Melbourne Chamber Orchestra Welcomes Back Li-Wei Qin in MUSETTE – A CELLO CELEBRATION

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra will present Musette, a concert that places the cello front and centre, featuring the return of internationally acclaimed cellist Li-Wei Qin. Performing on Thursday 21 August at 7:30pm and Sunday 24 August at 2:30pm at Melbourne Recital Centre, the Chinese-Australian virtuoso brings his commanding artistry to a program celebrating the cello's extraordinary versatility across three centuries of repertoire.

"I'm absolutely delighted that we'll once again be sharing the stage with Li-Wei. His masterful artistry and dazzling virtuosity bring an irresistible spark to every performance. This concert is a true celebration of the cello, featuring timeless works by Haydn and Boccherini that showcase how the instrument's elegance and expressive power has been sustained through the centuries. I'm also excited to introduce our audiences to some lesser-known treasures — Elena Kats-Chernin's vibrant reimagining of Anna Magdalena's Notebook and Françaix's witty and charming Variations de Concert. These hidden gems add a delightful twist to a program that is all about the beauty and brilliance of the cello," said Melbourne Chamber Orchestra Artistic Director Sophie Rowell

"Chamber music hits the sweet spot of really combining what an orchestra plays with a chamber space. Ultimately, being a smaller ensemble, we use our ears more! We aren't entirely relying on a conductor; we have to be much more sensitive. It's one of the most exciting and exuberant cello pieces out there – it's a real, super virtuoso work, both for the orchestra and myself." – Li-Wei Qin

Program Highlights

Elena Kats-Chernin's From Anna Magdalena's Notebook opens the evening, written especially for MCO Artistic Director Sophie Rowell. The work reworks familiar themes from Anna Magdalena Bach's notebook – she was the copyist of her husband's Cello Suites, making this the perfect company for Li-Wei's artistry.

Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major serves as the program's centrepiece – a work Li-Wei himself suggested. "It's one of the most exciting and exuberant cello pieces out there!" he shares. "It's a real, super virtuoso work – both for the orchestra and myself." The manuscript was only discovered in the 1960s, yet it has become one of the most beloved works in the cello repertoire. Li-Wei first learned this piece at age 13, creating a deeply personal connection.

Jean Françaix's Variations de concert provides a "fabulous French bonbon full of elegance and wit," while Boccherini's dramatic Symphony No. 4 in D minor, "La Casa del Diavolo" (The Devil's House) concludes the program. Written by a fellow cellist-composer, this flamboyant work demonstrates Boccherini's intimate understanding of the instrument's capabilities.

Li-Wei, who has appeared twice as soloist at the BBC Proms and collaborated with orchestras including the London Symphony, China Philharmonic, and all leading Australian symphony orchestras, particularly values the musical intimacy of chamber orchestras and the heightened level of musical communication they require.

Ticketing and Venue Information