What a unique privilege it was to be a part of Zephyr Quartet’s Adelaide Fringe performance yesterday! On a hot Adelaide summer’s evening we were treated to live renditions of every track on the newly-launched A Rain from The Shadows in the relaxed atmosphere of  The Wheatsheaf Hotel in Thebarton. Each of the pieces on the CD was inspired by – or elicited  responses by – poetry.

All of the original musical compositions are by group members Belinda Gehlert, Hilary Kleinig and Emily Tulloch. Add to these viola player Jason Thomas and these technically accomplished musicians produce a sound which is as unique and original as it is beautiful.

The collaboration between us goes back about seven years. I could never have imagined that the simple act of inviting Yahia al-Samawy to a school concert would have resulted in a series of concerts and a CD!

The CD itself is a work of art. A booklet insert publishes all of the poems. I’m lucky enough to have 3 poems and associated compositions. The artwork is superb. As Hilary said last night, what a wonderful thing it is in this digital age to be able to hold something beautiful in your own hands.

Thanks Zephyr for your continuing friendship and association. It was an honour to be invited to be involved in the first of the national “Rain” tour of mini-concerts and launches (Mike Ladd recited his poem dirt while I performed Shearwaters last night.)

Zephyr is destined for great things. Four years ago the Adelaide Review said “In their almost ten years together, these four musicians have collaborated with an extraordinarily wide range of other practising artists and have significantly expanded listener notions of what the string quartet medium stands for.”

Since then Zephyr’s collaborated with visual artists, dancers and poets playing in genres from chamber music to electro and hiphop.

As I say, it’s a humbling privilege to be associated with creative artists of this calibre…

There’s one more concert in Adelaide. You may be able to get a ticket HERE

This is followed by concert/ launches in Sydney and Melbourne.