2026 Program
16 – 17 May 2026 – Overview
The Coriole Music Festival encompasses two days of beautiful chamber music, with meals and wine included.
There are two concerts on Saturday and one on Sunday. Each of the weekend’s three concerts will be followed by a delicious meal in the Coriole courtyard, where performers and audience can mix while enjoying fine food by chef Patricia Streckfuss and superb Coriole wines.
On each morning, before the first concert, Artistic Director Kate Suthers will give a talk to introduce the program of music.
Artistic Director 2026-2028
Artists
We welcome Berlin-based cellist, Martin Smith and London-based violist Richard Waters. They are joined by Australian soprano Desiree Frahn, and on violin Kate Suthers, Elizabeth Layton, Alison Heike and Belinda Gehlert. Second cello will be local favourite Gemma Phillips and on double bass, Sydney based Damien Eckersly. Rounding off our artists for 2026 is superb Australian pianist, Michael Ierace.
We are excited to feature a new music commission, titled Stellar, by Australian composer Belinda Gehlert and a premiere by Anne Cawrse, This Too Shall Pass, in a revised and new arrangement for the 2026 Coriole Music Festival.
Saturday 16 May 2026
10.15 am
Introductory talk by Kate Suthers (coffee and tea from 10 am)
11.00 am
Concert
Part One – Young Explorers
We begin in Vienna, an epicentre of Western Art Music. Two works, youthful compositions of Korngold and Mahler, open the festival, and also open the global story of how music and musicians travel.
~ Interval ~
Part Two – An Abridged History
Now heading to the beginning of arguably the most important part of the string quartet canon (a huge and enviable world) – Beethoven. His String Quartet No. 6 is the inspiration for Caroline Shaw’s Blueprint which will be played before lunch. In between we nod to the works heard earlier in the morning with songs from Alma Mahler, and early piano works of Zemlinsky.
ERICH KORNGOLD
String Sextet in D Major, Op.10
Elizabeth Layton (violin), Belinda Gehlert (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Martin Smith (cello), Gemma Phillips (cello)
GUSTAV MAHLER
Piano Quartet in A Minor
Michael Ierace (piano), Alison Heike (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Gemma Phillips (cello)
~ Interval ~
Ludwig von Beethoven
String Quartet No.6 in Bb Major, Op.18
Kate Suthers (violin), Alison Heike (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Martin Smith (cello)
Alma Mahler
selection from Fünf Lieder
Desiree Frahn (soprano), Michael Ierace (piano)
Alexander von Zemlinsky
selection from Liederen, Op.2
Desiree Frahn (soprano), Michael Ierace (piano)
Béla Bartók
Suite, Op.14
Michael Ierace (piano)
Caroline Shaw
Blueprint
Kate Suthers (violin), Alison Heike (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Martin Smith (cello)
1.30 pm
Three-course lunch (with Coriole wines)
3.30 pm
Panel Discussion
5.00 pm
Concert
Part One – Towards America
After lunch we will travel to America, first obliquely with Dvořák and then explicitly with the wonderful Copland settings of Emily Dickinson’s wonderful poetry.
~ Interval ~
Part Two – Roots
In the last program of the day we explore one of the fundamental expressions of humanity and one of the biggest influences on classical music: folk tunes. This program includes arrangements by the Danish String Quartet, and compositions by Dobrinka Tabakova, Alice Chance and Jessie Montgomery, interlaced with traditional works from Iceland and further afield.
Antonín Dvořák
Nocturne in B Major, Op.40
Elizabeth Layton (violin), Alison Heike (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Martin Smith (cello), Damien Eckersly (double bass)
Aaron Copland
selection from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson
Desiree Frahn (soprano), Michael Ierace (piano)
Caroline Shaw
Plan & Elevation
Kate Suthers (violin), Belinda Gehlert (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Gemma Phillips (cello)
~ Interval ~
Folk Music Selections
Featuring:
Alice Chance: Nose Scrunch Reel
Dobrinka Tabakova: The Smile of the Flamboyant Wings
Béla Bartók: Selections from Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Op. 20, Sz. 74, BB 83
Edvard Grieg: Selections from 25 Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances, Op.17
Selection of music arrangements by the Danish String Quartet
Kate Suthers (violin), Belinda Gehlert (violin), Richard Waters (viola) , Gemma Phillips (cello), Martin Smith (cello), Damien Kennedy (double bass), Michael Ierace (piano), Desiree Frahn (soprano)
7.30 pm
Supper (with Coriole wines)
Sunday 17 May 2026
10.15 am
Introductory talk by Kate Suthers (coffee and tea from 10 am)
11.00 am
Concert
The day will be bookended by septets – Richard Strauss’ monumental Metamorphosen in a septet realisation by Rudolph Leopold, and closing with John Adam’s Shaker Loops. In between we world premiere a new composition by Belinda Gehlert, Stellar, and a Festival premiere by Anne Cawrse, as well as celebrate Giacomo Puccini’s anniversary year with the sublime Crisantemi.
Part One – Backwards
~ Interval ~
Part Two – Forwards
Anne Cawrse
This too shall pass (Festival Premiere)
Desiree Frahn (soprano), Belinda Gehlert (violin), Alison Heike (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Gemma Phillips (cello)
Richard Strauss
Metamorphosen realisation for Septet by Rudolph Leopold
Elizabeth Layton (violin), Kate Suthers (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Martin Smith (cello), Gemma Phillips (cello), Damien Eckersly (double bass)
~ Interval ~
Giacomo Puccini
Crisantemi
Alison Heike (violin), Belinda Gehlert (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Martin Smith (cello)
Belinda Gehlert
Stellar (World Premiere)
Kate Suthers (violin), Belinda Gehlert (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Gemma Phillips (cello)
John Adams
Shaker Loops
Kate Suthers (violin), Alison Heike (violin), Richard Waters (viola), Gemma Phillips (cello), Damien Eckersly (double bass)
1.30 pm
Lunch (with Coriole wines)