Elizabeth Anderson
Elizabeth Anderson has performed in no less than eleven international concert tours to Europe, Japan and Singapore. She is a regular guest lecturer and performer at universities and music schools throughout Australia.
The audience at the Nagoya Arts Centre in Japan applauded loud and long the third encore played by Elizabeth Anderson: Willard Palmer's Blues for Harpsichord. Such encore items proved so popular, that Anderson's agent suggested that she create an entire concert programme from them. A new all-20th century programme was well-received at the 1996 Adelaide Festival. That year, Anderson gave her tenth European concert tour, playing solo recitals and four-hands organ concerts with husband, Douglas Lawrence. She received standing ovations for a popular programme at the Brandenburg Cathedral as well as in Hamburg.
It was in the same year that her CD, of Bach's monumental Goldberg Variations received critical acclaim in the Australian press. Numerous orchestral engagements followed, including 28 concerto performances with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Queensland Philharmonic, the State Orchestra of Victoria and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.
This series of concertos added to Anderson's already considerable experience playing continuo and concertos with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and with historical instrument ensembles, such as the Australian Baroque Ensemble, and the Festival Orchestra (MIFOH).
In 1992, the Melbourne International Festival of Organ and Harpsichord (now the Autumn Music Festival) commissioned a harpsichord concerto from Philip Nunn, which was dedicated to her, and first performed by her in the 1993 Festival closing concert with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra.
Eleven international concert tours have taken her to Japan and Singapore, as well as throughout most of Western Europe. She has been a soloist in such concert series as Symphony Hall, Osaka, Nagoya Arts Centre, Italy's Concerti in Ville; King Frederick's Castle, Berlin; St German, Geneva, Frederikisborg Castle, Denmark and the Leeds and Aberdeen Town Halls. Major music festivals have included the Glasgow Mayfest, Dublin Early Music Festival, Brandenburg Summer Festival and the Dornburg Festival, Germany, the Haarlem Summer Academy, Holland the Vendsyssel Festival, Denmark and the Carouge Spring Festival, Switzerland.
She has made many appearances in major Australian festivals, such as the Adelaide Festival, the Barossa International Music Festival, the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, the Castlemaine State Festival and the Autumn Music Festival.
As well as maintaining a busy performing schedule, Elizabeth Anderson enjoys teaching and is on the staff at several institutions including the University of Melbourne and the Victorian College of the Arts.
Artist's website: www.elizabethanderson.org
Press quotes
“Elizabeth Anderson is ... one hell of a harpsichordist ... the nonstop rhythmic and harmonic ostinato and brilliant passagework are truly mesmerizing”
— Christopher Brodersen, Fanfare Magazine
“The multifaceted Elizabeth Anderson ... ascends to ever higher levels of excitement and with unbridled virtuosity arrives suddenly in a state of musical weightlessness ... an unconventional concert with an exceptional program and an exceptional artist”
— Albrecht Schmidt, Darmstädter Echo
“Vivacious Melbourne keyboard virtuoso Elizabeth Anderson plays the hottest, hippest harpsichord in the world today.”
— Sunday Herald Sun
“Anderson's keyboard virtuosity, as soloist and sympathetic accompanist, shines...”
— Bob Crimeen, Sunday Herald Sun
“It takes a musician of high order, such as Elizabeth Anderson (in superb form) to reveal the magic enshrined in these deceptively easy minatures and her every contribution provides unalloyed listening delight”
— Neville Cohn, Oz Arts Review
Elizabeth Anderson is featured on the following titles
JS Bach Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord
Considering the fame of Bach’s solo violin partitas and his solo cello suites, it is remarkable how his sonatas for viola da gamba and keyboard remain in the shadows, at best, of most music-lovers’ consciousness. The fact that some of the material in them originated elsewhere in Bach’s output hardly explains the neglect in which they have tended to lie.
Performer: Harpsichord
More Bizarre or baRock
"The hottest, hippest harpsichord in the world today" said one critic of the best selling Bizarre or baRock. Melbourne harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson has returned to the studio for the long awaited sequel.
Performer: Harpsichord
Arranger
Anna Magdalena Bach's Book
This very special disc from Australia's best known harpsichord virtuoso, Elizabeth Anderson, and her son, boy soprano, Jacob Lawrence features the much loved Anna Magdalena notebook including many well known tracks such as the timeless 'Bist du bei mir'.
Performer: Harpsichord
The Convict Harpsichordist
John Grant, frustrated in love, shot a London lawyer in the buttock and was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey. Granted a reprieve, he arrived at Sydney Cove in 1804, bringing with him Australia's first harpsichord. But what music did he play? Harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson answers the question.
Performer: Harpsichord
Merry Christmas
Elizabeth Anderson and friends put a new twist into Christmas carols and CDs: eight Christmas tracks neatly packaged as a Christmas card with a vibrant front cover and room for a personal inscription.
Performer: Harpsichord
Arranger
Bolero – music for organ 4 hands
Douglas Lawrence and Elizabeth Anderson, organ duet. 'Bolero' features arrangements of classical favourites for four hands performed on the Melbourne Concert Hall Organ.
Performer: Organ
Bizarre or baRock
Elizabeth Anderson explores harpsichord music across four centuries: ranging from Conceição's raw 17th century battle piece, through traditional Baroque repertoire, to Jazz, Blues, Gershwin and the Beatles accompanied by drums and bass. Weird, wild, wacky and wonderful - you've never heard the harpsichord like this!
Performer: Harpsichord
Goldberg Variations
Rare opportunity to hear the entire 'Goldberg Variations' with all repeats plus the '14 canons' on the Goldbergs and the 'Italian Concerto'. Two CDs for the price of one.
Performer: Harpsichord
Musical Portraits from the Salons of Paris
Harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson recreates a concert from the Salons of Paris. This CD features a collection of grand and lively harpsichord 'character pieces' by composers Forqueray, Duphly and Ballbastre brought to life through Anderson's deft and accomplished playing.
Performer: Harpsichord
Producer
Fandango
Flamboyant Spanish harpsichord music performed by harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson; with Douglas Lawrence, organ.
Performer: Harpsichord
Compositions by Elizabeth Anderson also appear on
Keys to Heaven
This recording by the Australian Chamber Choir starts with a work composed in 18th century Venice by an orphan of the Ospedale della Pietà, and reconstructed by Elizabeth Anderson. Works by Palestrina, and Allegri are also featured.
Arranger
Elizabeth Anderson also appears on
Devils of the Night
On this, his first CD for Move Records, Nagorcka is joined by his long-time collaborator, the Melbourne-based pianist, educator and co-composer Robert Williams.
Performer: Harpsichord
Beatus Vir
Recorded live during their 1999 European tour, the Choir of Ormond College presents a delightful mix of music in eight parts by Jacob Handl, Palestrina and Gabrieli, and other beautiful music by Rheinberger, Villette, Stanford, Howells, Monteverdi and Gesualdo.
Performer: Organ
O Rose So Red
Melbourne based Schola Cantorum perform a program of chants, songs and motets used to capture the nature of Mary over the course of more than a millennium.
Performer: Chamber Organ
Soul
Douglas Lawrence OAM conducts the internationally acclaimed Australian Chamber Choir in a selection of sublime sacred music from across the ages.
Performer
Elizabeth Anderson is a member of
Elysium Ensemble
The Elysium Ensemble has been acclaimed by critics for its exciting performances, fine musicianship and authoritative interpretations of music from the Baroque and Classical repertoire.
