Live performance reviews of Musica Viva Australia’s national Horn Trio tour: Nico Fleury, Emily Sun and Amir Farid
In June, Emily toured in Australia for Musica Viva with its Horn Trio – Nico Fleury, Emily Sun and Amir Farid program, featuring the world premiere of Gordon Kerry’s evocative violin sonata, Mosaics.
Despite not all performances being able to proceed due to COVID-induced travel restrictions, the trio earned excellent reviews from their Adelaide, Sydney and livestreamed concerts:
- “the rich polish of horn player Nicolas Fleury, the strength and brilliance of violinist Emily Sun, and the refined attentiveness and sensibility of pianist Amir Farid. … [Kerry’s sonata] began in a glistening world of ethereal quiet, with a violin harmonic and shimmering tremolo in the upper piano… The work ended in surging aspiration, as though about to break free, and Sun and Farid realised it with a sense of heightened sensitivity and vividness.” [4.5 stars]
– Peter McCallum, Sydney Morning Herald (‘Star performances bring shine to new works and old masters’, 21 June 2021) - “[in] the world premiere performance of Gordon Kerry’s Sonata for Violin and Piano… The violin and piano tie together in a rather fragmented way, but one of great beauty. Here Sun soared, playing with much colour and a passionately keening vibrato…. in Brahms’ Horn Trio in E-flat, Op.40…..all three musicians [had] the opportunity to shine – and indeed they did, pressing forward and presenting a consummate performance.” [4 stars] – Limelight Magazine (June 2021)
- “the chemistry amongst the three musicians was evident and added a liberal dose of spritz to the performance… Emily Sun’s playing was masterful. Her violin buzzed, sobbed and sighed, showing off all its colours like a preening peacock, adding double stops, pizzicato and glissandi.”- Sounds Like Sydney (June 2021)
- “In the adagio third movement, which to this reviewer’s ear is the heart and soul of the composition, Sun is at the top of her game and ensures the ensemble combines to create longing sadness that is, at the insistence of a well-articulated melody on the horn, also hopeful and inspiring.” – The Barefoot Review (17 June 2021)
- “Sun on violin was really the star here… the Brahms lived up to all my very high expectations… Fleury’s performance is extraordinarily beautiful, as are Sun’s and Farid’s. Brahms’ exuberant Finale is taken at breathtaking speed and seems to positively crackle with excitement. This is a performance well worth catching” – Sydney Arts Guide (June 2021)
- “In the [Mozart] Andante we were captivated by the lyrical, aria like opening melody on the violin… A “middle” section [in Kerry’s sonata] highlighted Emily Sun’s authoritative and expressively passionate long tones … a finely balanced partnership of varied and colourful timbres on both instruments gave Kerry’s work a fine World Premier hearing. […] How impressive was Emily Sun’s leadership in Brahms’ Horn Trio in Eb, her luscious, warm and resonant tone expressing highly emotive swells of passion and richness… an admirable display of unique tone colours, virtuosic skill and vibrancy of spirit from this exemplary team of world class musicians.” – Classic Melbourne (June 2021)
Nocturnes (ABC Classics), Emily’s stunning debut album of classic French works for violin and piano, recorded with Andrea Lam, out now: abcmusic.lnk.to/Nocturnes
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