Highlands Music Collective Presents Australian Prisms

Next date: Friday, 20 February 2026 | 06:30 PM to 07:45 PM

Australian Prisms brings together seven Australian composers who reflect music as a vivid spectrum of light and shadow, colour and perspective. Like a prism refracting light into multiple hues, each composer uses their distinct sound language to illuminate the darkness, create peaceful sanctuaries, and transform sorrow and silence into meaningful emotions.

We welcome back the brilliant harpist Paul Nicolaou, our 2026 Eva Pascoe Award recipient, who dazzled us with his exceptional playing at the recent Pascoe Awards, kindly sponsored by Arts National Bowral District. This time, Paul will be joined by Highlands Music Collective's Artistic Director and violinist, Myee Clohessy; cellist Catherine Barnett; and pianist Andrew Rumsey.

Their all-Australian program highlights why these living composers are considered national treasures. The composer 'closest to home' is our esteemed local, Andrew Ford, who will be present to share the background to his beautiful work Cradle Song. Sally Greenaway will also be present for the premiere of her work IMOGEN, written as a birthday gift. Another notable discovery has been our harpist, Paul Nicolaou, who is also a talented, award-winning composer. He will present Between Darkness and Light for harp and piano, and Night Shift, written especially for this program, uniting all four instruments for the concert's finale - the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

We are incredibly fortunate to have such a wealth of talent on our doorstep. The depth, diversity, and inventiveness of these talented Australian composers and musicians are worth celebrating, so please join us for this exciting launch of HMCollective's 2026 Concert Series.

"Music is an 'essential service' for our mind, heart and soul. As each note unfolds, the journey salves and challenges our thoughts and feelings. And when we reach the final cadence, we are completely transformed." Sally Greenaway, Composer

HIGHLANDS MUSIC COLLECTIVE
Myee Clohessy, violin
Catherine Barnett, cello
Andrew Rumsey, piano
Paul Nicolaou, harp (2026 Eva Pascoe Award recipient)

N.B. The front doors of Bowral Memorial Hall will open at 5:45 pm, and the concert hall doors at 6.15 pm. The concert starts at 6.30 pm and lasts approximately 70 minutes.

PROGRAM
Stuart Greenbaum - 9 Candles for Dark Nights for solo harp
*Andrew Ford - Cradle Song for violin and piano
Anne Cawrse - Sanctuary for violin and cello
*Paul Nicolaou - Between Darkness and Light for harp and piano
Nigel Westlake - Beneath the Midnight Sun for harp and violin
*Sally Greenaway - IMOGEN for cello and piano (premiere)
Elena Kats-Chernin - Dance of the Paper Umbrellas for harp, violin and cello
*Paul Nicolaou - Night Shift (premiere) for harp, violin, cello and piano