Articles

Ng, Shaun K. F. “Réponce de Monsieur Rousseau.” The Viola da Gamba Society Journal 2, no. 2 (2009): 56-74. Click here for PDF.

Seaven Teares in Concert

Jointly directed by the ensemble members.
The Marais Project is proud to present the recently formed professional viol consort, “Seaven Teares” - "Seaven Teares" being the alternate title for John Dowland's famous viol consort piece, "Lachrimae".  Joined by well known soprano, Nicole Thomson, “Seaven Teares” will present music by Bull, Dowland & Morales along with a selection of beautiful songs that highlight the unique sound of the viol consort.

3.00pm Sunday 26th August - Recital Hall West, Sydney Conservatorium, Macquarie St, Sydney.

  Nicole Thomson – soprano

Catherine Upex- treble viol

Shaun Ng – tenor viol

Imogen Granwal & Jennifer Eriksson – bass viol

Tickets - $30/20 at door; family ticket $80 (2 adults + 2 children); bookings ph: (02) 9809 5185;
on-line at: www.maraisproject.com.au

Messiah and Mass in B minor

Back on the horse, or should I say the violone?

Handel's Messiah and Bach's Mass in B minor for 2012:


The Choir and Orchestra of St James'
Thursday 22 March, 7pm
Saturday 24 March, 5pm


Bach's Mass in B minor
The Choir and Orchestra of St James' with guest soloists including Sally-Anne Russell and Greta Bradman
Thursday 20 September, 7pm
Saturday 22 September, 5pm

Historical centres of string making

View Historical centres of string making in a larger map

I have been recently doing some research into historical stringing of instruments of the Baroque era, paying particular attention to three theories that I feel require further scrutiny: 1) equal tension stringing, 2) wound strings and 3) loaded gut strings. Hopefully I will be able to publish my findings. To make more sense of these locations, I have made a map listing all the cities that were famous for gut-string making. These cities are: Lyon, Strasbourg (France), Nuremberg (Germany), Leghorn, Pistoia, Bologna, Padua, Venice, Rome and Naples (Italy). I am certain there are quite a bit more, but these are the cities that were mentioned by the Baroque sources I consulted. Perhaps the more sought-after strings were made in these cities.  

I will be presenting my newest research into the French Baroque at the 34th National Conference of the Musicological Society of Australia:

Performing the trill in Marin Marais's Pièces de viole

1st Dec 2011, 2.30-3.30pm, Tunley Lecture Theatre, University of Western Australia.

Seaven Teares Consort

I have just received some new photographs from Vikki Pumpuang of Seaven Teares' new publicity photographs, and they are just simply stunning! These images will definitely be seen in future concert material as well as the CD we just recently recorded, but hush for now. To stay in touch with future updates, 'like' the Seaven Teares website on Facebook.

Early Music Association of NSW

A last minute request to perform at an Early Music Association concert event with Tim Willis and Joanna Tondys at a concert at the Old Darlington School.

Saturday August 20, 7.00 pm, Old Darlington School, Sydney University.

Dido and Aeneas

An excellent opportunity to use my recently acquired (brand new!) theorbo for its first public outing in Purcell's Dido in Aeneas, directed by the famous harpist Andrew Lawrence-King.

Date: 24th Novemeber

Venue: Sydney Conservatorum, Macquarie Street, SCM Music Workshop

Time: 4-5pm

Gallery

Photos: Vikki Pumpuang

Viol concert celebrates spring (Seaven Teares)

Viol concert celebrates spring

"Shaun is our virtuoso in that he plays bass viol, violin, theorbo (bass lute) and violone, the viol family version of the double bass. This afternoon he features on tenor viol."

Thanks Jenny, Shaun.

05 Sep, 2011 12:00 AM

MOSS Vale Uniting Church is celebrating the end of a long, cold winter with a "Spring Concert" to raise funds for two special local charities: Triple Care Farm, which supports troubled teenagers, and The Angel Tree, an organisation that ensures the children of jailed prisoners receive Christmas gifts.

The musicians will once again be provided by Sydney-based string virtuoso, Jennifer Eriksson.

Jennifer has strong ties with the Highlands as her parents-in-law, Ken and Mary Pogson, are long-term Moss Vale residents and members of Moss Vale Uniting Church.

In 2010 Jennifer thrilled a packed house with the music of her unique ensemble, The Marais Project.

At that concert, many in the audience got to hear the viola da gamba (a seven-string, fretted instrument the same size as a cello) and harpsichord for the first time.

This year Jennifer will introduce the Highlands to her new viol consort, "Seaven Teares" in their first concert outside Sydney.

"A viol consort is similar to a string quartet," Jennifer said.

"Only all the instruments are members of the viol family rather than the violin family.

"This means that even the smallest instrument, the treble (similar to a violin) is played between the knees, as is my instrument, the viola da gamba."

"The music for viol consorts is very beautiful and relaxing: much of it dates from around the time of Queen Elizabeth I.

"However, I've also arranged some well known songs for the Consort so those attending will get to hear our rather ancient instrument play some more contemporary tunes."

Special guest artist for the Highlands Spring Concert is soprano Nicole Thomson, a long-term member of the nationally known professional choir, "The Song Company."

"I've had the pleasure of accompanying Nicole before," Jennifer said. "She has a gorgeous voice and a special stage presence."

Other members of Seaven Teares include Cathy Upex, Shaun Ng and Imogen Granwal, all of whom have worked extensively with Eriksson in the past.

Together they recently completed a new studio recording of viol consort music for ABCFM.

When: 2pm on Sunday, September 18.

Where: Moss Vale Uniting Church, corner Argyle and Spring streets, Moss Vale. Cost: $15/10

Tickets: Ken Pogson (phone 0248 681463) and at the door .

“Seaven Teares”- Highlands Spring Concert

From the Marais Project Blog:

2.00pm Sunday 18^th September, 2011

Presented by Moss Vale Uniting Church, cnr of Argyle and Spring St, Moss Vale (1.5hrs south of Sydney)

What follows is an edited version of the program notes for the concert on 18 September.

Southern Highlands Spring Concert

Moss Vale Uniting Church is celebrating the end of a long, cold winter with a “Spring Concert” to raise funds for two special local charities: “Triple Care Farm” which supports troubled teenagers and “The Angel Tree”, an organisation that ensures that the children of gaoled prisoners receive Christmas gifts.

I’ve been asked once again to provide the musicians. I have strong ties with the Highlands as my parents in law, Ken and Mary Pogson, are long term Moss Vale residents and members of Moss Vale Uniting Church. In 2010 we played to a packed house at Moss Vale Uniting with The Marais Project. At that concert, many in the audience got to hear the viola da gamba and harpsichord for the first time.

Background to the music and the viol consort

“Severn Teares” takes our name from a famous piece by John Dowland whose music makes an appearance in today’s concert at several points. Dowland lived and worked in England around the time of Queen Elizabeth, before English spelling was standardised. So “Severn Teares” is, of course, the old spelling of “Seven Tears”! Dowland and the other composers we play today wrote a great deal of beautiful and sophisticated music for viol consort which sounds very fresh to our ears even though some works are hundreds of years old.

The viol family has a history quite independent to the violin family and for a time, the two competed with each other for dominance. The viols eventually lost, but we are making a comeback! Technically, viols are constructed quite differently to the violin, viola and cello that make up the violin family. For example, we have 6 or 7 rather than 4 strings and we also make use of tied on frets. Our strings are made of sheep gut and strung at a lower tension than those of the modern violin or guitar. This means that viols “speak” more slowly, are softer and have great resonance. This wonderful resonance results in our consort “ringing on” for a moment or two after we finish playing each song – a lovely effect.

Unlike modern string players, viol consort members in olden times were expected to play at least two or more different instruments. Today Cathy will play treble viol, but she normally plays bass. Shaun is our virtuoso in that he plays bass viol, violin, theorbo (bass lute) and violone, the viol family version of the double bass. This afternoon he features on tenor viol. Imogen and Jenny will perform on the bass, but Jenny also plays treble viol and the smallest member of the viol family, the Pardessus viol. Imogen is a professional cellist by training but is also a skilled bass violist.

Much of the music for viol consort is “contrapuntal” which means it consists of a number of different instrumental voices intertwining with each other. The contrapuntal nature of the music means that at times audiences may have difficulty identifying a strong tune. Composers of this era tended to concentrate on writing for a number of different parts rather than on a single tune with an accompaniment. However, we encourage listeners to just to sit back and “take it all in”.

This concert will be the first time soprano Nicole Thomson has performed with us and we are very pleased to have her on board. She has sung in the past with The Marais Project with great success.

The Golden Century

Another one at the Sydney Conservatorium, this time on theorbo:

Conductors' Series - The Golden Century - Early Music Ensemble (4.00pm)
3 September 2011










Early Music Ensemble

Neal Peres Da Costa director
Matthew Manchester cornetto
Jane Sheldon soprano
Anna Fraser soprano

Program

Gabrieli	Canzona Quarti Toni a 15 (c1850)
Frescobaldi	Canzon "La Bernardina"
Schutz	Excerpts from Symphoniae sacrae
Praetorius	'Wie schoen leuchtet der Morgenstern' from Polyhmnia caduceatrix
Praetorius	Dances from Terspichore
Gabrieli	Canzona Septimi Toni a 8
Castello	Sonata 'La Strozza' for 2 soprano instruments
Schutz	Excerpts from Kleine geistliche Konzerte
Castello	Sonata Decima Sesta a 4 per stromenti d'Arco
Praetorius	'Puer natus in Bethlehem' from Musae Sioniae
Monteverdi	Bella Madre d'Amore
Gabrieli	Canzona a 22

King Arthur

This time performing Baroque opera on the theorbo:

Baroque Opera - King Arthur - Purcell (6.00pm)

13 & 14 May 2011

Sung in English, King Arthur (1691) is a semi-opera by Henry Purcell, to a libretto by John Dryden. The tale centres on King Arthur's endeavours to recover his abducted fiancée, amidst the battles between the Britons and the Saxons.

With the Early Music Ensemble

Neal Peres Da Costa conductor

Brendan Carmody director

Sensational Sunday - Gods and Monsters

Journey into an Arcadian world of gods and monsters with Handel's Italian cantatas, written circa 1710. Shriek with the heroine as she is abducted by the serpent, swoon with the adventurer as he discovers - and loses - his lover. Let the enchantress of music beguile and befuddle; indulge with the shepherd and Dionysus in some of Handel's most dramatic works.

Perfomers

Rachael Beesley violin

Julia Fredersdorff violin

Nicole Forsyth viola

Daniel Yeadon cello

Shaun Ng violone

Neal Peres Da Costa keyboard

Anna Fraser soprano

Mark Donnelly baritone

Program

Handel Instrumental music from the Operas Alcina and Rinaldo

Cantata Cuopre tal volta il cielo in D Major, HWV98

Cantata Tra le Fiamme, in G Major HWV 170

Cantata for soprano and bass

Event details

Date: 8 May 2011

Time: 3.00pm

Location: Verbrugghen Hall

Cost: Adults $30, Conc. $25, Friends $20, Students $10, Child $10

Tickets: City Rectial Hall - 1300 797 118 (bookings fees may apply)

Conductors' Series - Mostly Bach - Early Music Ensemble

Program

Telemann Ouverture "La Bizarre" TWV 55: G2

Heinichen Concerto a 8

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 BWV 1051

Dall'Abaco Concerto a più Instrumenti No. 3, op. 5

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, BWV 1046

Event details

Date: 9 April 2011

Time: 4.00pm

Location: Verbrugghen Hall

Cost: Adults $30, Conc. $25, Friends $20, Students $10, Child $10

Mount Beauty Music Festival

I will again be joining The Marais Project performing at the Mount Beauty Music Festival in Victoria from the 29th of April until the 1st of May 2011. If the location is as beautiful as the name suggests, I am in for a really nice time at this festival. For more information, visit here.

Bellingen Music Festival 2011

First post of 2011 - Happy New Year!

I am part of an upcoming music festival that will be held in the lush surroundings of Bellingen, NSW. My colleagues and I will be presenting a varied programme of French and German music, including the viola da gamba duos of Marin Marais and Johann Schenk. I am certainly looking forward to performing as well as seeing more of New South Wales. More information can be found at the festival's website here.

Across the Channel

Please note: there has been a change in the venue of the next concert I will be doing. For further details, please visit http://www.maraisproject.com.au/

3.00pm Sunday 24th October

Christchurch Anglican Church Lavender Bay, Cnr Lavender and Walker Sts, North Sydney (a short walk from North Sydney Station and buses)

“Across the Channel”–Directed by Jennifer Eriksson and Tommie Andersson”

Tickets - $30, $20, $70 (+ booking fee)

Our focus is typically French music. In this concert we “cross the channel” to perform some of the greatest English works for lute and viol.

About Bach and Christmas

Again, I will be playing the violone in a concert mostly Christmas music with the Sydney Conservatorium's Early Music Ensemble and Chamber Choir. I am really looking forward to playing some French music for a change.

About Bach and Christmas
Saturday 9 October 4.00pm

Early Music Ensemble & Conservatorium Chamber Choir

Neal Peres Da Costa/Ashley Soloman& Neil McEwan AM directors

This concert will also feature guest director Ashley Solomon, Head of Historical Performance at Royal College of Music, London.

Charpentier Messe de Minuit
Corelli Concerto Grosso No. 8 in G minor, Op. 6 "Christmas Concerto"
J.S. Bach Cantata Ein'feste Burg ist unser Gott BWV 80

Early Music Ensemble

I will again join the Sydney Conservatorium's Early Music Ensemble as their violone player. Here are the details of the concert or click here for the Facebook page:

Conductors' Series - Early Music Ensemble
4 September 2010

The Descent of Cibell
Saturday 4 September 4.00pm
Early Music Ensemble

Neal Peres Da Costa director

Handel Concerto Grosso No. 3 in G Major, Op. 3 HWV 314
Geminiani Concerto No.12 in D minor, Op. 5 after Corelli 'La Follia'
Handel Selections from the Opera Rinaldo
Purcell Cibell in C Z678
J. S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049

___________________________________________
Where Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Tickets $15 full, $10 concession (including Friends of The Con),
Discounts Purchase a total of 3 or more concerts from the Conductors', Cocktail Hour and Jazz in the Café Series for just $10 each. Tickets must be booked in advance.
Bookings via City Recital Hall
Phone: 1300 797 118, or online via link below (booking fees may apply)

Selby & Friends "A Little Lunch Music"

I will also be playing the violone for this concert.

Selby & Friends "A Little Lunch Music" - Rising Stars - Sydney Con Early Music Ensemble with Neal Peres Da Costa

Tuesday 20 July 1pm

City Recital Hall Angel Place

For more information, click here.

Geminiani Concerto grosso - La Folia

Handel Concerto Grosso Op 6 No 7 Bb Major

Purcell Fairy Queen (excerpts)

Vivaldi Il Grosso Mogul Concerto

CPE Bach Cello Concerto

Sydney Biennale - A Cabinet of Curiosities

I will be joining the Ironwood Ensemble and Sydney Conservatorium's Early Music Ensemble as their violone (great bass viol) player.

Ironwood & Developing Artists - "A Cabinet of Curiosities"

Sunday 18 July 2010 3pm

Cockatoo Island, Building 74, as part of the Biennale of Sydney.

For more information, click here.

Geminiani Concerto grosso - La Folia

Handel Concerto Grosso Op 6 No 7 Bb Major

Purcell Fairy Queen (excerpts)

Easter Viol School 2010

I will be tutoring at the Easter Viol School at Bermagui, NSW, this year as an unofficial-last minute addition to the faculty. Although I am not in the official publicity, you will see me there! Click here to download an enrolment form and brochure. Although I have been assigned to work with the beginners, I will be able to provide lessons to anyone who wants some.

Across the Channel

I will be performing with an early music ensemble called The Marais Project on the tenor viola da gamba. Details on the concert are below. For further information and tickets, see http://www.maraisproject.com.au/mainpages/events.htm

3.00pm Sunday 24th October

Mosman Art Gallery & Community Centre, Cnr Gallery Way and Myahgah Rd, Mosman.


“Across the Channel”–Directed by Jennifer Eriksson and Tommie Andersson”
Tickets - $35, $25, $80 (+ booking fee)

Our focus is typically French music. In this concert we “cross the channel” to perform some of the greatest English works for lute and viol.

Belinda Montgomery – soprano
Fiona Ziegler -baroque violin
Tommie Andersson – lute & theorbo
Jennifer Eriksson & Catherine Tabrett – viola da gamba
Shaun Ng – tenor viol

Picture

A lovely picture of me and some of my younger violin students. :)

The Suzuki Method - Criticism and Response

The most common criticisms of the Suzuki method from educators outside the various Suzuki associations are that group playing, extensive listening to and copying of recordings, and early focus on memorization lead to:

• compromised sight reading skills
• a tendency towards rote learning and 'robotic' group performance at the expense of individual musicianship

Other criticisms include:

• teachers are often low-level performers, and are not required to hold a degree or have had any formal training on their instrument

• if music is to be learned from audio recordings, the quality of the recorded pieces must be questioned in terms of style, integrity, and its positive or negative traits. The resulting views are subjective and may differ between people.

• any reliance on listening to a single piece in order to learn it is not sufficient for instilling a sense of the style of the work (where the style refers to the traits of performance that are common to many similar works), since a style can only be acquired by listening to a range of works of common style (including listening to works for enjoyment, rather than with only the goal of copying them).

Criticism has also sprung up from within the Suzuki movement:

• students may progress too rapidly and find themselves studying repertoire for which they are not yet emotionally prepared.
• Baroque music is emphasized in the Suzuki violin literature to the detriment of other styles and periods. Some of this literature includes note errors and 19th-century editorial changes that are not in keeping with historically informed performance practice. (The International Suzuki Association is in the process of addressing this by revising the violin repertoire).
• "Older students can become overly dependent" on the support structure of recordings, parental note-taking and tutoring at home, and teaching styles appropriate for younger students (Barber, 1991).
• very young students, such as those aged 3–5, are often not ready for formal instruction, and too much emphasis on practicing hard at this age may be counterproductive (American Suzuki Journal, 2005).

Keep the V&A Musical Instrument Gallery Open

The V&A have decided to close its long established musical instrument gallery, in effect the de facto National Collection in the absence of an official collection. Join this group to petition the museum requesting this action be postponed until alternative arrangements can be made to house these instruments.

Crisis at the V&A!

Taken from http://www.hogwood.org/news/crisis-at-the-vanda.html:

The Victoria and Albert Museum plans to break up its historic and valuable music collection to make space for fashion.

There has been widespread consternation in the music world at the news that the the V&A plans to break up the collection that has been fostered since they bought their first instrument in 1856. A petition to the Prime Minister has been written and signed by many, including Christopher. The museum has issued a statement saying that the instruments are being moved to make way for more fashion on the basis that they are a museum for the decorative arts, and fashion is more fitting for that description. Read Ben Hoyle's article in The Times for more information.

Christopher, who holds a personal affection for both the venue and its instruments, having played concerts and recorded CDs on the instruments there, believes it is important not to break up such a collection. His worry is that, as a result of the loss of official space in which to display the instruments, they will find themselves kept out of sight, under lock and key. These instruments, whilst being appreciable for an aesthetic value, are also of great importance to those academics, like Christopher, who want to revive the sound as well as view the sight of these important instruments.

Click Here to listen to Christopher voice his opinions to Sean Rafferty on BBC Radio 3's In Tune.

The fate of the instrument gallery is still under discussion. You can sign the petition, or take action in person, to which end Judith Wardman of the British Clavichord Society advises members:

'Last chance to visit to the Musical Instrument Gallery and express your concern:

'Forgive me if you've already heard that there's a chance to demonstrate your concern about the V&A proposal this Thursday lunch-time, 4 February, 1 to 2pm. Meet at the entrance to the instrument gallery, where James Yorke of the V&A will be opening the gallery to the public for what seems to be the last time. Various organizers are suggesting that as many people as possible should turn up to protest at the closure and to pressure the museum to make the best possible arrangements for its instruments in the future.'

Viol Soundposts

"So according to Mersenne the soundpost is most often placed directly under the foot of the bridge, which if carried out to a tee, puts the soundpost fair and square in the middle of the soundpost plate, the place where one would expect it to stand."

Heale, Michael. "Viol Soundposts." Early Music, 9(4) 1981 :521-524.


This is exactly what I have done.

A'=392 Hz for International 'Baroque' Pitch

A Facebook group for Baroque music enthusiasts who believe that a'=392 Hz is a far more realistic pitch standard than a'=415 Hz.

German Baroque Concert

German Baroque Concert

Cottesloe Civic Centre

Sunday 11th October 2009 3.00 pm

Directions to Cottesloe Civic Centre

Georg Corall – Harpsichord

Shaun Ng – Viola da gamba

Andrew Tait – Basse de Violone

Programme

Karl Friedrich Abel (1725-1787)

Sonata in C Major for viola da gamba and basso continuo

Vivace – Adagio – Minuetto

Karl Friedrich Abel (1725-1787)

Three pieces from manuscript 5871 for solo viola da gamba

Allegretto – Adagio – Allegro

Christoph Schaffrath (1709-1763)

Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba, obligato harpsichord and basso continuo

Allegro – Largo – Allegro

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Sonata in Canon C Major for viola da gamba and basse de violone

Vivace – Cantabile - Scherzando

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667)

Suite XXX

Plainte faite à Londres pour passer la mélancolie, laquelle se joue lentement avec discrétion – Courante – Sarabande – Gigue

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba, obligato harpsichord and basso continuo

Andante – Allegro – Largo – Presto

Réponce de Monsieur Rousseau

My first-ever journal article has been published in the online journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of Great Britain. It can be found here.

The editor decided to address Monsieur de Machy as "De Machy", and unfortunately added one too many prepositions, ending up with "Monsieur de De Machy" (See line 2). I am sure they can correct that though.

Ng, Shaun K. F. “Réponce de Monsieur Rousseau.” The Viola da Gamba Society Journal 2, no. 2 (2009): 56-74.

Le Sieur de Machy and the Solo French Viol Tradition (Finished)

Ng, Shaun K. F. "Le Sieur de Machy and the Solo French Viol Tradition." MA, University of Western Australia, 2008.

Shaun goes for baroque

Just before my trip to the USA, the University of Western Australia publication called UWA News got hold of me to write a little article about my then recent success with the Artflight grant and the invitation to Oberlin Conservatory.

I like what Dr. Suzanne Wijsman said:

"Shaun is one of our shining stars."

How sweet. :)

Hawaii

When I met Kathy Spencer in Oberlin last summer, she told me about my little photo and write-up in the American Viola da Gamba Society of America's newsletter. Here it is, with me looking a little too relaxed and cheerful during my recital at the University of Hawaii (Manoa):

Old photos

Here are some photos from the event taken from the Australian Viola da Gamba Society's Newsletter during the last Easter Viol School in Sydney:

Original Instruments

While in Oberlin, I visited the home of Catherina Meints where I manage to try her collection of original viols! Feast your eyes on Barak Norman, John Rose, Nicolas Bertrand, Jacob Stainer, etc. Which one did I like the most? The French one, of course!

Recital in Bangkok

Here are scenes from the first ever viola da gamba recital in Thailand (so I'm told!). Photos by Mongkol Chayasirisobhon: