CAPE LODGE:

Sitting on its own secluded vineyard in the heart of the Margaret River Wine Country is one of Australia’s finest boutique small luxury hotels.

As you meander down the winding driveway of our intimate country estate you will discover why Cape Lodge was voted Luxury Travel Magazine’s Best Boutique Hotel in Australia 2009 and listed in Conde Nast Traveller’s “World’s Best 100 Hotels” Gold List 2008.

Surrounded by stunning forest, lake and parkland scenery Cape Lodge is only minutes away from pristine beaches, coastline and the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean and neighbours the great Margaret River wine estates of Mosswood, Vasse Felix, Cullen and Pierro.

Described as one of Australia’s finest new generation gourmet establishments the multi award winning gourmet restaurant was ranked in the Top Ten in the World for Food and boasts a 14,000 bottle wine cellar and the newly opened Gourmet Retreat and Cookery School.

A member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World the hotel features 22 luxury rooms and suites, the executive five bedroom Private Residence, an all weather tennis court and a beautiful free form swimming pool.

SEASHELLS RESORT:

Set in beautiful extensive gardens, by the sea at Yallingup Beach, the 4.5 star Seashells Resort Yallingup is adjacent to the magnificently restored, heritage-listed Caves House. Seashells Resort Yallingup has been architecturally designed to complement the art-deco era ambience of the property and integrate into the surrounding heritage gardens.

Seashells Resort Yallingup offers different styles of accommodation including studio spa rooms or 1 and 2 bedroom fully self-contained apartments. Meeting and conference facilities available for up to 150 delegates and broadband internet connections are provided in every room and apartment.

Enjoy the fully licensed restaurant, bar with weekend entertainment, guest lounge with fireplace and walk trail through the gardens to Yallingup Beach.
All the history of Caves House, now combined with a magnificent new resort by the beach!

The Australian String Quartet in the Margaret River

Margaret River region, Western Australia

16 - 19 April 2010

Locally guided

Attention music lovers, gourmands and all who enjoy the finer things in life! The Australian String Quartet and Renaissance Tours have teamed up to bring you three days of sybaritic indulgence in the beautiful Margaret River region, staying at either the luxurious Cape Lodge Hotel or charming Seashells Resort.

Enjoy a program of four concerts, performed by Australia’s leading chamber ensemble and invited guests - Emma-Jane Murphy (cello), Jürg Dähler (viola) Marshall McGuire (harp) and Greta Bradman (soprano) – in stunning winery settings, accompanied by gourmet lunches and dinner and matching wines. In between the concerts, discover the scenic and natural wonders of this renowned corner of Australia.

PACKAGES INCLUDE:

Return coach transfers from Perth and to all concerts and events
Three nights accommodation with breakfast daily
Four concerts, followed by gourmet lunches and dinners
Visit to a special private garden
Matching wines with all meals
Comprehensive sightseeing around Margaret River region

PERTH OPERA AND CONCERT PRE-TOUR: Directly preceding the Australian String Quartet in the Margaret River Weekend will be an optional two-night stay in Perth featuring the Australian Chamber Orchestra at the Perth Concert Hall and Bizet’s immortal opera Carmen by the West Australian Opera at the historic His Majesty’s Theatre. A-reserve tickets included for both performances.

THE AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET IN THE MARGARET RIVER	TWN/DBL	SGL
Cape Lodge – Deluxe Forest Spa Suite	$2,195	$2,954
Cape Lodge – Superior Spa Suite	$2,118	$2,801
Cape Lodge – Garden View Rooms	$2.041	$2,647
Seashells – 1-bedroom Apartment	$1,836	$2,185
Seashells – Studio Spa Room	$1,759	$2,032

PERTH OPERA AND CONCERT PRE-TOUR	TWN/DBL	SGL
Duxton Hotel	$598	$857

PERTH OPERA AND CONCERT PRE-TOUR:
Wed 14 April 2010 Arrive Perth
Arrive Perth and check-in to the Duxton Hotel, perfectly located on St Georges Terrace and within walking distance of all the major city attractions and performing venues.

8.00 pm Evening concert by the Australian Chamber Orchestra at the Perth Concert Hall (program details announced September 2009).

Thursday 15 April Perth
A day at leisure to explore Perth on your own. Optional day tours available.

This evening, enjoy a performance of Bizet’s Carmen by the West Australian Opera at the historic His Majesty’s Theatre (full cast and production details announced October 2009). (B)

Friday 16 April Depart Perth
Pick-up from the Duxton Hotel at 09.00am for the transfer to Margaret River. (B)

THE AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET IN THE MARGARET RIVER:
Friday 16 April Perth – Margaret River
09.00am Transfer from the Duxton Hotel to Margaret River region (approx 4 hours). Time to browse the shops and for lunch on your own in Margaret River township. Drive via Prevelly Park (where the Margaret River flows into the Indian Ocean) and scenic Caves Road, lined with wineries, to your hotels – Cape Lodge OR Seashells Resort. Arrive mid-afternoon.

After time to settle in and change, transfer from your hotels to Saracen Estates, located on the beautiful rolling hills of the famed sub-region of the Willyabrup Valley. Enjoy canapes before the opening concert , followed by dinner at the winery. Return transfers to your hotels. (D)

Programme
Short Bracket performed by
Marshall McGuire (harp), Greta Bradman (soprano) and Emma-Jane Murphy (cello)

Mozart – Duo for Violin and Viola in G major. K423
Sophie Rowell (violin) and Jürg Dähler (viola)

Mendelssohn - Viola Quintet in B major, Op. 87
Australian String Quartet with Jürg Dähler (viola)

Saturday 17 April Margaret River
After a leisurely breakfast, enjoy a morning visit to Leeuwin Estate (tasting and visit to the Art Gallery). Continue to Vasse Felix for a concert followed by picnic lunch in the grounds. Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery to be established in the Margaret River region and is owned and operated by the Holmes á Court family. After a picnic lunch, there will be a visit to a special private garden on the way back to your hotels.

Programme
Boccherini - Stabat Mater
Australian String Quartet with Emma-Jane Murphy (cello)
and Greta Bradman (soprano)

Dvorak - Quintet in E flat major, Op. 97, B. 180
Australian String Quartet with Jürg Dähler (viola)

Transfer from your hotels to Fraser Gallop Estate for this evening’s ‘house concert’ followed by a Gala Dinner – and further musical entertainment – in the Barrel Hall. Not normally open to the public, Fraser Gallop Estate produces single vineyard premium wines which reflect the climate and the soils of the upper Wilyabrup region of Margaret River Return. Transfers to your hotels. (B,L,D)

Programme
Golijov – Songs
Australian String Quartet with Greta Bradman (soprano)

Short Bracket performed by
Marshall McGuire (harp) and Greta Bradman (soprano)

Schoenberg - Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 ("Transfigured Night")
Australian String Quartet with Jürg Dähler (viola) and
Emma-Jane Murphy (cello)

Sunday 18 April Margaret River
Morning at leisure. Transfer from your hotels to Vasse Felix for a late morning concert followed by lunch in the restaurant.

After lunch enjoy a tour of the southern Margaret River region. Drive south through the soaring karri trees of Boronup Forest to Augusta where the Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean meet. Late afternoon return to your hotels. Evening at leisure. (B,L)

PROGRAMME
Haydn – String Quartet No. 4 in D Major, Op. 20
Australian String Quartet

Short bracket performed by
Marshall McGuire (harp) and Greta Bradman (soprano)

Brahms - Sextet No. 2 in G major Op. 36
Australian String Quartet with Jürg Dähler (viola) and
Emma-Jane Murphy (cello)

Monday 19 April Margaret River – Perth
9.30am Depart Margaret River for the return drive to Perth, arriving at Perth Airport by 2.30pm – in time for flights departing at 4.00pm or later.(B)

NB. All concerts last approximately 1 hour.

Fraser Gallop Estate

THE AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET
(Pictured Left to Right)
Sophie Rowell – Violin
Sally Boud – Viola
Anne Horton – Violin
Rachel Johnston – Cello

The Australian String Quartet (ASQ) was established in 1985 and is Quartet-in-Residence at the Elder Conservatorium of Music at The University of Adelaide. It tours both nationally and internationally, and has had a major impact on the musical life of Australia.

The current membership of Sophie Rowell and Anne Horton, violins, Sally Boud, viola, and Rachel Johnston, cello was established in 2006. In 2000, this combination of players originally came together as the Tankstream Quartet and was coached by Alice Waten at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney . This ASQ is the only Australian group to have been participants in the prestigious chamber music class of the Alban Berg Quartet at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik, and also holds the distinction of having won more international chamber music competitions than any other ensemble in Australian history including First Prize at the 2005 Cremona International String Quartet Competition, the Gold Medal in the 2002 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition (Japan), first place in the 2001 Australian Chamber Music Competition, and Second Prize in the Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition in Italy in 2005.

The ASQ has performed in many major European cities including Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Cologne, Belgrade, Budapest, Zagreb, Frankfurt, Reggio Emilia (Italy), and in New York, USA. It has also toured throughout Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Japan.

It was selected to perform celebratory concerts for the Danish Royal Wedding in May 2004. The Quartet has been broadcast extensively in Australia on ABC Classic FM and has been featured on NDR (North German Radio), the BBC and Radio France, and televised in Australia, Denmark and Japan .

Throughout its history the ASQ has commissioned, premiered and performed works by leading Australian composers including Charles Bodman Rae, Ross Edwards, Andrew Ford, Miriam Hyde, Elena Kats-Chernin, Graeme Koehne, Richard Meale, Peter Sculthorpe, and Roger Smalley, and in 2009 performs works by Brett Dean, Gordon Kerry and Nigel Westlake.

Emma-Jane Murphy, cello
(photo courtesy of Trioz)

Jürg Dähler, viola

Marshall McGuire, harp

Greta Bradman, soprano


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