Art of the Encore

• Where: Church of St George & St John
• When: 4pm, Sunday, October 13
• Tickets: Adults $35, under 18s $5, plus $5 surcharge on door sales; book and save, or cash only from The Good Life, online at www.trybooking.com/nz/UDD

IF you’ve ever wished a concert’s encores would last forever, this performance is tailor-made for you. Prepare for an afternoon filled with enchanting music as miniature masterworks for violin and piano by the encore genius, Fritz Kreisler, share the spotlight with beloved classics, including Massenet’s Meditation from Thaïs, Williams’ Theme from Schindler’s List, and Kroll’s lively Banjo and Fiddle.

For those seeking a deeper musical experience, the Art of the Encore concert, presented by Music Whakatāne, will feature a Handel violin sonata accompanied by organ in the first half, followed by Vaughan Williams’ ethereal The Lark Ascending in its original version with piano in the second half. It promises to be an unforgettable afternoon.

Over the past five years, violinist Yuka Eguchi and pianist/organist Kemp English have captivated audiences with their exceptional chemistry, both on and off the stage.

Both celebrated soloists in their own right, Eguchi and English are passionate about sharing the joys of the violin and keyboard repertoire. Their collaborative efforts have taken them on an impressive journey: in 2022, they toured for Chamber Music New Zealand and performed in Adelaide and Japan.

In 2023, they spent two months touring Europe and recording in Japan, culminating in a full house at Auckland Town Hall.

Earlier this year, they returned to Adelaide for another concert at the Town Hall.

Since 2016, Eguchi has served as assistant concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra while maintaining a busy chamber music schedule. As part of Chamber Music New Zealand’s 2022 programme, she toured New Zealand with English, showcasing both modern piano and fortepiano, and collaborated with her colleagues in the Tokyo Trio during performances in Japan.

Before relocating to New Zealand, Eguchi held prestigious positions as solo concertmaster for the Japan Philharmonic and Tokyo Mozart Players, and she frequently served as guest concertmaster throughout Japan. A distinguished scholarship student at Indiana University under the legendary Josef Gingold, she has received major accolades, including the 55th Japan Music Competition and prizes in both the Washington and Paganini Violin