Karin Schaupp and Umberto Clerici Release New Album and Announce 2018 Tour

Wayfaring brings together Italian-Australian cellist Umberto Clerici with German-Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp, for a musical journey through a rich tapestry of cultures, ages and emotions.

Clerici and Schaupp discovered an immediate musical connection when they first played together at the biennial Musica Viva Festival several years ago. 'It was a magical connection, as if we just knew each other musically, even though we hadn't met before,' says Schaupp. 'It's something very rare. We played a few pieces and decided we simply had to do this again. Last year we gave some recitals and built a program. Then we decided to make this album, and built a whole new program.'

They settled on the linking idea of 'songs that trace a path from birth to death, with everything in between': a 'wayfaring' through life. Spending long hours in libraries combing through repertoire, they gradually whittled down their options: the final list expresses joy, grief and every emotion between.

The repertoire stretches from the early baroque (Monteverdi and Caccini) to the present day, with contemporary works by two Australian composers: Elena Kats-Chernin's Eliza Aria and A Flower's Purpose by Katie Noonan, the singer-songwriter with whom Schaupp has toured and recorded. They also cover music by Dvo?ák, Rodrigo (a stunning song adapted by the composer himself from his beloved Concierto de Aranjuez), Rachmaninoff, Schubert and more.

Umberto Clerici is the principal cellist of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and an acclaimed soloist; his musicianship has been described as 'soulful and beautifully sculpted' (Limelight). Karin Schaupp is an ARIA-winning guitarist acclaimed by the German press for playing 'so perfect, so complete, that it seems like a miracle'.

Between them, they have recorded more than a dozen albums; this is their first together. The artists clearly couldn't be happier at having found one another. 'It's as if we feel the music intuitively the same way,' says Schaupp. 'Several times in rehearsal Umberto's playing even moved me to tears. It's such a gift to be able to play music and make albums.'

Karin is based in Brisbane and Umberto is based in Sydney.

TRACKLISTING
1. DVO?ÁK Lasst mich allein (Let Me Be Alone)
2. BRAHMS Es steht ein Lind (There Stands a Lime Tree)
3. TRADITIONAL Wayfaring Stranger
4. RACHMANINOFF Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne (Do Not Sing, My Beauty)
5. RUTTER Shadows
6. CACCINI Amarilli
7. MONTEVERDI Lasciatemi morire (Let Me Die)
8. NOONAN A Flower's Purpose
9. FALLA Jota
10. CASALS Song of the Birds
11. SCHUBERT Lob der Tränen (In Praise of Tears)
12. RAVEL Kaddisch
13. FALLA Polo
14. KATS-CHERNIN Eliza Aria
15. SCHUBERT Frühlingstraum (Spring Dream)
16. RODRIGO Aranjuez, ma pensée (Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio)
17. TRADITIONAL Wild Mountain Thyme
18. RUTTER Close Thine Eyes

Umberto Clerici cello
Karin Schaupp guitar

Recorded in the Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Ultimo, Sydney
Album available 2 March 2018 | 1CD | Digital album | ABC 481 6811

CONCERTS
SA, Sun 25 Feb, 2.30pm
UKARIA, Adelaide SOLD OUT

VIC, Tue 27 Mar, 11am
Musica Viva Coffee Concert
Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank

NSW, Wed 28 Mar, 11am
Musica Viva Coffee Concert
The Independent Theatre, North Sydney

NSW, Thu 5 April, 7pm
Armidale Town Hall for Musica Viva Armidale

NSW, Fri 6 April, 8pm
Coffs Harbour Education Campus
for the Coffs Harbour Music Society

NSW, Sun 8 April, 3pm
St Martins, Mullumbimby
for the Byron Music Society

VIC, Sat 2 June, 8pm
The Capital, Bendigo

ACT, Sun 3 June, 4pm
The Street Theatre, Canberra

QLD, Mon 22 Oct, 6.30pm
QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane