BY CUTCOMMON
It’s safe to say that most musicians would be happy with a review praising their ability to “defy the laws of physics”. But this comment from the Washington Post is just one of many reviews that have highlighted the talent of Australia’s Orava Quartet — a chamber ensemble founded by brothers Daniel Kowalik (violin) and Karol Kowalik (cello), along with Thomas Chawner (viola), and David Dalseno (violin).
The group, which launched in 2007, has since become the first string quartet in Australia to release a recording with Deutsche Grammophon. The players have made music for royalty and the pope, won awards and residencies, and shared stages with leaders in the classical music space — Slava Grigoryan, Katie Noonan, Simon Tedeschi.
Next on their calendar will be a performance for the Intimate Salon Experiences series at the Melbourne Recital Centre in which they will premiere a new Australian work. We sat down with Karol, who tells us all about Orava Quartet’s upcoming concert.
Karol, the Primrose Potter Salon is one of the chamber music venues of Australia. As specialists in the art form, what do you enjoy about making music in this space?
Melbourne Recital Centre holds a special place in our hearts. The city is a beating heart in the cultural landscape, especially chamber music!
We’ve had many unforgettable moments there as performers and concertgoers. It’s one of the premier concert venues in the country, and we are always really excited to return.
Chamber music is so much about those intimate musical connections that exist between you and the audience, and also between yourselves as performers. What do you value about this special side to chamber music?
There are so many things we value in chamber music. The musicians we work with as well as the audience we share the music with.
As we prepare this particular program, the word that sticks out for me is ‘discovery’. We are in awe of these two master composers and the creativity they bring to the art form.
You have received the types of comments in reviews and articles that many chamber musicians would dream of: your performances can “defy the laws of physics” (Washington Post); you’re “the future of Australian chamber music” and “one of Australia’s proudest cultural exports” (The Australian). How does your group put itself out there in a way that’ll stir these types of reactions?
At the crux of it, we are bunch of friends playing music that we love.
Every year, we try to discover new and exciting works that aren’t in the standard repertoire and we feel should be. Not only does this keep things fresh for us, but I think concertgoers really appreciate these new discoveries.
What’s it been like to have the type of career that has climbed up and up — from being Australia’s first string quartet to release a Deutsche Grammophon album to becoming brand ambassadors for a string instrument producer?
We are really proud of our two discs. It’s come from a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and as most things, being at the right place at the right time.
My father always told me you never know who’s going to be in the audience at any concert. And that’s what kicked off our contract with Universal Music.
So you’re performing two works at MRC — a Debussy, and a world premiere. How’d you choose the program, and come to combine such wildly different pieces?
We programmed the two works together because of their ingenuity: a world premiere by one of Australia’s finest composers, and Debussy’s incredibly inventive first quartet. You never know how a program will feel until you do it. I’m always excited by this prospect.
Even though the Debussy is a staple in the quartet canon, I always feel a sense of wonder with its creativity. There are some harmonic boundaries that he crosses and ‘rules’ that he breaks. For example, there are moments where he has parallel fifths all over the place — when you study harmony, one of the first things you learn is to avoid this at all costs. Debussy at times throws the rule book out the window and breaks this tradition. Over 100 years later since its composition, I feel a sense of wonder every time we play these moments.
Also, the slow movement of the Debussy is perhaps my favourite movement ever written!
Tell us about the world premiere!
The commissioner Andrew Johnston actually commissioned it as a gift to celebrate his mother’s 92nd birthday. So the concert will be quite the celebration! We are really excited to give the world premiere of Paul Dean’s new work as he is a composer and clarinettist we have always admired.
The work is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s A Dream Within a Dream. It’s difficult for me to know what people should expect — everyone views and absorbs art in a different way. However, with this particular work, I’m interested how people will respond to the correlation between the poem and the work.
Anything else you’d like to share with the music lovers of Australia?
Come along for the wonder that live music has to offer!
I think there is going to be something for everyone in this program. We are really excited to share this music with the great folks of Melbourne!
Orava Quartet plays Debussy & Dean at 7pm August 30 in the Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre.
Images supplied.
