Talking Bach

In episode 2 of ’Talking Bach’, Artistic Director Madeleine Easton talks to one of Australia’s most important figures in the history of Bach in Australia. Dr Hans Schroeder immigrated to Australia in 1990 and discovered the music of Bach which changed his life and destiny. The inspiration he found in Bach’s music caused him to found the Australian Bach Society which stands as a nation wide beacon of knowledge, scholarship and performances of the great J.S. Bach. Dr Hans talks about his remarkable life and his legacy of the Australian Bach Society.

Welcome to our first podcast of 2024! This year you’ll be getting a podcast every month hosted by Artistic Director Madeleine Easton. She’ll be interviewing a huge range of personalities including internationally famous musicians who have close relationships with Bach, as well as scholars and professionals from all walks of life who relate to Bach’s genius. In our first podcast of 2024, Madeleine Easton interviews Olivia Ansell, the Artistic Director of the Sydney Festival along side the multi-instrumentalist and composer Benjamin Skepper. Olivia and Benjamin have co-curated a festival within a festival titled ’TEMPERAMENT’ - a week-long celebration and deconstruction of Bach, paying homage to the revolutionary advances his music enabled and its influence on modern composers. They have invited Bach Akademie Australia to kick off this exciting week of Bach in this year’s Sydney Festival with 2 performances on the 23rd and 24th of January.

Join Artistic Director Madeleine Easton in conversation with indigenous Australian composer Troy Russell as he takes us on a journey through his life, his stories, family connections, and his inspiration for composing his new work ‘Clans’ that will be premiered in our next concert series  ‘Bach - A Child of the Stars’.

In this episode of Talking Bach, Artistic Director Madeleine Easton’s guest is none other than Dr Norman Swan, the incredibly popular host of the ABC’s Health Report, Coronacast and presenter of many wonderful television series and documentaries. Dr Swan kept us all very well informed throughout the pandemic and was a voice of reason and comfort throughout. Norman discusses all things pandemics with Madeleine, delving into the world of how diseases have affected human life, colonisation, and musicians throughout the centuries, and continue to do so today.

My guest today is a name many who revere Bach will know, none other than Professor Peter Wollny. Professor Wollny is a German musicologist, a Bach scholar who has contributed to and served the Bach Archive Leipzig since 1993, and as its director from 2014. Wollny has contributed to the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, and has been an editor of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: The Complete Works. He has been professor at the University of Leipzig, and teaches internationally. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Uppsala and is considered one of the foremost experts of J.S Bach’s music worldwide.

My guest today is Dr Brendan New. Brendan New is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked in the field of child protection and mental health for over 15 years and has a deep commitment to working with vulnerable children and families. Brendan currently divides his time between his clinical practice in a public child mental health service in Western Sydney and varying teaching roles around NSW. He is a firm believer in the importance of reflective practice and the benefits of learning from others, and wherever possible incorporates these principles into his teaching. In this episode, Brendan helps us explore the question of Nature vs nurture from a medical point of view, exploring the ramifications of childhood trauma, which J.S Bach certainly suffered, and how that can manifest in genius or not.

Russell Harcourt is a graduate of both the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Royal Academy of Music (MA with Distinction in Opera Performance). During his time in London, Russell furthered his studies Australia’s own Yvonne Kenny, was an Associate of the Young Artists’ Program at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and was made an Alumnus of the Britten–Pears Young Artist Program. Since returning to Australia, Russell has appeared as soloist with ensembles such as Pinchgut Opera, opera Australia and Bach Akademie Australia.

Artistic Director Madeleine Easton interviews Jonathan Horton QC, one of Australia's most distinguished legal brains. A musician in his own right, Jonathan splits his life equally between the worlds of music and law, and will be joining Madeleine on stage as guest presenter alongside the eminent Australian Actor Jonathan Biggins AM this weekend for 'The Weapons of Rhetoric' concert series. Join Madeleine and Jonathan for a fascinating conversation exploring the benefits that a knowledge of rhetoric and dialogue can bring to us all in our lives.

Artistic Director Madeleine Easton interviews Julia Fredersdorff, one of Australia's most well known baroque violinists and Artistic Director/founder of the Van Diemen's Band. Madeleine and Julia chat about all things Bach, the violin and forming their own ensembles here in Australia after both living and working in Europe, but most of all, what Bach's music means to them.