Paradise Concerts

Classical International Chamber Music Series

Kirtley Leigh Paine Violinist

PRESS QUOTES

enthralling fine playing, the music echoed with delight
(Brisbane Sunday Mail, October, 2005 )

"...the Bach Brandenburg Concerto was superbly performed, exhilerating in every way"

Dene Olding, Kirtley Leigh Paine,Dimity Hall,violins
(Australian Festival of Chamber Music
Townsville Bulliten, July 2005)

Kirtley wowed the crowds at her Civic Theatre Recital
(The Cairns Post, March, 2004)

Virtuoso Violin with Panache
(Nelson, N.Z. News, September, 2006)

Kirtleys violin flirted with the piano of Pascal Roge
(Arts Nexus Magazine, October, 2007)

Her concerto premiere was a match made in Heaven
(NZ Mail, September, 2006)

http://www.paradiseconcerts.com

American/Australian violinist Kirtley Leigh has a career that has taken her across the globe, as soloist, in chamber concerts, recitals, and orchestras worldwide. Her performances have been celebrated in over 20 countries including America, Europe, Asia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia, where she resides since relocating from London.

A student of the legendary virtuoso Josef Gingold, she holds a B Mus (honours) degree from Indiana University. The US honoured her with the prestigious American Federation of Music Prize in New York.

As a chamber musician and recitalist, Leigh has appeared in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and festivals including Aspen, Point-Counterpoint and Chautauqua (USA), St. Endellion and Classics Live (UK), Klassik Aften, Bergen Festspille, and Oslo (Norway), Amsterdam, Vienna, Pollensa (Spain), and Hong Kong. In the 80s she was a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and was on the faculty of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In Europe she won orchestral positions as leader in Amsterdam, and in Norway where, as principal second violin of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, she was Artistic Director of her own chamber music series, performed as soloist and recorded for Norwegian radio.

Residing in London for 14 years, Leighs Duo gave its debut recital at the international Classics Live Festival. Leigh was in the UKs finest chamber and symphony orchestras, including principal second violin of the London Chamber Symphony, Assistant Leader of the Midlands Philharmonic, and member of the Academy of London, Oxford and European Union Chamber Orchestras. She was also a chamber musician at the Endellion Festival under conductor Richard Hickox.

European engagements included performing for Queen Sophia of Spain as Leader of the Pollensa Chamber Orchestra, and for King Olaf of Norway with the Bergen Philharmonic, as well as tours with Pavarotti and the Oporto Orchestra, Portugal, and with Soprano Kiri te Kanawa in France.

Leigh was one of the Australian Festival of Chamber Musics performers in 2005, as masterclass instructor and chamber music artist, recording artist on ABC, and leader of the chamber orchestra. She gave her Australian recital dbut in 04, and in 05 founded, as Artistic Director, Paradise Concerts international chamber music series in Cairns, Queensland. In 05 Leigh toured Papua New Guinea, giving a command performance for the Prime Minister at Parliament House. The Queensland Arts Council appointed Leigh as a touring artist for 05,06 and 07.

In 06 she performed in recital with the internationally acclaimed pianist Pascal Rog as part of the Paradise Concerts series, and appeared as guest leader and soloist with the Barrier Reef Orchestra under conductor John Hopkins OBE. She performed as soloist with Opera Queensland in 2006, and toured New Zealand, giving recitals, masterclasses, and the world premiere of a Concerto for Violin and Orchestra dedicated and written for her by New Zealand composer, Ross Carey.

In 07 she was soloist at Opera in the Outback, leader of the Barrier Reef Orchestra, and gave 10 concerts with international artists in the Paradise Concerts series. She appeared as soloist/director in the debut of the Paradise Chamber Orchestra for Festival Cairns in The Eight Seasons, an innovative programme of her creation, juxtaposing Piazzolla and Vivaldi 4 Seasons.. She is founder of the Paradise Chamber Orchestra, Cairns first professional orchestra.

Leigh continues to vigorously champion classical music in our region. In 2007, she was presented a RADF award by Mayor Kevin Byrne in recognition of cultural excellence in the city of Cairns. The Paradise Concerts Gala Opening recital of 2008 featured Leigh and international pianist Melvyn Tan in performance together.

In March, 2009 Leigh gave the Australian Premiere of Carey's Violin Concerto in Melbourne, as well as a performance of The Lark Ascending to critical acclaim. Paradise Concerts opened the 2009 5th Anniversary celebrations with a Gala performance at its new venue of Kewarra Beach Resort. This recital was oficially opened by Mayor Val Schier, and together with 2009 Benefactor Mr. Spike Phillips, Paradise Concerts celebrated the unveiling of a Yamaha Recital grand piano - a heartfelt philanthropic gift to the Series by its Benefactor. Leigh's success in directing the Series continues, with concerts planned throughout the year, including a Violin recital premiering a new composition in August, an operatic gala in September, and a Baroque evening in December.