Lior Joins Camerata's COMPASSION at QPAC's Concert Hall and Toowoomba's Empire Theatre

Following a year of outstanding artistic milestones in 2019, including a Helpmann Award nomination for Best Chamber and/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert for Sara Macliver in Concert and three Matilda Award nominations for When The World Was Wide (The Lord Mayor's Award for Best New Australian Work, Best Musical or Cabaret, Best Male Actor in a Leading Role - Tama Matheson and Best Set Design - Caroline de Lore, Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, returns to the mainstage with their highly anticipated Season 2020 opening performance, Compassion.

In 2020, Camerata commences the season with Compassion welcoming Lior, an outstanding Australian singer/songwriter, who will perform a beautiful songa?'cycle coa?'written by Australian composer, Nigel Westlake. In this evening of deep feeling and inspiration, Lior will sing of the connectedness of the human experience, regardless of race or religion, in a work set to ancient texts sung in both Hebrew and Arabic.

The program opens with Beethoven's Grand Fugue which has been termed "a great artistic testament to the human capacity for meaning" and provides a gripping Season 2020 opening work. Phillip Glass's Echorus commemorates the inspiring humanity of the great violinist, Yehudi Menuhin, with a text by Alan Ginsberg read by acclaimed local actor, Barbara Lowing. Audiences will be transported to a chapel where macho bullfighters pray for their lives ahead of their encounters in the Madrid arena, a scene that inspired Turina to write his sensual The Bullfighter's Prayer. Following interval, Lior joins voice in in music written together with Nigel Westlake in Compassion - a song cycle with words that aim to unite Islam and Judaism into a remarkable and authentic celebration of compassion.

In an audience favourite and signature Camerata programming, a mystery wild card segment will be revealed on the night. Previous mystery wild card guests have included The Australian Voices, Katie Noonan and William Barton.

Performing without a conductor, Camerata's string players have established a reputation for passionate, exciting performances which engage audiences of all ages, regardless of their music experience.

Performing without a conductor, Camerata's Artistic Associates and their guests proudly take full ownership of their music-making in the spirit of chamber music to form a thriving, refreshing and acclaimed voice to empower artists, inspire audiences, and enrich communities through music. Under Artistic Director Brendan Joyce, the group is Company-in-Residence at Queensland Performing Arts Centre and undertakes an annual regional Queensland tour and subscription concert season in both Brisbane and Toowoomba.

As Artistic Associates, players contribute to the strategic direction of Camerata, are integral to the process of programming the season of works, and provide performance and training opportunities for the next generation of Queensland artists through the Upbeat program.

With a reputation for innovation and interesting and adventurous programming, the ensemble is extremely flexible in its repertoire and thrives in collaborations with artists from all art forms.

In 2019 Camerata employed over 100 artists across 50 concerts, reaching an audience of 51,000. Camerata is committed to enriching communities with its annual regional Queensland tour which includes the commissioning of a new Australian work, free public performances, education engagements and workshops with local schools and students and visits to residents in aged care facilities.

Lior is one of Australia's most treasured singer songwriters, renowned for his beautiful voice and songs that radiate truth and sincerity. He burst onto the Australian music scene in 2005 with his debut album Autumn Flow which has become one of the most successful independent debut releases in Australian music history. Lior has since released a further six albums and has toured extensively both in Australia and internationally. He is a multi-ARIA award winner as well as an APRA Screen Award winner for his song-writing work for film and television.

In 2014, Lior collaborated with Nigel Westlake on a symphonic song cycle for voice and orchestra called Compassion. The work consists of original orchestrations set to ancient texts in both Hebrew and Arabic centred on the wisdom of compassion. Lior and Nigel Westlake toured Compassion with the major state orchestras and won the ARIA for Best Classical Album in 2014. In 2016, Lior premiered Compassion in the US with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and subsequently went on to win the 2016 Austin Table Critics' Award for Best Symphonic Performance.

Bookings: Toowoomba: 1300 655 299 or www.camerata.net.au

Brisbane: qtix 136 246 or www.camerata.net.au

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