tyree room, John Niland Scientia Building at UNSW

To Find Out More & To Book Tickets Online Click Here