Feodora and Daniel explore the rich, diverse repertoire for viola and piano, presenting cornerstone works from the Romantic and modern eras. Throughout the program, these talented young musicians will invite the audience to join them on a journey through the vivid imagery of the music of Rebecca Clarke, Johannes Brahms and Robert Schuman.

Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata for Viola and Piano, composed in 1919, stands out for its innovation, lyricism, and modern sensibilities. With impressionistic harmonic colours reminiscent of Debussy and Ravel, Clarke’s work was initially overlooked—possibly due to her being a female composer—but has recently enjoyed a well-deserved revival and recognition. Stepping back in time to the height of Romanticism, Robert Schumann’s Märchenbilder (Fairy-Tale Pictures) reflects his fascination with fairy tales through lyrical and whimsical storytelling. This set of four short works capture a world of fantasy and imagination, and showcase Schumann’s vivid musical imagery. Finally, Johannes Brahms after his purposed ‘retirement’, writes his Sonata for Viola and Piano in F minor that features a profound display of emotional depth and instrumental interplay. Originally composed for the clarinet in the late 19th century, the work depicts stormy landscapes and dramatic extremes with a dark and atmospheric first movement pitched against a joyful and light-hearted finale, displaying Brahm’s unrivalled skills in motivic transformation.

Feodora and Daniel began their collaborative partnership in 2022, whilst both studying at the University of Queensland. They have since performed many of the milestone works in the repertoire and find great joy in exploring the detail and complex relationship between their parts whilst crafting their own unique interpretation of the works. Through their rehearsals and performances, they are constantly finding new ways to colour and define their sound to inspire each other’s playing. They are both very grateful for the opportunity they have had to grow together as musicians and are overjoyed to be presenting this recital as a culmination of their work together over the past three years.